| Nomad | |
|---|---|
 Cover toNomad #1 (November 1990). Art by James Fry. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Steve Rogers (as Nomad): Captain America #180 (December 1974) Edward Ferbel: Captain America #261 (September 1981) Jack Monroe (as Nomad): Captain America #282 (June 1983) |
| Created by | Steve Rogers: Steve Englehart (writer) Sal Buscema (artist) Edward Ferbel: J. M. DeMatteis (writer) Mike Zeck (artist) Jack Monroe: Fabian Nicieza (writer) James Fry (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Team affiliations | Secret Defenders |
| Partnerships | 1950s "Captain America" Captain America Falcon D-Man |
| Notable aliases | Bucky,Scourge, Jack Barnes[1] |
| Abilities | Artificially enhanced physiology at a slightly higher level than Captain America Expert marksman Skilled in many martial arts and acrobatics Primary weapons are throwing discs called "stun discs", and later in his career used firearms |
Nomad is the name of several fictional characters appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The Nomad name and costume were created by writerSteve Englehart and artistSal Buscema as an alternate identity for the original Captain America,Steve Rogers, inCaptain America #180 (December 1974).[2]
The identity was revived by writerJ. M. DeMatteis for a minor character namedEdward Ferbel inCaptain America #261–263 (September–November 1981). The same writer later gave the title to its best known claimantJack Monroe inCaptain America #282 (June 1983). Other claimants of the code name areRikki Barnes and Steve Rogers's adopted sonIan Rogers.
The original Nomad is an alternate identity that Steve Rogers adopts after he abandons the Captain America costume and title.
InCaptain America #180 (December 1974) Rogers becomes disillusioned with theUnited States government, when he discovers that a high ranking government official (heavily hinted to be the thenPresident of the United StatesRichard Nixon) is the leader of the terrorist organization known as theSecret Empire.
Rogers decides to abandon his Captain America identity, feeling that he cannot continue to serve America after this latest discovery has shattered his faith in the nation's status. A confrontation withHawkeye (disguised as theGolden Archer) forces Rogers to realize that he cannot abandon a life of heroism, and he subsequently takes on the name "Nomad" (as it means "man without a country") adopting a new dark blue and yellow uniform with no patriotic markings on it at all.
This identity is short-lived, with Rogers maintaining it for a mere four issues of the comic to varying degrees of success; he even trips over his own cape at one point. At the conclusion ofCaptain America #184 (April 1975) Rogers returns to the role of Captain America when he realizes that he could champion America's ideals without blindly supporting its government.
Introduced inCaptain America #261 (September 1981), the second Nomad was Edward Ferbel, a short-lived character who is given the Nomad costume and equipment by theRed Skull in an effort to discredit Captain America.
He is killed by an agent of the Skull, theAmeridroid, inCaptain America #263 (November 1981).[3]
The third and best known Nomad is Jack Monroe, who was formerly known as the thirdBucky.[4] He was created by writer Steve Englehart and artist Sal Buscema inCaptain America #153 (September 1972) to explain Bucky's appearances in the 1953-1955Captain America run.[citation needed] During the "Captain America No More" story arc, when Rogers was forced to abandon his identity as Captain America by a US Government committee, Monroe offered to let Rogers become Nomad again, but Rogers declined and took a new identity, The Captain, for the interim.
After the events of theOnslaught Reborn mini-series, a version ofRikki Barnes, thefemale Bucky established in theHeroes RebornCaptain America series, now resides in the mainstream Marvel Universe, and has befriended theYoung Avenger known asPatriot in the hopes of contacting the new Captain America (the original Bucky, now free of his Winter Soldier programming).[5] In September 2009, Rikki Barnes took on the identity of Nomad in the mini-series,Nomad: Girl Without A World, bySean McKeever andDavid Baldeon.[6]
While trapped in the mysterious Dimension Z, Captain America rescues Leopold, the infant son ofArnim Zola.[7] Raising the child under the name "Ian", he manages to evade Zola's forces for eleven years, until Ian is accidentally shot and apparently killed bySharon Carter.[8] After Captain America escapes Dimension Z, Ian is revealed to have survived and taken up a costume and shield similar to that of his adoptive father. Now calling himself Nomad, Ian acts as the defender of Dimension Z.[9]
During theAXIS storyline, Nomad assists Steve Rogers and Spider-Man in rescuingLoki in Las Vegas.[10]