The cover of the first issue of Captain America portrays the iconic superhero punching Hitler square in the jaw. Dating from March 1941 — nine months before war broke out between Germany and the United States — Captain America was ready to fight fascism before the American public was.

The early issues of the series were devoted to Cap’s exploits in Europe, filled with an enthusiasm for taking it to fascists unmatched in the comic book world. The character’s birth by two Jewish comic book creators loomed in the background of those story arcs.

As one of Marvel’s oldest inventions, Captain America has changed through the years. He has not always been a model of progress, given that his history mapped to US Cold War politics a bit too neatly at times. But, despite periodic missteps, at least one could say that Captain America was no fascist.