Created by Joe Simon (author) and Jack Kirby (artist), Captain America was the most popular of a series of patriotic superheroes introduced by American comic book companies during World War II to capitalize on patriotic sentiments. A "Super Soldier," Captain America battled Nazis and Japanese troops just like his real life counterparts in the U.S. Armed Forces. His popularity soared during the war, but after hostilities ended he slowly faded from the spotlight until the 1960s when he was be revived and revamped.