This October saw a momentous event in the Marvel Universe. From now on, Steve Rogers will no longer hold the title of Captain America. In the spirit of the man who always maintained that the role transcended one individual, acting as a symbol of inspiration and hope to all, the snazzy outfit and Vibranium shield have been passed on to Steve’s long time sidekick, Sam Wilson (aka The Falcon). It’s hardly been kept quiet – as Sam notes in #25 of Captain America (vol. 7) “You guys all knew it was me didn’t you? There’s literally no drama left in this reveal”.
Beyond Sam Wilson, there aren’t many characters in the Marvel universe more suited to the immense responsibilities and noble duty attached to Captain America (let’s be honest, Bucky Barnes had a go and didn’t really live up to the task!).
But, contrary to the block title headlines and the Marvel press releases, this isn’t the first Black Captain America. Marvel don’t always draw attention to the story of the first African American who bore the shield, stars and stripes - it’s not a story filled with joy, celebration, euphoria or a sense of social equality and justice. The tale of the first Black Captain America is harsh, disturbing and frankly chilling. Yet it is a story that deserves far greater recognition.
Truth: Red, White and Black was a seven issue mini-series written by Robert Morales and published by Marvel in 2003. Set in 1942, Truth follows the interlocking stories of several black soldiers enlisted in a U.S regiment during the Second World War. The series chronicles the development of a new Super-Soldier serum following the successful enhancement of Steve Rogers by Dr Abraham Erskine (with Erskine’s murder and no records of the finalised Serum, Operation: Rebirth is re-opened by Dr Wilred Nagel, codename: Josef Reinstein). Based heavily on the Tuskegee Syphilis experiments carried out from the 1930s to 1970s, the story tracks the re-development of the Super-Serum and its initial, deadly results. The serum is tested solely on a selection of black troops from the segregated regiment. Of the protagonist figures given the incomplete formula, only one (Isaiah Bradley) survives without horrific mutation or death.
Isaiah is eventually clad in stars and stripes, handed a shield and sent off to Europe to fight the Nazis. Ironic, of course, is the fact that Isaiah fights for the so called defence of freedom and liberty, whilst undergoing extreme prejudice, barbaric treatment and the harsh reality of white supremacy within the American psyche during the Second World War (and much of the 20th Century as a whole).
Truth is a comic that blurs the lines of reality and fiction. The context of the narrative could have easily been framed in any number of Marvel titles, but the significance of the Captain America origin is palpable. Upon reading Truth, one is left asking: how could Jack Kirby produce a character so drenched in hypocrisy as to symbolise the land of freedom and liberty at a time when almost half the native population were being oppressed so brutally? In Truth, a tragic realism is thrust on the often celebrated, fantastical origins of Captain America.
Many fans were unhappy with the mini-series upon its publication. Some were opposed to the negative connotations of eugenics imposed upon the Super-Serum programme that gave rise to one of America’s most culturally recognisable heroes. Sadly, some were uncomfortable with the idea of a Black Captain America at all.
So, why bring up Truth so close to what will undoubtedly be a highly celebrated cultural moment for African Americans and the proud history of the civil rights movement? Well, it’s the nature of this history, bereft with suffering and constant struggling, that is so important. Sam Wilson’s inauguration as Cap is another stride on the path to social equality in the U.S. It demonstrates how much things have changed since the first issue of Captain America was released in 1941. But, in no way does it reflect some completion, or overall victory, for African American Civil rights in the 21st century. Sadly, America is still far from the racial equality its strives for; often the prejudices, stereotyping and mistrust entrenched in generations of segregation and oppression still linger in ever more subversive and unnoticed ways.
Sam Wilson could be one of the most important superheroes in a generation. Not for his epic battles with Hydra and AIM, but for what can be achieved with him at the forefront of American popular culture. With Sam as Cap, Marvel can use the character as an opportunity, not unlike Isaiah in Truth, to impose that same social commentary and realism that actually reflects and challenges the everyday struggles of African Americans. Where Truth made plain the injustice of the past, All New Captain America can help shed a glaring light on the discrimination of the present.
Sam Wilson stands as a celebration of every achievement in the name of civil liberty and racial equality over the last 60 years. He is the symbol of all that has been overcome: a proud and noble legacy. Yet he also stands as the symbol of all that remains to be achieved, every slur, every prejudice, every negative association, every injustice. Forget the Red Skull and Dr Doom, how Sam Wilson deals with these evil and malevolent forces will determine the true nature of his heroic character, and his success as Captain America.