The race to land the coveted role has been a two-year marathon, with many comic book fans urging movie chiefs to sign up Mad Men star Jon Hamm for the lead.

Some critics have slammed the decision to hire Evans, insisting the 28-year-old actor is too young to play Captain America, but the comic giant’s editor-in-chief is adamant he’s the best man for the job.

Quesada tells Comic Book Resources, “Here you have a guy who absolutely embodies every aspect of Cap (Captain America), including the look and feel of the character. (Producer) Kevin Feige was absolutely beaming after meeting with Chris and seeing what he could do, and I’ve got to tell you, I think he’s perfect as well.

“That to me is the beauty of the movies that we at Marvel produce. We know the characters better than anyone outside of our fans, and we know how important it is to cast just that right person. We aren’t a bunch of Hollywood execs who don’t understand the source material or its history.

“It’s Marvel guys and gals making Marvel movies, and that’s a huge difference.”

© BRWC 2010.