Captain America is a national icon, without a doubt. He has embodied the symbol of American idealism for 75 years. He represents raw American morality, fighting for goodness, justice, and freedom wherever he can. Even many of his enemies can only fault him for being too good. The fact of the matter is, Captain America as a character is a role model for us to aspire to and always has been.
However, in Nick Spencer's new series Captain America: Steve Rogers #1, in a confusing turn of events, Cap throws one of his allies out of a moving plane and says an infamous and chilling line for Marvel fans: "Hail Hydra."
There have been a fair number of mixed reactions to this, but the most vocal of the viewpoints has been rage and exasperation. As usual, the way this comes across on social media is anywhere from just angry comments to heavy sarcasm to exasperated jokes. Unsurprisingly, there's already been a meme created for it.
But why are people so angry if this appears to just be a weird, and ultimately most likely a temporary, twist in the lore?
The first reason comes from Hydra's previous association with the Nazi party. For those who don't know, Hydra is an evil organization created during World War II by Captain America's nemesis, the Red Skull. Hydra clearly found its roots in the Nazis, from mimicking gestures like the Nazi salute, to following a violent demagogue-like dictator, to originating from Germany. The Red Skull has also been featured in comics as wearing the Nazi symbol on his arm. The issue taken here is that Captain America's original writers and creators, Jack Kirby and Joe Simone, were both Jewish. Fans aware of both facts accuse Spencer of insulting the legacies of Cap's creators. Hydra has almost always been Captain America's main enemy, and to take him and flip the tables so that he has always been working for them as a deep double-agent is seen as a huge insult to the character's origins.
The second reason comes from Cap's legacy himself. Captain America's morality has stood the test of time, and he has proven to be an inspiration to many, and a symbol of hope. Many see this twisted, secretly evil Captain America as harmful to themselves because he was a constant force for good that they could rely on and look up to. Now that he's evil, it discredits all of that, and it breaks a trust in the character.
The author of the new comics himself addresses these issues, many would say with arrogance. When Melissa Leon from The Daily Beast asked about his response to the outpouring of anger on the Internet, Spencer responded, "I love this stuff. I feed off it, it’s totally fine. It’s looking like it’s gonna be a no. 1 trending topic here in a second. I’m the most hated man in America today and Donald Trump is running for president!" Many fans have accused Spencer of lazy writing and that the plot line is a cheap try at shock value, especially considering comments like the former.
When asked by Leon about why he did this and if he expected the response he got, he said, "I think it just comes down to [the fact that] this character, particularly since the movies, has really exploded in popularity. Obviously he represents a lot to a lot of people. They’re emotionally invested, which is good." Spencer seems to understand the fans on a basic level, which begs the question of why he'd betray them so brutally.
Spencer has claimed that this plot line is the real Captain America, and the result of this comic will have lasting consequences. However, there are also sources who make solid points as to why the fans shouldn't worry yet. Adam Holmes writes on Cinema Blend, "Other stories have shown Captain America turned into a Nazi, white supremacist or another kind of villain/detestable figure, but they all have one thing in common: they didn’t stick. Captain America inevitably goes back to being a force for good and fighting for what’s right." He does point out immediately after that how this is resolved, whether it's a hoax or something Cap must live with the consequences of, is uncertain.
It is also worth pointing out that comic books make huge plot twists all the time, and this is just another one. Like Holmes said, Captain America has been twisted to be a force of evil before, and he has come back. Marvel also killed him and brought him back in Death of Captain America comics. Maybe even more notably, they brought his best friend Bucky back from the dead, who previously had been one of the only Marvel characters to stay dead permanently, not to mention he returned as an evil, brainwashed assassin operating under Hydra.
My own stance on the comics is mainly mixed feelings, considering I am an avid Captain America fan myself. I'm reading the comics with an open and curious mind, hoping to find that my Captain stumbles his way back to the good side, however that happens. I'm also curious to see on what journey Spencer takes him, and am trying not to rule out anything yet. I would encourage fans to do the same - you don't have to buy the comics, but don't get stuck in the mentality that Cap has been ruined, for I can almost guarantee you he hasn't.
