10 Strongest Captain America Allies Created by Stan Lee (2025)

Captain America is one of the rare iconic Marvel heroes that wasn't created by Stan Lee, but Lee still managed to put his definitive stamp on Steve Rogers, turning the hero into the centerpiece of the original Avengers line-up, and ultimately creating some of Cap's longest-running supporting characters, many of whom are still essential to the franchise to this day.

Since the 1960s, Captain America has become synonymous with the Avengers, widely considered to be their greatest leader, and has been a symbol for and inspiration to real-life heroes. The name Captain America is forever linked with patriotism and global moral righteousness, giving him a legacy that extends beyond the Marvel Universe.

Steve Rogers remains an icon, and some greatest creations to come from the mind of Stan Lee are part of the Captain America mythos.. Lee's genius gave birth to countless characters, many of whom make up the strongest roster of allies in Steve Rogers' corner.

10 Nick Fury Became The Unseen, Replacing Uatu As Marvel’s Watcher

First Appearance: Sgt. Fury #1, Written by Stan Lee; Art Bt Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers, And Art Simek

Nick Fury Sr. is not as famous as his son, but in his heyday, the former S.H.I.E.L.D. director was perhaps the most lethal human on the face of Earth-616. His legend as a spy operative speaks for itself. His allyship with Captain America stems from both men serving together in World War II as members of the Howling Commandos. A lot has happened in that time, though. Namely, Marvel changed Nick Fury forever by gifting him with new powers in the past decade or so.

At one point, Marvel re-packaged Nick Fury as the Unseen, replacing Uatu as the Watcher of the universe. A man who once intervened in the face of extreme threats is now condemned to observe without ever acting, which is why he effectively retired from the Marvel Universe. Once stationed on the moon, Fury now journeys across the Marvel Multiverse for all eternity, guided by his newfound immortality.

9 Sam Wilson: The Hero Captain America Trusts More Than Anyone

First Appearance: Captain America #117; Written By Stan Lee; Art By Gene Colan, Joe Sinnott, And Sam Rosen

When he first debuted for Marvel, Sam Wilson almost immediately formed a close-knit bond with the man who would become his best friend, Captain America. In doing so, he also showcased his ability to summon birds. He doesn't necessarily talk to birds (as in they can't talk back, nor can he outright understand them, word for word), but he's gotten the most usage out of a nearly psychic connection. It may not make him among the most powerful of Cap's friends, but his tactical skills more than make up for it.

The fact that Captain America trusts Sam more than anyone else on the planet only adds to Sam’s credibility. Steve knows he can rely on Sam for anything, even to take up the mantle of Captain America in his place.

8 Sharon Carter Is More Than Agent 13; She’s Now The Destroyer

First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #39; Written By Stan Lee, Adam Austin, Gary Michaels, And Sam Rosen

When she first debuted in the comics as Peggy Carter's sister, Sharon Carter wasted no time in showcasing just how competent she is on the battlefield. Inspired by Peggy's exploits as a freedom fighter, Sharon underwent extensive training with S.H.I.E.L.D. to become Agent 13. As such, she would soon meet Cap, becoming a friend, a partner in crime-fighting, and eventually a love interest to him. Understandably, that made things awkward between her and Peggy, but that wouldn't hurt her credibility as an expert in her field.

While the MCU did Sharon Carter a disservice, the comics have consistently worked to update Sharon for the modern world. More recently, she has adopted a moniker previously held by the late Roger Aubrey, becoming Destroyer, and has been equipped with a brand-new arsenal of weaponry and capabilities, not to mention a skull costume.

7 Peggy Carter's Role In Captain America Lore Has Changed Dramatically Since Her Introduction

First Appearance: Tales Of Suspense #7, Written By Stan Lee; Art By Jack Kirby

Speaking of, Dr. Margaret "Peggy" Carter might be Captain America's most famous love interest, but their relationship is even more complicated than the Marvel Cinematic Universe would implicate. They had a chance café encounter that quickly revealed Peggy to be an undercover freedom fighter during WWII. She and Cap would become closer as a result, but their meeting wasn't so random after all. She was tasked by the Daughters of Liberty to keep a close eye on Steve to avoid him from falling into the wrong hands.

Reuniting in the present under the Dryad moniker,Peggy would betray Captain America by shockingly kidnapping his son on Bucky Barnes' behalf, then leading the Outer Circle as The Revolution. While he has since mended fences between himself and Bucky, questions revolving around where Steve stands with Peggy remains more ominous.

6 Black Widow Is More Powerful Than Most Fans Realize, Thanks To Her Latest Upgrade

First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #52; Written By Stan Lee; Art By N. Korok, Don Heck, And Sam Rosen

Natasha Romanova originally was merely a human master of espionage. She's always been a highly skilled one, yes, but simply being a human surrounded by superhumans and mutants originally pegged Black Widow as one of the weaker Avengers. The times have changed, as she now ranks among the most powerful. Upon bonding to the Sliver symbiote, Black Widow's Venom powers have made her all the more terrifying as simply Widow, as if she wasn't terrifying enough with her set of skills as Black Widow.

