Last week at the Lucca Comics & Games festival, Marvel Comics Editor in Chief C.B. Cebulski and superstar writer Chip Zdarsky shed light on the next arc of Captain America, one of the industry's hottest new titles.
Kicking off in January's issue #6, the upcoming storyline will set a new status quo for Steve Rogers and the wider Marvel Universe with a moment that's been anticipated for years...the return of S.H.I.E.L.D.!
Illustrated by series artist Valerio Schiti, along with guest artists Delio Diaz & Frank Alpizar, the new Captain America arc will bring the run to the present day and looks to be a key chapter in the buildup to next summer's Armageddon, a new comic book event series also written by Zdarsky.
In the aftermath of One World Under Doom, Captain America will find himself on the frontlines defending the future of Latveria against a resurfaced threat from the series' opening arc, as well as outside forces, including an all-new S.H.I.E.L.D., the iconic covert organisation not seen since it was dissolved in 2017's Secret Empire.
Here's the official description for Captain America #6:
Doom's fall—and a violent incursion by Thunderbolt Ross—have brought Latveria to the brink of civil war! Captain America deploys to protect civilians and investigate rumors of a weapons stockpile, but when Nick Fury Jr.'s unpredictable new version of S.H.I.E.L.D. joins the mission, it becomes clear that everyone wants a piece of Latveria—no matter the cost.
With warring factions tearing the country apart and a squad of unconventional S.H.I.E.L.D. agents pursuing unknown agendas, can Captain America hope to bring peace to Latveria? And is that even what his own handlers want?
"Ever since S.H.I.E.L.D. disbanded almost 10 years ago, the idea of bringing it back has come up at every creative retreat we've had," Cebulski reveals. "We've been working on the return of S.H.I.E.L.D. for a long time, and especially so over the past few months since our most recent creative retreat."
"After digging more into this Captain America story with Chip, Valerio, and our teams, it became clear that this was the right story and right time to do so. And with this year being the 60th anniversary since S.H.I.E.L.D.'s debut, we thought it was even more fitting to make this happen."
Smaller, leaner, and more underground than its predecessor, the re-formed S.H.I.E.L.D. includes an eclectic group of agents: Joe Ramos, an altruistic soldier from Brooklyn; Charles Castlemore, a retired Marine with strong opinions about the Latverian resistance; Trevor Tambling, a soldier of fortune with unclear motives; and Red Widow, a former Russian agent abandoned by her home country for her questionable loyalty.
Nick Fury must keep these soldiers in line as they carry out their secret task to retrieve Doom's weapons—even if it means clashing with Cap.
"When we first announced plans for the second arc of this Cap run, I had a different idea in mind for the team supporting Steve. But when the possibility of a new S.H.I.E.L.D. came along, we just hit the ground running," Zdarsky noted. "S.H.I.E.L.D. is Marvel. It's human ingenuity and fortitude, keeping the world safe. Bringing them back with a new mandate and scope has been incredibly fun."
"They're starting small, but they, and Fury, have big plans. The world's a dangerous place. Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. weren't there to stop Doom, but maybe they can stop what’s coming next," Zdarsky teased.
Below, you can see S.H.I.E.L.D. in action in Valerio Schiti's new covers for Captain America #6 and #7, along with new original design sheets, and a promotional variant cover by Delio Diaz & Frank Alpizar.
CAPTAIN AMERICA #6
Written by CHIP ZDARSKY
Art by DELIO DIAZ & FRANK ALPIZAR
Cover by VALERIO SCHITI
Character Designs by VALERIO SCHITI
Promotional Cover by DELIO DIAZ & FRANK ALPIZAR
On Sale 1/21