The man who relaunched Black Panther will be taking over Captain America this summer. Ta-Nehisi Coates announced that he will be writing a new story centered on Steve Rogers, with the art being done by Leinil Yu.
Coates, whose 2016 Black Panther run received critical acclaim, broke the news in a piece for The Atlantic and addressed that some of his fans might be surprised by this development. He writes:
"There’s a lot to unpack here. Those of you who’ve never read a Captain America comic book or seen him in the Marvel movies would be forgiven for thinking of Captain America as an unblinking mascot for American nationalism."
Before entering the world of comics, Coates was known for his writing on political and social issues in the United States. This makes him a very interesting choice to write stories about a symbol of American patriotism. On the character, he writes:
"He is 'a man out of time,' a walking emblem of greatest-generation propaganda brought to life in this splintered postmodern time. Thus, Captain America is not so much tied to America as it is, but to an America of the imagined past. In one famous scene, flattered by a treacherous general for his 'loyalty,' Rogers—grasping the American flag—retorts, 'I’m loyal to nothing, general … except the dream.'”
Coates writes that he has struggled with this kind of patriotic proclamation and that writing Cap will be a unique challenge for him.
"What is exciting here is not some didactic act of putting my words in Captain America’s head, but attempting to put Captain America’s words in my head. What is exciting is the possibility of exploration, of avoiding the repetition of a voice I’ve tired of."
Captain America#1 will be released on, fittingly enough, July 4.