There have been a number of individuals who have stepped into replace Captain America over the years, but none may be more unique than a Cap clone made by the Office of Naval Intelligence who was referred to as the “Super Sailor.” The character was prominent in Christopher Priest and Bart Sears’ 14-issue Captain America and the Falcon title from the early 2000s.
Captain America is the moral compass of the Marvel Universe, a hero that everyone looks up to and whose example they follow. The Marvel Universe needs Captain America, so when something happens to him there have been others who have stepped up and taken on the shield. The USAgent AKA John Walker, is one of the most notable. Both the Winter Soldier and Falcon have taken turns at being the Star-Spangled Avenger as well. All three of them brought their own spin to the character, and the Super Sailor is no different.
Much like Captain America before the Super Soldier Serum, the Super Sailor was a scrawny kid; his girlfriend died in the Oklahoma City Bombing. Wishing to avenge her by going after America’s enemies, the kid tries to enlist in the military, where he is promptly denied admission. Later that day, he is approached by members of Naval Intelligence who wish to speak with him about his future. Naval Intelligence is wishing to make a Super Soldier of their own, but without access to the Serum, they try other methods, including implants and a variant on AVX, the chemical that gave Luke Cage his powers. With the process complete, the Super Sailor is sent on dangerous missions, but soon goes rogue, and it is up to the real Captain America and the Falcon to bring him down.
Everyone who has carried Captain America’s shield has brought something to the role, and the Super Sailor was no different. Captain America was motivated out of a love for his country and a desire to punish evil; the Super Sailor was very much the same, only he was motivated by revenge and a desire to punish those who killed his girlfriend. In short, he lacked Captain America’s moral code and it showed when he eventually went rogue. He also did not have the Super Soldier Serum that gave Cap his edge.
The Super Sailor’s real name is unknown, and he would later be referred to as Anti-Cap. Unlike other iterations of Captain America, the Super Sailor was born in tragedy and exploited by forces beyond his control; he also lacked many of the traits that make Cap a great hero. The Super Sailor has been all but forgotten, but he ranks as one of the more interesting attempts to replace Captain America.
