Captain America: Brave New World Trailer Just Dropped
Any way you slice it, I'm a rube for Captain America.
You might not know me, but if you’ve been around me for any period of time you know what I love.
I love Black people.
I love Black superheroes.
I love Marvel movies.
I love Captain America.
Regardless of how badly this country behaves or puts its future in the hands of the oldest of men, it never gets in the way of my love of Captain America. Captain America is the Sentinel of Liberty. Captain America is a character that punched Adolf Hitler in the face on the cover of his first issue in 1940. Almost a year before the United States joined World War II, Captain America had already punched the Holocaust dictator dead in the face.
That was pretty badass.
Captain America hated nazis as much as his creator, Jack Kirby. I heard a story where some Nazis came looking to kick Kirby's ass. Jack rolled up his sleeves and went downstairs to bust some heads. They ran away before he got there and Mr. Kirby called them cowards and made more comics about how spineless nazis are.
I've been a fan of Captain America since I was 5 years old. At my elementary school library, four thick books dove into the history of some of Marvel's characters. They would explain their powers and how they worked, and inside each of these books were a few classic stories as well. Spider-Man, Iron Man, The Fantastic Four, and Captain America were there.
In Cap's book one of the comics was him taking on his nemesis the Red Skull. Red Skull had a cosmic cube which is like all of the infinity stones rolled into a single object. Somehow, some way during a fight where the Red Skull can do anything, and bring out anybody, Captain America kicks his ass anyway. I see how a victory in such a dire situation seems contrived, but at 5 years old, I thought Captain America was the absolute best. That feeling hasn't changed. It felt the way Marvel fans felt in Avengers Endgame when Thor's hammer is lifted by Captain America during the final battle with The Mad Titan, Thanos.
I have been a big fan for a long time, and I'm still reading Marvel comics today. My age changed but the feelings for Captain America never did. My love of Captain America may be the most American thing about me. Feel free to come to my house and help me organize the thousands of comics in my room.
When Did Captain America Became A Black Person?
This happened twice. The first time was in a book called Truth: Red White & Black by Robert Morales. You find out that the "super soldier serum" that turned Steve Rogers into Captain America was being remade and had to be tested before it was given to a "real" American. So the U.S. government pulls a Tuskegee Experiment and tests it on Black soldiers first. All of the test subjects mutate or explode save one: Isaiah Taylor. You might remember him from the television show The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. He was played by Carl Lumbly (what up M.A.N.T.I.S!) and wanted nothing to do with Captain America due to how he and his unit were mistreated. All that was washed away after getting a statue in the Captain America museum... This is one of the many moments that made people dislike that show.
The second time was when Sam Wilson had to take over for Steve Rogers. In the comics, it was because Captain America was killed on the steps of the Capital for reasons too wild to go into. In the movies, this is because the Avengers beat Thanos (again) and Captain America retires as an old man using time travel to spend the rest of his life with his beloved Peggy Carter.
You guys are so cute together!
The idea of Falcon becoming Captain America was done and undone and done again in the comics, but in the movies, Cap gives Sam Wilson his shield and tells Sam he's got this. This is one of the other reasons people didn't like Falcon and the Winter Soldier. How do you get the blessing to BE Captain America from Captain America himself and decide to put his shield in a museum because you can't handle it? Yeah, a lot of people were mad about that.
The movies/television shows at least answered this question in the last series. Falcon is now Captain America. Now that this trailer is finally out, we can assume Marvel is all in on this decision. Captain America is a Black man. A Black man that has inherited Steve Rogers most important ability - giving speeches that make people change their minds.
Will Captain America: Brave New World Be Good?
I don't know, but I know I will 100% be going to see this when it comes out during Black History Month next year (2025). This movie looks hot! Harrison Ford is in it. Giancarlo Esposito is in it! Red Hulk is in it! Most importantly, Captain America is in it and he's played by a Black man. I would watch this movie even if my eyes quit working the day it came out. That is because:
I love Black people.
I love Black superheroes.
I love Marvel movies.
I love Captain America.
It's simple for me.
What will it be for you?
