Today in Comics History, February 1, 1946: School's out / For Hitler

Schoolteachers! Badly needed! That's why Timely Comics is going to turn Steve Rogers, Captain America, from an all-action Army man (he came in one of those little tubs with 499 other green Army guys) into the most adventurous job of them all, frought with danger, intrigue, and mystery...education!


from "The Private Life of Captain America" in Captain America Comics (1941 series) #59 (Marvel/Timely, November 1946), script by Bill Finger, pencils by Mike Sekowsky, inks by George Klein (?)
I would be suspicious of the initials of that principal, Cap. "HH?" He might as well have listed the school's address as 1488 Himmler Way! And that school name...Lee! Man, that guy sounds pretty suspicious, doesn't he?



Very retroactively, stories featuring "Steve as Teacher" are generally supposed to actually be William Burnside, Captain America IV – yes, the one who went nut and a little overboard nuts smashing Commies.


coover of Captain America (1954 series) #76 (Marvel/Atlas, May 1954), pencils and inks by Carl Burgos (?), colors by Stan Goldberg
Even though he didn't become Cap until 1953, as Steve Englehart (Really! It wasn't Roy Thomas this time!) tells us:




from Captain America [and the Falcon] (1968 series) #155 (Marvel, November 1972), script by Steve Englehart, pencils by Sal Buscema, inks by Frank McLaughlin, letters by Jean Simek
So I guess to solve the mystery op Steve Rogers teaching in 1946 we have to call it a re-re-recon, or a topical reference, or maybe just a plain ol' mistake by Stan Lee, Steve Englehart, or maybe even me. Comics!

This post was suggested by faithful reader and frequent commenter Blam, who's provided a lot of date references in comics that I'll spotlight throughout 2023 in this series. Thanks, Blam!