Marvel plans to bring the fireworks this Fourth of July with a brand new Captain America book written by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Coates announced the news in The Atlantic today where he discussed his decision to write the book. He will be joined by artists Leinil Yu on interiors and Alex Ross on covers.
Coates gave fans a hint of what’s to come in an interview with Marvel.
“I think Steve is still figuring out where he fits into things. Does the country still trust him? Do people still trust the country? How do the other characters feel about him? This book is ultimately about relationships, and I’m a huge fan of that. I want to explore how he looks at this country and those close to him. It’s going to be a fun ride, and a perfect place for new readers to jump in.”
In his essay in The Atlantic, Coates goes on to describe the challenges of taking on the iconic character.
“Writing, for me, is about questions—not answers. And Captain America, the embodiment of a kind of Lincolnesque optimism, poses a direct question for me: Why would anyone believe in The Dream? What is exciting here is not some didactic act of putting my words in Captain America’s head, but attempting to put Captain America’s words in my head. What is exciting is the possibility of exploration, of avoiding the repetition of a voice I’ve tired of.”
Coates made a splash in the comics world with his popular run on the Black Panther title and has also co-authored spinoff titles Rise of the Black Panther and Black Panther and the Crew. Outside of his work in comics, he is a national correspondent for The Atlantic and the 2015 recipient of the National Book Award for Nonfiction for his book Between the World and Me.
Before Captain America #1 hits stands fans can get a special issue of Captain America on May 5th for Free Comic Book Day. Check out the cover below.
Captain America #1 will be released on July 4th, 2018.