He’s gay, he’s friends with the homeless, he’s new in town… And he gives aid to those like him in need. He’s Aaron Fischer, “the Captain America of the Railways,” and he’s the first of five hometown Caps across America that the four Caps we know and love will meet as they travel across the country in the new comic United States of Captain America, coming out June 2. That’s right! Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson, and John Walker will take a hero’s journey together this year across America and meet other Caps in honor of the iconic hero’s 80th anniversary!
“Marvel Comics is proud to honor Pride Month with the rise of this new LGBTQ+ hero,” the company said in a press release announcing Aaron’s introduction. He is called “a fearless teen who stepped up to protect fellow runaways and the unhoused.” It seems like his story will focus on young queer teens who have been kicked out by conservative parents. Seeing a Captain America who supports those kids will mean so much to queer youth across America.
The United States of Captain America is a new limited series written by Christopher Cantwell and illustrated by Dale Eaglesham. They will be pulling talent from diverse creative teams as well, and it all comes out with a bang with Aaron Fischer starting in June.
Or maybe Aaron will come out to the Caps with a bang? It is so iconic that this queer hero will be introduced in June for Pride Month, and in a story written by Joshua Trujillo and illustrated by Jan Bazaldua, who is transgender. It is exciting thinking about all the possible ways Aaron could be introduced and tell his story in the comic.
A design sheet released by Marvel shows off Aaron’s slightly punk design: a short shaggy mohawk, buzzed on the sides, plus an eyebrow ring and multiple nose and earrings. He also has many tattoos: a star tattoo behind his left ear, an American flag tattoo on his right shoulder, and a possible Winter Soldier-reference tattoo on his left shoulder, plus what looks like tribal tattoos on both forearms. He also wears a modified Captain America outfit, including a mask, armbands, fingerless gloves, and a version of the shield itself.
“I want to thank Editor Alanna Smith and Joshua Trujillo very much for asking me to create Aaron,” Bazaldua said in a statement. “I really enjoyed designing him, and as a transgender person, I am happy to be able to present an openly gay person who admires Captain America and fights against evil to help those who are almost invisible to society. While I was drawing him, I thought, well, Cap fights against super-powerful beings and saves the world almost always, but Aaron helps those who walk alone in the street with problems that they face every day. I hope people like the end result!”
“Aaron is inspired by heroes of the queer community: activists, leaders, and everyday folks pushing for a better life,” Trujillo continued. “He stands for the oppressed, and the forgotten. I hope his debut story resonates with readers and helps inspire the next generation of heroes.”
The overarching story for this limited series comic explores just how much of an impact big-name heroes like Captain America have on a diverse cross-section of people who look up to them all across the country. Each issue will showcase another local hero like Aaron who has taken up the mantle of Captain America to defend their own family, friends, and community.
“It’s an incredible gift and definitely a creative challenge to take on the character of Captain America, especially during these unprecedented times in our country’s history. With this miniseries, we’re hoping to explore what the idea of Captain America means at this precise moment—not just on the grand stage of the world—but to everyday and often overlooked communities throughout the United States,” Cantwell explained.
The press release by Marvel teased more about the story:
The incredible saga kicks off when Captain America’s shield is stolen. No one understands the value of the shield like those who’ve wielded it, so Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson set out on a road trip across America to chase down the thief. But instead, they find the Captains, everyday people from all walks of life who’ve taken up the mantle of Captain America to defend their communities. And for some reason, the shield thief wants them all dead. Can Sam and Steve get to them first?
While the comic may be billed as a quest to get back Cap’s shield, the meat of the story will be all the people they meet and help along the way. It’s about time Cap got out of Brooklyn to see the rest of this beautifully diverse country he defends and meet all the beautifully diverse people who see him as a leader, a mentor, and an aspiration.
“Steve Rogers getting to directly interact with those he represents as a symbol and has sworn to protect, but in an up-close and personal way he hasn’t experienced in a while,” continued Cantwell. “I’m extremely excited to show how the idea of Captain America has been conceptualized and translated by various groups in the country, and for me, the juice of the story is Cap reconciling so many interpretations OF himself WITH himself, both as a person and as an icon. This kind of cross-country epic is uniquely American and seems like a fantastic way to celebrate the character’s legacy right now.”
