Warning: Spoilers for Captain America #3!He’s learned under some of the finest minds the Marvel Universe has to offer, but Captain America‘s most important mentor was a full-blown criminal in real life. Captain America is normally the one offering mentorship in the Marvel Universe (even if he doesn’t always stick the landing), but before he was a superhero, he took on a surprising mentor to help him navigate a Nazi regime: real-life gangster Meyer Lansky.
Steve Rogers first meets Meyer Lansky in Captain America #3 by J. Michael Straczynski, Jesus Saiz, Lan Medina, Matt Hollingsworth, and VC’s Joe Caramagna. This new Captain America series has flipped back and forth between showing readers Steve’s present-day life as a landlord and his pre-superhero past as a youngster navigating a New York City that is slowly becoming overrun by Nazis.
Meyer Lansky arrives as a surprising source of guidance during this tumultuous time for Steve. Meyer Lansky, a member of the Jewish mob, has a checkered past that doesn’t totally align with the values of Captain America, but both share a disdain for Nazis that understandably unites them.
Meyer Lansky Mentors Captain America
Throughout the series, Steve has been confronting the Nazi Party during their frequent public rallies, each of which has either ended with Steve getting into an argument against them or getting beat up by them. His latest effort to challenge their viewpoint gets seen by none other than notorious gangster Meyer Lansky. As trash is being chucked at Steve from Nazi supporters as he tries to walk away, he’s stopped by a car with Lansky inside. Lansky propositions Steve for a conversation about an opportunity. Steve is naturally hesitant after recognizing Meyer, but he gets inside regardless, and they head on to Meyer’s place.
There, Lansky expresses to young Steve just how impressed he is seeing him consistently call the Nazis out, something that others in the area would be scared to do even once, let alone multiple times. Steve says he keeps doing it because Nazis are nothing but bullies and cowards, and for people to understand just how cowardly they are, they need to say it out loud and clear for everyone to hear. Lansky urges Steve to stop with the speeches in favor of doing something more action-oriented. Lansky hears the Nazis are planning something big, but he recruits Steve to be his mole to find out exactly what that something is since nobody would expect him to be any kind of threat.
Meyer Lansky and Captain America Have Something in Common
Steve Rogers taking on the tutelage of Meyer Lansky puts a twist on the usual trope of the protagonist taking on an inspiring (sometimes historical) figure as a mentor. This time, rather than an inspiring historical figure, this figure is a criminal who may be viewed as deplorable by some readers. He may not align perfectly with Steve’s morals, but they can agree on their dislike of Nazis. Most importantly, what it does fit perfectly in line with is Captain America’s frequent belief that anyone is capable of offering valuable knowledge in this world, even a criminal.
