Just as Marvel Studios is introducing a new Captain America into the MCU in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Marvel Comics is bringing another fresh incarnation of the Sentinel of Liberty to the page. June’s The United States of Captain America #1, from writer Christopher Cantwell and artist Dale Eaglesham, is set to feature the debut of the very first LGBTQ hero to take on the iconic mantle.
The five-issue miniseries follows the four men who’ve embodied Captain America – Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes and John Walker – as they embark on a road trip across the States to locate Cap’s stolen shield. Along the way, they’ll encounter various other local heroes they’ve inspired in different corners of the country, and the opening issue features Aaron Fischer AKA the Captain America of the Railways.
Writer Joshua Trujillo and artist Jan Bazaldua created the character, who’ll feature in a back-up story in issue #1, and here’s how Trujillo described Fischer in a press release:
“Aaron is inspired by heroes of the queer community: activists, leaders, and everyday folks pushing for a better life,” Trujillo says. “He stands for the oppressed, and the forgotten. I hope his debut story resonates with readers, and helps inspire the next generation of heroes.”
Bazaldua, meanwhile, spoke about why Fischer means so much to them personally in their own statement, saying:
“I want to thank Editor Alanna Smith and Joshua Trujillo very much for asking me to create Aaron,” Bazaldua said. “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!”
For more, you can check out one of the alternate covers for The United States of Captain America #1, along with Bazaldua’s character sketches of Fischer, in the gallery below:
Marvel also summed up Fischer’s debut, and gave us some insight into what makes this new character the perfect way to celebrate Pride Month, with the company saying:
“This thought-provoking exploration of Captain America’s impact will kick off with writer Joshua Trujillo and artist Jan Bazaldua and the debut of Aaron Fischer, the Captain America of the Railways,” it continues. “A fearless teen who stepped up to protect fellow runaways and the unhoused, Marvel Comics is proud to honor Pride Month with the rise of this new LGBTQ+ hero.”
Fischer is just the first of the new Captain Americas that this miniseries will introduce, with the Caps encountering a different young hero each time, though who these are has yet to be revealed.
The United States of Captain America #1 is set to go on sale from June 2nd.