_thony: 3 Worse Time Periods for Captain America to Come From

Captain America: The First Avenger tells the story of Steve Rogers; how he became a super soldier to fight Nazi's for a couple of years before he was frozen in a cryogenic state for over half a century. When he wakes up the die-hard Brooklynite finds himself in Times Square staring down the M&M's Store cursing Rudy Giuliani for gentrificating the rat pee smell out of CBGB's bathroom.

It's still better than New Jersey! Hahaha! No, you've never been to New York!

Men out of their times like Steve Rogers have been in popular stories for centuries. A possible influence on Captain America is Rip Van Winkle, an iconic American story about a man who goes to sleep before the Revolutionary War and wakes up after it. The formula goes back even further than Rip Van Winkle, though, to cultures all throughout history. All of those stories would be very different if the protagonist came from a different time. If Rip Van Winkle went to sleep a century earlier in America he would be more surprised by all the white people than the absence of a king. The same is true of Captain America. He pretty much only could have come from the 1940's. He would certainly be different if he came from any of these other times.

The 90's

One of the best things about The First Avenger is the direction of Joe Johnston. He's famous for his work on mid century period pieces like The Rocketeer and October Sky in the 90's. The problem is, he's spent so much of his career telling khaki coated tales from the 40's and 50's that he probably wouldn't know Singles from Single White Female. He's a great director and by far the best choice to make a 40's serial influenced action film, but I wouldn't put him in charge of an episode of Fresh Off The Boat.

The Stone Age

Speaking of the 90's, have you seen Encino Man? I haven't. I suppose if I was really dedicated I would seek it out for research like I did with XXX: State of the Union when I wrote about Iron Man 2 but that post only got 13 views so forget it. All I know about Encino Man is that it's about a caveman who gets unfrozen in the 90's and meets Pauly Shore.

And this happens. This might actually be all that happens.

Based on that I can imagine it's pretty ironically enjoyable but not very super-heroic. The SNL "Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer" sketch is closer but still not good enough.

Immediately Before or After World War II

Within minutes after getting buffed up Steve Rogers chases a Nazi through the streets of Brooklyn. He barely had time to put on a shirt and mourn his friend who the Nazi assassinated before he hit the road. After that he took a little time to find his muscular footing then he spent the last half of the movie beating up more Nazis. An important part of Cap's later film appearances in The Avengers and Captain America: Winter Soldier is his status as a legendary war hero. That wouldn't have been as impressive if he weren't in war, or even if he were in any other war that didn't have Nazis.