Anyone who spends a lot of time on the internet has probably seen it - an image that will forever live in comic book infamy - Captain America with a deathly stern expression stating "Hail Hydra." Everyone is talking about "Captain America: Steve Rogers #1" and it's shocking ending and the outcry is predominantly negative. A lot of people are heavily invested in the character of Captain America and others have recently fallen in love with the red-white-and-blue clad avenger because of the Marvel movies that come out almost every year. These fans are upset that their hero - a symbol peace and freedom - has been written as a secret agent of a super villain organization with connections to the Nazis.
As a comic book fan and geek, I was shocked when I saw the new story in my Facebook feed. I did not really believe it at first and assumed that the comic must be about a Captain America clone or take place in an alternate timeline. It is a comic book, and that kind of stuff tends to happen. But after reading several articles I realized that it was true. Captain America is a member of Hydra and has possibly worked for them since his appearance in 1941. I was about as upset as every other fan wondering "How could Marvel change a character so much?" and "Don't they understand what Captain America represents?"
And then I read the actual comic book issue and after reading it my reaction went from "How dare they!" to "Huh, I wonder what happens next?"
That is the thing with comic books, they always end in some kind of shocking twist or cliffhanger that hooks readers and makes them come back for more. So, to be upset at a Captain America who might have been a Hydra operative this whole time is a bit of an overreaction. For example, if I was watching the first Iron Man movie and I storm out of the theater the minute Tony Stark is kidnapped by terrorists, because I am assuming that must be the end of Tony Stark, would not be getting the whole story. For comic books, the end of an issue is not the end of the story. Before getting angry about Hydra Cap, I am going to wait until the story plays out for a few issues and then make my judgment.
And if the writer does not resolve the story in a way that satisfies the fans, some other writer will years from now. That happens in comic books. Back in the late 1980s, DC comics, at the request of the readers, killed the second Robin, Jason Todd. This story would have a major impact on comic books and on the character of Batman and opened up some interesting story ideas. Then in 2005 and 2006, DC brought Jason Todd back to life under the guise of Red Hood, and this revelation had a major impact on Batman and stories that can be seen to this day.
A lot of fans are still going to be upset because this issue changes the character of Captain America, and that is fine. Fans are allowed to be upset and can stop reading if they choose. But comic books are always changing. Just look at Batman. He started out as this grim detective who would murder bad guys and even carry a gun, then he turned into this camp caped crusader armed with Bat-Shark repellent, and changed again into a brutal vigilante who did not kill bad guys but beat them to a bloody pulp. And Batman and other superheroes are still changing today.
If you are one of the people who are upset about Captain America and you are ready to start selling all of your Cap merchandise, take a breather, read some old Captain America comics, and watch the whole story unfold.
