REEL RETRO CINEMA: Reb Brown’s Captain America movie aired for the first time Jan. 19, 1979, on CBS… REEL RETRO CINEMA’s Rob Kelly gives you an UP-CLOSE LOOK at the Star-Spangled Avenger’s first standalone movie, which 42 years ago followed his ‘60s cartoon and ‘40s serial. — Dan — By ROB KELLY Over the years in REEL RETRO CINEMA, we’ve discussed the various Marvel superheroes that made their way onto the small screen: Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, and The Incredible Hulk. But there’s one name missing from that fantastic four: the Sentinel of Liberty, Captain America. Considering how relatively budget-friendly Cap as a character is when it comes to live action, it seems strange that he would have made it to TV after his fellow members of the Marvel Universe. Perhaps TV producers wanted to get as far away from the Watergate Era as possible before trying such an unapologetically patriotic character. Or, with Star Wars exploding onto the pop culture scene with its upbeat, optimistic flavor – not to mention the continued popularity of Evel Knievel — they sensed the tide was turning, and people would really go for a super-powered guy dressed in red, white, and blue punching out baddies. Directed by TV veteran Rod Holcomb (ER, The Six Million Dollar Man), 1979’s Captain America takes some of the basic elements of the comic book legend but updates them to modern day. Ex-Marine Steve Rogers, played by massive hunk of beef Reb Brown (Yor, Hunter From The Future, The Sword and the Sorcerer) is not a soldier in World War II era-America; rather, he’s a van-driving, soft-spoken, rather sensitive soul that belies his massive frame. Steve keeps getting letters from a Dr. Simon Mills (Len Birman, who voiced Hercules in the 1960s Thor cartoon), but ignores them. Finally, he goes to see Mills, who explains that Steve’s father developed an experimental formula called FLAG (Full Latent Ability Gain — “S.H.I.E.L.D” it ain’t), which gives people accelerated, almost super-human, abilities. Steve’s Dad had a reputation for always fighting for the Little Guy, so much so that he was known as “Captain America.” Now Steve understands why, when his Dad died, he got a letter of condolence from the President himself! After a friend of Steve’s is murdered by some crooks who want to get their hands on Does It...