Copies of the Captain America comic book in which the fictional superhero dies are displayed at a store in New York on Wednesday. - Contributed

(AP):

Captain America, the Stars-and-Stripes-wearing crimefighter, was gunned down by a sniper as he left a courthouse on Wednesday. He was 66.

Or at least that's how the latest issue of the comic book series goes.

The venerable superhero, noted for wielding a shield as he'd battled Nazis, communists and assorted evildoers in a career that began during World War II, is killed in the new Marvel comic book that hits newsstands yesterday, as reported by the New York Daily News.

The hero was created in 1941 by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby as a foe for Adolf Hitler. Over the years, an estimated 210 million copies of 'Captain America' comic books, published by New York-based Marvel Entertainment, have been sold in 75 countries.

The superhero, born Steve Rogers, was spawned when the scrawny arts student, ineligible for the army because of his poor health but eager to serve his country, agreed to a 'Super Soldier Serum' injection. Armed only with his shield, his strength, his smarts and a command of martial arts, the substance made him a paragon of physical perfection - but not, alas, impervious to an assassin's bullet, as revealed on Wednesday.

But resurrections are not uncommon in the world of comics and Marvel Entertainment editor in chief Joe Quesada said a Captain America comeback wasn't impossible. The company has also said it's developing a Captain America movie.

Still, the character's death came as a blow to co-creator Simon.

"We really need him now," the 93 year-old Simon said.