Zdarsky & Schiti Launch A Brand New Era Of ‘Captain America’ In July

Marvel’s Captain America has had one hell of a decade. Now, the star spangled Avenger is getting a new volume and an all star creative team to usher him into this new era.

Written by Chip Zdarsky with art and colors by Valerio Schiti and Frank D’Armata, Captain America relaunches in July with a new volume, and the consequences of his first modern mission coming back to haunt him. The series was announced with a surprise appearance from Zdarsky at the ComicsPRO event.

Years ago, Steve Rogers was rescued from suspended animation. His first mission after being unfrozen has remained classified until today. Learn the truth about that first mission, and how it will affect today’s Marvel Universe, as Steve Rogers was tasked with stopping the rise of a wannabe dictator named… Doom.

“I’ve been a massive Captain America fan for decades. I loved writing the grizzled, older Cap in Avengers: Twilight, so getting to write the actual Captain America title feels like a dream!” Zdarsky shared. “We’re exploring Cap’s early days in the modern era with a twist that I think is going to really surprise readers! I’m pretty excited to get this out there in the world, especially with Valerio and Frank’s amazing art!

“I’ve been approaching this title the way I approached my run on Daredevil, really trying to get in Cap’s head with a grounded, human look at who he is in this new world. Steve Rogers is the best of us, and I want that to come through on every page.”

“Captain America is one of my all-time favorites,” Schiti added. “I’m reuniting with Chip Zdarsky and Frank D’Armata after the amazing experience of Marvel 2-In-One, and I’m working on a story that strikes the perfect balance between heart, action and entertainment! But the thing that is most exciting and unexpected is that I found myself thinking more and more about Steve Rogers, instead of just Captain America.

 “Chip’s script is so clever and compelling that I’m sure readers will be dragged with us inside Steve’s heart and soul. He’s a man that became the living embodiment of truth, justice and freedom. He fought a war against Nazism, ‘died’ in that war, and came back to life to do his duty and fight again. That’s a lot of pressure, and if you do the math, he’s only in this late twenties in the era we’re exploring!”

To be blunt, Captain America has had it rough since around the time of Marvel’s Secret War. In universe, he was aged, de-aged, replaced by a Hydra-sympathizer, and since then has often taken the back seat. In publication history, the Secret Empire event frankly tarnished the character. Since that time, the character hasn’t quite been able to find a creative team that sticks- with there being some good runs, but nothing that’s stuck, like the much-loved runs by Mark Waid, Ron Garney and Adam Kubert, or Ed Brubaker, Steve Epting and Butch Guice.

Zdarsky’s work in the Marvel Universe has been some of the strongest the publisher has had in general for the last decade. His Spider-Man is incredibly human, and he’s done some very fun stories with the Fantastic Four. His crown jewel has been his Daredevil run, with a complex take on vigilantism, and the ethics behind it. If anyone can overcome the creative lull Steve Rogers has found himself in, it’s Zdarsky.

It does raise the question about Sam Wilson though. Though he’s the main Captain America serving in the Avengers, Sam has largely been backgrounded. It sounds like the first arc of this volume will be entirely that Latverian mission, but will Sam play a part in the series as a whole. I don’t see any reason why it couldn’t be a co-starring situation with the duo.

Check out the preview art Marvel included in the announcement from Schiti, and watch for more about Captain America very soon.