Captain America came home to Brooklyn on Wednesday and even his arch enemy was there to welcome him with open arms.
A fan dressed as Steve Rogers' nemesis Red Skull was among the throng of Marvel mavens who braved a rain-soaked ribbon cutting for the 13-foot statue that will be on display through Aug. 24 in the park’s Children’s Corner.
After a military color guard and the National Anthem, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams welcomed the statue with a speech about why Captain America has been a hometown hero for 75 years.
"This is not an insignificant moment,” Adams said. “This is a moment for all of us, particularly our young and our old together, to reflect on how far we have come and how much we love who we are."
He added later, "As the owner of Snapple once said, we're great because America is made of the best stuff on earth — its people."
Fans at the unveiling included 15-year-old Xalika Crawford, who took the train from Canarsie to celebrate the statue's arrival.
"He's one of my favorite superheroes in the entire world,” Crawford said. "He’s what America is supposed to be. He represents freedom and love.”
Crawford added that Captain America displays uniquely Brooklyn traits: “He’s tough but he’s also cool, and he’s a good fighter."
The 1,000-pound bronze sculpture debuted at ComicCon earlier this year and is part of "Marvel Month" at the park. The festivities will include a Wednesday night screening of “Captain America: Civil War” in the park’s Long Meadow.
A spokesman for Marvel Comics said he could not confirm rumors that actor Chris Evans was expected to attend the screening.
Artist Dave Cortes, who was born in Park Slope and now works out of a studio in Gowanus, helped create the sculpture. He said he was thrilled to see his work in the park where he grew up playing.
Though some critics complained that the statue was a free ad for the comics and movie franchise, Cortes shrugged off the controversy as “silly.” Cortes said the statue was a temporary thrill for fans and that it helped bring people together.
The crowd included fans dressed as Spiderman, Captain America's one-time flame Peggy Carter, a Marvel heroine in her own right, and plenty of starstruck kids. Towering over them in a head-to-toe Captain America costume complete with shield was Michael Mulligan, a 6-foot-4 inch superfan.
He couldn’t walk more than a few feet without someone coming up to ask for a photo.
Nannies, U.S. Army soldiers, kids, grown men and women all stopped to greet him with giddy smiles.
Mulligan said Captain America is a reminder that even “the little guy” can stand up for what’s right. “I just really enjoy the whole mantle he stands for,” Mulligan said.
