US Holocaust Museum Acquires Rare World War II Captain America Comics

The museum has obtained copies of Captain America Comics No. 1 and No. 46 that depict the hero's anti-Nazi stance.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has acquired a prized copy of Captain America Comics No. 1, famous for its cover depicting the titular hero punching Adolf Hitler in the face. The museum also obtained an original copy of Captain America Comics No. 46, which shows the hero liberating a concentration camp. Both comics are now undergoing assessment and will be digitized for public access.

Why it matters

These rare comic books hold immense cultural and historical significance, as they helped raise public awareness in the United States of the escalating conflict in Europe during World War II. The comics' depictions of Captain America's anti-Nazi stance and the liberation of a concentration camp were among the earliest portrayals of such themes in American popular culture.

The details

The Captain America Comics No. 1 issue was published in December 1940, nearly a year before the United States entered World War II. The comic's cover, conceived by Jack Kirby, who was the son of Austrian Jewish immigrants, was seen as a rebuke of the nation's isolationist stance amid the mounting Nazi threat. The museum also acquired an original copy of Captain America Comics No. 46, which shows the hero liberating a concentration camp, one of the earliest such portrayals in American popular culture.

  • The Captain America Comics No. 1 issue was published in December 1940.
  • The museum acquired the comics in 2026.

The players

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

A museum in Washington, D.C. that preserves the memory of the Holocaust and promotes human dignity.

Brandon Beck

The co-founder of Riot Games, who donated the rare Captain America comics to the museum.

Jack Kirby

The co-creator of Captain America and other iconic Marvel superheroes, who was the son of Austrian Jewish immigrants and later served in the US Army during World War II.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This comic book holds enormous cultural and historical importance.”

— Zachary Levine, Director of the Curatorial Affairs Division at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum

What’s next

The comics are now undergoing assessment by the museum's conservation and research center and will be digitized for public access.

The takeaway

The acquisition of these rare Captain America comics by the US Holocaust Memorial Museum highlights the enduring cultural and historical significance of these works, which helped raise awareness of the escalating conflict in Europe and the horrors of the Holocaust during World War II.