The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has acquired a rare original copy of Captain America Comics No. 1, donated by Riot Games co-founder Brandon Beck. Published in 1940 by Jewish creators Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, the issue is iconic for its cover art depicting Captain America punching Adolf Hitler. The acquisition also includes Captain America Comics No. 46, which features one of the earliest pop-culture depictions of a concentration camp liberation.
These acquisitions highlight the intersection of visual art, propaganda, and Jewish heritage during the World War II era. By bringing these comic books into a museum setting, the institution recognizes the medium's significant role in shifting American public opinion against isolationism and its value as a historical record of the Holocaust's early portrayal in global media.