10 Strongest Allies of Steve Rogers' Captain America, Ranked by Physical Strength

Few Marvel characters make for the company’s friendliest superhero quite like Captain America. Even the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man has his un-friendly traits that put his iconic nickname into question, but Steve Rogers? That man is universally beloved. Readers would be hard-pressed to find a character who dislikes Captain America, and if they do, they’re likely more of a villain than a hero.

Captain America’s likability largely stems from his willingness to give anyone who crosses his path a chance. As long as someone isn’t wearing a swastika, swearing their allegiances to the Red Skull, or carrying a face as punchable as Adolf Hitler’s, Steve is willing to be friends. This friendliness has allowed Captain America access to an array of allies that he can not only trust to have his back on an emotional level, but on a physical level. Some of his greatest allies happen to be among the strongest characters to ever grace Marvel’s comics.

10

Sam Wilson

First Appearance: Captain America #117 by Stan Lee, Gene Colan, Joe Sinnott, and Sam Rosen

Sam Wilson has etched himself in history as Steve Rogers’ best friend and arguably the second-best Captain America, but he also happens to be Captain America’s weakest friend, physically speaking. He is most certainly capable as Captain America and highly skilled, but unlike Steve, he doesn’t have the luxuries of a Super Serum, which puts him at a disadvantage against numerous enemies. This is not only the case for villains, but even heroes, as once a mind-controlled Sam lost a skirmish to Spider-Man.

This is no fault of Sam’s, because a mere human can’t defeat someone with the super-strength of Spider-Man. Steve Rogers has defeated Peter Parker in the past, largely because of the superhuman strength he acquired from the Super Serum. No matter how skilled in combat Sam is, there are only so many ways to answer for pure physical power.

9

Ian Rogers / Nomad

First Appearance: Captain America #1 by Rick Remender, John Romita Jr., Klaus Janson, Dean White, and Joe Caramagna

Ian Rogers is one of the most powerful relatives of Captain America, even if he isn’t biologically related to Steve. Ian was a test tube baby created by and rescued from Arnim Zola. Steve adopted and raised young Ian as if he were his own. Now, as a much older hero, Ian helps his father in the pursuit against evil as the heroic Nomad. Because he was created from unnatural and scientific circumstances, many of his abilities are enhanced, making him stronger than the average human.

As a result, Captain America’s son has enhanced durability, stamina, strength, and conditioning. That said, he’s nowhere near enhanced enough to be stronger than his father, but it’s enough to make him more powerful than most humans who don’t have any powers of their own.

8

Bucky Barnes / The Revolution / The Winter Soldier

First Appearance: Captain America Comics #1 by Jack Kirby, Joe Simon, Al Liederman, and Howard Ferguson

If having an arm made out of pure Vibranium wasn’t already an indicator, Bucky Barnes is deceptively strong. One instance of Bucky’s strength can be seen in Laura Kinney: Wolverine #5 by Erica Schultz and Giada Belviso, where the former Winter Soldier fully launches the title character in the air for the classic fastball special that her predecessor popularized. It takes incredible amounts of strength to pick up someone with Adamantium bones, let alone actually have the strength to toss them.

With Vibranium being one of the strongest materials in the Marvel Universe, it instantly ranks Bucky among the strongest characters among Steve Rogers’ many allies. Of course, just as there are stronger materials than Vibranium, there are stronger people than Bucky, so he may be strong, but not one of the strongest heroes of all time, even if he is one of Steve’s strongest allies.

7

John Steele

First Appearance: “Soldier of Fortune, John Steele” by Larry Antonette from Daring Mystery Comics #1

Captain America has built a reputation in Marvel history as America’s ideal super soldier, but John Steele has been lost in the lore of Marvel history as America’s first super soldier. Steele is merely a human, but for unspecified reasons, Steele has superhuman feats of strength, including being able to lift two tons by himself. Steve Rogers has even acknowledged that Steele is stronger and faster than him. He also sports surprisingly durable skin, akin to that of the unbreakable Luke Cage’s body.

Steele used his unexplained phenomena to combat the Nazis, putting him in good company with Captain America. Like many of his allies, Steele has fought side-by-side with and against Captain America. Knowing how much Steele outmatches him, Rogers would prefer having him as a friend on any day of the week.

6

Shadow Soldier

First Appearance: Sam Wilson: Captain America #2 by Greg Pak, Evan Narcisse, Eder Messias, Fernando Sifuentes, and Joe Caramagna

The Shadow Solider, otherwise known as Josiah X, has a glorified place in the Captain America legacy as Isaiah Bradley’s son. Whether audiences accept John Steele or Steve Rogers as Marvel’s first super soldier, they can’t deny Isaiah Bradley’s place in Captain America lore as Steve’s predecessor. Bradley was forced to partake in experiments to replicate the serum that made Steve Rogers a super soldier. In defiance of the unlawful treatment of the exclusively Black subjects within Project Rebirth, Bradley stole a spare costume and shield of Rogers’ following his presumed death and fought in Europe as Captain America.

