Marvel fans are calling foul for disrespecting the hero's origins.
Imagine Captain America not being a hero, after all. That is the shocking premise behind Captain America: Steve Rogers #1, which hits stores today.
In his first appearance in 1940, Captain America hits Adolf Hitler with a right hook. Ever since he has been battling the Hydra, a terrorist organization with Nazi ties. But in a twist, Marvel's latest comic book reveals that Captain America is actually secret Hydra operative.
Tom Brevoort, Marvel executive editor, insists that this isn't a gimmick. "To say it's a gimmick implies that it's done heedlessly just to shock," he says to TIME. "The proof is always going to be in the execution. So you'll have to read the rest of the story to see."
But fans have already protested this decision. Captain America was co-created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Both artists were Jewish. And, at a time when World War II raged in Europe, that cover image was a powerful statement in solidarity. "SayNoToHYDRACap because captain America was created as a symbol of hope by two jewish men and this is so disrespectful," says one fan. "this is not ok."
