For the better part of a year, comic fans have grappled with the idea that the original Captain America, Steve Rogers, has been transformed into the ultimate sleeper agent for Hydra. Now, that storyline is coming to a head in Marvel’s next big event, Secret Empire. And while there’s no guarantee that Cap will be easily restored to his heroic self, it will take a united front of Marvel’s heroes to bring him down.
Via ABC News, Secret Empire will be a nine-issue miniseries by writer Nick Spencer with artists Steve McNiven and Andrea Sorrentino, while CBR has additionally confirmed artists Leinil Yu and Daniel Acuna will also contribute to the series. After the events of Civil War II, Steve Rogers is now in control of S.H.I.E.L.D., and the next phase of his plans for world domination are almost ready to go forward.
“Steve has been kind of lining his dominoes up around the Marvel Universe to be able to make his move and bring about a Hydra revolution, a takeover,” Brevoort explained to ABC. “At the point of Secret Empire, they are ready to go. That’s the moment we hit as we go in.” Brevoort added that the story will begin when “not one, not two, but three separate events break out all at once. Cap, as head of S.H.I.E.L.D., is able to mobilize forces to all three of those situations. And those three situations represent Hydra’s first move. It comes off the blocks explosively right from the get-go.”
Marvel has revealed Mark Brooks’ cover for the first issue of Secret Empire, which offers a glimpse of the heroes involved from Spider-Man, to Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, the X-Men, the Inhumans, and even the Guardians of the Galaxy. Also note that the space ship on the far right appears to be a Chitauri ship.
You may also recall that some of the previous teaser images for Secret Empire featured several prominent heroes fighting side-by-side with Rogers:
Considering Rogers’ Captain America is one of the most trusted heroes in the Marvel Universe, it’s likely many of the heroes won’t initially be aware that they’re siding with the villain of the story. Alternately, they may not acting under their own free will. (Consider this: if the Cosmic Cube could be used to change Steve Rogers into a Hydra sleeper agent, who is to say that it couldn’t be done again to several superheroes?) And while there’s no guarantee that Cap will be easily restored to his heroic self—if at all—it will take a united front of Marvel’s best to bring him down.
Secret Empire #0 will be released in April, before the first issue officially launches the story in May. The ninth and final issue will be released in August.
Are you excited to see the era of Hydra Cap come to an end? Let us know in the comment section below!
Image: Marvel Comics