In retaliation, while Bradley served a prison sentence for his Cap adventures, the government ran several experiments on Isaiah’s son, Josiah X, who later adopted the pseudonym Shadow Soldier. The rechristened Josiah al hajj Saddiq gained enhanced strength, speed, agility, intelligence, healing, reflexes, and more as a result of his experiments. His superhuman abilities have made him a super companion for Sam Wilson’s Captain America.

5

Demolition Man

First Appearance: Captain America #328 by Mark Gruenwald, Paul Neary, Vince Colletta, Ken Feduniewicz, and Diana Albers

It’s easy to scoff at Dennis Dunphy knowing that he stole the worst parts of his costume from Daredevil and Wolverine, but that doesn’t take away from what he brings to the table as one of Captain America’s strongest friends. In fact, his super-strength is what makes his dynamic with Cap so interesting. As writer Mark Gruenwald once explained in Comics Feature #51, what separates D-Man from other allies like the then-Falcon or Bucky Barnes is that most of Steve’s partners are physically weaker, making them natural sidekicks, whereas Dunphy is the opposite.

Upon garnering super-strength treatments from Power Broker Inc, D-Man became capable of lifting several tons of weight by himself. Demolition Man is just as strong, if not stronger, than Captain America, and he’s even a smidge taller than Rogers. His relationship with Cap isn’t just one of mutual respect, but of mutual power dynamics, as they lack any power imbalance.

4

Aarkus

First Appearance: “Enter: The Vision” by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon from Marvel Mystery Comics #13

As a member of the Avengers, Captain America is close friends with the Vision, but he’s even closer to the original Vision. Aarkus was the Vision of the Golden Age, debuting in 1940, when Marvel was still known as Timely Comics. An alien from Smokeworld, Aarkus was chosen to go to Earth to serve as the planet’s protector. He’d meet Captain America upon joining the Invaders, Captain America’s very first superhero team who had all combated Nazis during World War II.

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Aarkus has several powers in his arsenal, but most relevant is the superhuman strength that means this particular Vision has Class 10-level strength. A big reason for his vast longevity as both a member of Marvel’s roster and as Captain America’s friend is because so few interdimensional aliens have as much power as Aarkus.

3

Destroyer / Keen Marlow

First Appearance: Mystic Comics #6 by Stan Lee and Jack Binder

Numerous characters have adopted the Destroyer mantle, including Sharon Carter in honor of the late Roger Aubrey, who carried the role before her. However, one cannot talk about Captain America without talking about the original Destroyer, Kevin “Keen” Marlow. Once an American reporter who was captured by the Nazis in Germany, Marlow came in contact with a variant of the Super Soldier Serum that gave Captain America his powers. This turned Marlow into the Destroyer, one of the strongest Super Soldiers in Marvel history.

As the Destroyer, Marlow’s speed and strength were greatly enhanced by the serum. Destroyer soon became revered for his heroism and for displaying feats of strength that only rival Captain America’s. Not only are the two able to connect through sharing the positives of a super serum, but through being strong-willed superheroes.

2

Namor

First Appearance: “The Sub-Mariner” by Bill Everett from Marvel Comics #1

Whether it be as a member of the Invaders or as a member of the Avengers, Namor has rubbed elbows with Captain America on more than one occasion. If Steve Rogers didn’t have a deep admiration and respect for Namor, he would not have allowed Namor in his company in so many different contexts. Truth be told, Captain America views Namor like a brother. Namor has often been painted as a complicated anti-hero, but when he commits to heroism, he earns Steve’s respect.

Captain America doesn’t just respect Namor for his character traits and the bond they share, but for how he proves himself capable in any situation, particularly when he’s able to use his freakish strength, which is comparable to the Hulk’s – hence why Namor has beaten him in the comics.

1

Superman

First Appearance: Action Comics #1 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster

He may not be a member of the Marvel Universe, but the DC Comics superstar – who some may know as Superman – has had a handful of crossovers that put him in Captain America’s path. There was once a time when the Justice League and the Avengers hated each other and held each other accountable for the other’s failings in their respective universes. Alas, in due time, that mutual hatred would turn into mutual respect, so much so that Captain America lent Superman his shield.

The iconic image of Superman grasping Captain America’s Vibranium shield in one hand and Thor’s Mjölnir in the other would never have been possible if not for Cap lending a helping hand. Superman has a reputation of being more powerful than a locomotive, but his inter-brand friendship with Captain America effectively makes him Steve Rogers’ strongest ally.

Captain America

Initially debuting in 1940, Captain America is the patriotically themed superhero who has shared the title with only a few individuals. Beginning with Steve Rogers, Captain America’s birth resulted from a frail man taking part in an experimental U.S. Army super-soldier trial, which imbued him with super-human abilities. The character is often depicted wielding a nigh unbreakable and aerodynamic shield made of vibranium that they use to defend and attack their foes.

First Appearance

Captain America Comics

Alias

Steve Rogers, John Walker, Sam Wilson

Alliance

Avengers, Invaders, S.H.I.E.L.D., U.S. Army

Race

Human

Franchise

Marvel

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