'Not a Perfect Soldier, But a Good Person'

PROSPECT PARK, BROOKLYN — They had modified items from military surplus stores by hand, tracked down era-appropriate shoes, and, in the case Red Skull, gone through a costume designer who provides "stitch-accurate" Third Reich costumes for Hollywood.

"Captain America means a lot to me," said Scarlett Jayne —a.k.a Peggy Carter, a French Resistance fighter and Captain America's true love.

Jayne was one a large group of fans who gathered in the rain Wednesday to watch the official unveiling of a 13-foot bronze likeness of the superhero, frozen in mid-heroics, that will be on display for ten days by the carousel in Prospect Park.

Jayne said that Steve Rogers, the Brooklyn-born mortal who was transformed into the Captain, inspired her to be "not a perfect soldier, but a good person."

Cate Broomhead, who also embodied Peggy Carter, said she admired the character's "heart, his morality, and his will to do the right thing, no matter what."

Yet a third Carter was played by Brook Kallstrom, this time representing a version of the fighter brought to life in a recent TV show. Clearly a chord had been struck.

Both Rogers and Carter persevered in the face of numerous hardships, the women said, a poignant lesson. But their affection for the characters was bigger than that.

"Representation is so important," Jayne said, explaining the cultural value of strong media portrayals of woman during a time when an all-female Ghostbusters cast lead to a backlash. (In a rare show of empathy, Red Skull, also known as Joseph Naftali, said he thought that sexist reaction was "ridiculous.")

And Broomhead added that Carter never judged her fellow female characters on the show, but rather spent time "lifting them up," something valuable for girls to see.

As fans looked on, the statue was fêted by the New York City Joint Service Color Guard, Axel Alonso (editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics), and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who said the Captain represents "the symbol of the right to exist [and] the right to live in safety."

Brooklyn-born sculptor Dave Cortez who helped bring the piece to fruition, said Prospect Park was "my backyard" when he was growing up, adding that, "to have the sculpture here, it's just amazing."

As pictures and selfies were snapped, Caryn Rafi said that Captain America shows that anyone can transcend humble beginnings.

Tony Ray, who held a custom-made steel version of the Captain's shield, said he he liked the "mantle" of the character, noting that his powers were also possessed by a black character known as Patriot.

The idea of the Captain, he said, was appealing to "people who don't like bullies who try to take advantage of other people," an identity he said he related to. And heroes, he said, can emerge from unlikely sources. In short: "Never underestimate the power of anything."

Rafi said that statues are dedicated to public figures all the time, especially to sports stars.

"Why can't we have a [piece] that is symbolic for people?" she said.

Tony Ray and Caryn Rafi

Pictured at top, from left: Scarlett Jaye, Joseph Naftali, Brook Kallstrom, and Cate Broomhead. Photos by John V. Santore