In the most recent “Captain America” series, it was revealed that Steve Rogers is a member of the Nazi organization known as HYDRA.
It seems silly to debate the merits of a fictional character and his fictional ties to a fictional terrorist group, but this is a character with more than 75 years of history. This is a character born out of the need for hope in our country. Yes, he is fictional, but the ideals that he was based upon are very real and still very important to this day.
The character was intended to be a political figurehead, born out of the disgust that both Jack Kirby and Joe Simon had towards the Nazi and their actions. The character was introduced a full year before the attack on Pearl Harbor and was first shown punching Adolf Hitler in the face in the first issue. It quickly became the most popular comic in the country, selling one million copies a week. The post-war era saw a decline in popularity for the super soldier, and eventually, it dwindled to a failed relaunch that saw the end of the character in 1954.
In March 1964, Steve Rogers was brought back in “The Avengers” #4 and was rewritten as the “man out of time” that we know and love now. Since then, we have seen Steve Rogers in various situations, even dying and passing that mantle of Captain America to his friend and former sidekick, Bucky.
There are few characters that are motivated by themselves to pursue heroism. Steve Rogers was not atoning for past sins or seeking revenge in the name of a loved one. He wanted to help people and save the world. That was it. Even when his opinion seemed unpopular, he stood by his beliefs.
The issue with a plot-twist that makes Steve Rogers a deep cover HYDRA agent from the very beginning is basically erasing who the character is. He has 75 years of history. That is 75 years of impacting our society and encouraging people to be the best that they can be.
I am a Captain America fan and I have been for the past couple of years. My grandfathers and their fathers served in the military, so this is a character that bears some sentimental value as well. However, I know that I am not the only person with this type of attachment.
But let us not forget that Joe Simon and Jack Kirby were both Jewish. This idea that their creation is a member of a Nazi group, the very thing that they despised in the first place, is highly disturbing and I believe it to be a little insulting as well considering why the character was created.
I’ve read enough comics to spot a bad story when I see it, and this one has the potential to be bad. Will the plot be as convoluted? Probably. Will it be ret-conned? More than likely. They'll probably explain it away by saying that it was Helmut Zemo who manipulated Kobik into altering Steve's timeline to suit his purposes when his youth and strength was restored. It's not groundbreaking. Doctor Doom did it on a large scale during Secret Wars.
Reportedly, this plot has been in the works since 2014 and was supposedly hinted at, but how could that be when for a good portion of last year Secret Wars was going on? When Sam Wilson was Captain America and Steve Rogers was an aged man?I have read the comments of several people that fans are overreacting and that everything will sort itself out. Most comic book arcs don’t resolve themselves in one to two issues. It all depends on the length of the series, and this one seems to be in it for a little while longer.
This is like saying that Harry was a Death Eater after the defeat of Voldemort. It literally makes no sense and is nothing more than a money grab and a PR stunt. I understood it when Grant Ward was revealed as deep cover HYDRA agent on "Agents of SHIELD". It made sense and even though it sucked, it served the show all the way through to the end of season three. It furthered the story.
Marvel, fix this. Don't ruin a character for no apparent reason other than shock value.
