funnypages:In 1982, Captain America had an issue where Steve reconnected with an old friend from his
funnypages:In 1982, Captain America had an issue where Steve reconnected with an old friend from his childhood, Arnie Roth. Steve recounts that as a weak, skinny kid in Brooklyn, the bigger, stronger Arnie had protected him, and his family took him in following the death of his mother. After years, Arnie contacts Steve, revealing, he has been living with his close “friend” Micheal. While the word “gay” is never outright said due to censors, dialogue makes it clear, and Arnie is now considered one of the first LGBT characters in Marvel Comics. Arnie is later kidnapped by Baron Zemo, who brainwashes and humiliates Arnie praying on his insecurities about his sexuality, to get at Captain America. Captain America helps Arnie break out of his mind control, comforting Arnie by saying his love is not freakish, the bigotry towards it is.While Arnie has not appeared in Marvel Comics since the 1980s, he has had an influence on the MCU, with his backstory with Steve being given to Bucky Barnes.Captain America #270 -- source link