Those same skills are why Captain America recruits her as an Avenger so often throughout Marvel history. She has earned the right to stand shoulder to shoulder with some of the Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Powers or no powers, and in or out of the Avengers, Steve can depend on Nat.

5 Iron Man Is Captain America's Perennial Ally, And Occasional Adversary

First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #39; Written By Stan Lee; Art By Larry Lieber, Don Heck, Stan Goldberg, And Art Simek

Captain America's relationship with Iron Man stands among Marvel's most complex. Steve Rogers and Tony Stark quite literally went to war with each other, specifically a Civil War that forced the friends they shared to pick a side against each other. Things could not have gotten more chaotic for the pairing, but today, they're even closer than ever before. It's almost as if the two Avengers needed to battle each other to find a newfound respect for each other, or through those battles were able to understand each other better.

In either case, it's a good thing that Steve opted to have Tony as a friend as opposed to an enemy, seeing as he's one of Marvel's strongest heroes. Even better is that Tony is on the side of heroes rather than villains, seeing as at his fingertips is an endless arrangement of armors that unleash his vicious power.

4 Rick Jones Is Known As The Hulk's Sidekick, But He's Friends With Steve Rogers Too

First Appearance: Incredible Hulk #1; Written By Stan Lee; Art By Jack Kirby, Paul Reinman, And Artie Simek

Richard "Rick" Jones is perhaps the greatest sidekick on any side of the Marvel Universe; for years, he's contributed his assets to the likes of Captain America, The Hulk, and Captain Marvel. Now, though, it's time for him to step up as an actual superhero instead of backing another superhero. Most recently, Rick Jones has acquired his own symbiote, becoming the Sleeper Agent in the process. As such, Hulk's best friend showcased some major powers already.

As Sleeper Agent, bonding with the Sleeper symbiote, Rick has an array of chemicals at his disposal, all used their utmost lethal potential. While he didn't live up to previous predictions teasing him to be the next Venom, he is more than capable of being a modern Lethal Protector as Sleeper Agent. The new role repurposes Rick from being a limited confidante to heroes to a bonafide hero with limitless potential.

3 Thor And Captain America Have Had A Special Camraderie Over The Years

First Appearance: Journey into Mystery #83; Written By Stan Lee; Art By Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott, Stan Goldberg, and Artie Simek

Thor has consistently been a key member of any Avengers team that Captain America chooses to lead, effectively making him one of Steve's closest, longest-running friends. Himself, Cap, and Iron Man have collectively been considered The Big Three of The Avengers, and it's not just because of how close they are. It's because of how collectively powerful they all are once they join forces. Even now, Thor's more powerful than ever before, wielding the power of Zeus at his disposal.

That's the beauty of an Avenger like Thor, as every time it appears he has reached his strongest form yet, he finds a way to surpass even himself. Whether it be by furthering his mastery of lightning and thunder, or upgrading his Mjolnir hammer, Thor seems to keep getting stronger with each passing year.

2 Keen Marlow's Destroyer

First Appearance: First Appearance: Mystic Comics #6; Written By Stan Lee; Art By Jack Binder

Sharon Carter adopted the Destroyer moniker in honor of the late Roger Aubrey, but before either held the Destroyer mantle, Kevin "Keen" Marlow was the first. Speaking of firsts, this version of the Destroyer was actually the first superhero Stan Lee created. The original Destroyer may have been long forgotten by the masses, but he left an impression on the Marvel Universe at large, especially on Captain America. The two are bonded through their shared experience of having their lives transformed forever by the Super Soldier experiment. They share the same levels of strength as a result.

Outside their bond, the mere mention of Kevin Marlow earns respect for anyone familiar with his legacy, a legacy respected enough to earn two notable successors in his place; the late Marlow is one of Stan Lee's more overlooked contributions to Marvel, but one worth respect on and off-panel.

1 Volstagg Is An Underrated Ally Of Captain America

First Appearance: Journey into Mystery #119; Written By Stan Lee; Art By Jack Kirby, Vince Colletta, Stan Goldberg, And Artie Simek

Volstagg is one of the more obscure names within the Marvel Universe. Those who are familiar with Volstagg are most familiar with him being a hero in Thor's supporting cast rather than Captain America's. However, to better understand the connection between Steve Rogers and Volstagg, readers must look no further than the fairly recent Captain America and Volstagg #1, where not only does Captain America reach his full potential as a god in his Asgardian armor, but he forms an unexpected kinship with one of Thor's best friends.

It all starts when a war breaks out in the Nine Realms, and Volstagg believes the best man suited to help is Steve Rogers. The god-tier citizen of Asgard reveals the utmost respect he holds for Thor, and Captain America happily reciprocates, making another all-powerful ally along the way.

Captain America

Created By

Joe Simon, Jack Kirby

First Appearance

Captain America Comics

Alias

Steve Rogers, John Walker, Sam Wilson

Alliance

Avengers, Invaders, S.H.I.E.L.D., U.S. Army

Race

Human

Franchise

Marvel