John Walker was first introduced as the supervillain Super-Patriot in Captain America #323 (July 29, 1986).
Mark Gruenwald created Walker to counter the general message in Captain America of patriotism being invariably good, describing him as someone “who embodied patriotism in a way that Captain America didn’t — a patriotic villain.” After a return appearance, Gruenwald eventually reintroduced him as the new Captain America. John Walker was born in the fictional town of Custer’s Grove, Georgia. He grew up idolizing his older brother, Mike, a helicopter pilot who died in the Vietnam War. John wanted to honor his brother’s memory by enlisting in the military, becoming a soldier himself. After John received an honorable discharge from the United States Army, he was told by a friend about the Power Broker, a mysterious individual who gave people superhuman abilities. Walker, now in debt to the Power Broker, intends to join the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation. Ethan Thurm persuades Walker to become a hero instead. With Thurm backing him, Walker debuts as the corporate-sponsored Super-Patriot. At a rally in Central Park, he holds a secretly rehearsed performance in which he publicly criticizes Captain America and is subsequently attacked by three extremist supporters of Captain America called the Bold Urban Commandos or “Buckies”. Walker defeats them in the staged fight as a demonstration of his combat prowess and patriotism. Captain America confronts Walker privately afterwards and demands that he stop using the Buckies, since people attending the rally could have been hurt in a panic resulting from the staged attack. Walker refuses, arguing that his actions are justified by his quest to replace the outdated Captain America as the nation’s symbol.
