Who he is: Dr. Abraham Erskine

His power: No superpowers, just the irascible charm that comes from being played by Stanley Tucci.

His story: Abraham Erskine worked as a scientist in Germany, where his research on developing a super-soldier serum attracted the attention of the Nazis during their rise to power. Erskine resisted finishing his formula for the country’s new leaders, but Johann Schmidt forced him to finish a version of the serum, and tested it on himself (causing his transformation into the Red Skull). Erskine fled Germany—with the help of Peggy Carter—and joined the Strategic Scientific Reserve in the U.S., where he is working at the start of Captain America: The First Avenger. He discovered Steve Rogers at an enlistment station and recruited him for the super-soldier program. Though Rogers’ transformation was a success, a Hydra agent killed Erskine, leaving Captain America the sole recipient...