By Eric Drumm
The world lost a good soldier when Steve Rogers--
Captain America--was gunned down in CAPTAIN AMERICA #25. Proving that real heroes never die, Rogers is back in shield slinging action in the Marvel Knights title, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE CHOSEN. Announced as an upcoming project at Wizard World Philadelphia, fans will see their favorite Sentinel of Liberty live again come September, thanks to New York Times best-selling author David Morrell (FIRST BLOOD) and Mitch Breitweiser (DRAX).
An exciting new chapter in Cap's life, just who is or what is "chosen" remains to be seen. "Well, that is the question, isn't it?"asks (now former) editor Andy Schmidt. "When Captain America's in trouble, who does he turn to?" Mysterious title aside, bigger questions remain to be answered to explain how Cap is able to ride again.
Isn't Captain America dead? Did we miss something? How could he be continuing his adventures from beyond the grave? One guess would be that this story doesn't take place in normal Marvel continuity, a possibility which opens up quite a few doors. "It's set in the very near future," adds Schmidt. "But, like SPIDER-MAN: REIGN, it's someplace outside of continuity." In a world without the circumstances leading up to his death, the stage could be set for the classic Cap we all know and love.
For most Caps fans, the iconic image of the masked super soldier punching out Nazis and giving us a respectful salute is unforgettable. For a man who has fifty plus years of publication history and served as a pillar of the Marvel Universe, a fresh look at the character and his world is key for this first post-humanous tale. "It's not a typical action adventure story," says Schmidt. "It's got a lot of heart and has a lot to say about our world, Cap's life and what it means to be a patriot. It's a totally different creative team, and in the monthly book Cap is, you know, dead. Seriously, it's a tale that's not about superhero battles--it covers a lot of ground but it's not a CIVIL WAR tie-in. It needs it's own space to breathe. THE CHOSEN covers a long period of time and so needs its own dedicated series."
Captain America is the embodiment of a soldier, and who better to write about being a soldier than writer David Morrell. Schmidt explained why saying, "David Morrell is the writer. He created Rambo in his novel, FIRST BLOOD. I've grown up reading his fiction and have loved his work since I was able to read. He's the perfect fit for this title and I couldn't be happier with the result." The writer and the character seem to be a perfect match, but Schmidt told us that the art will be just as exciting. "Mitch Breitweiser is providing the art," Schmidt adds. "I first worked with Mitch on the little book that could--DRAX THE DESTROYER. His art has grown by leaps and bounds while working on this and it's been a labor of love for him--which is nice since it took well over a year for him to [work] with all the reference and making it absolutely perfect."
With all the right elements in place, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE CHOSEN is shaping up to be yet another amazing tale about the Star Spangled Avenger. Schmidt tells us that the wait won't be too long, proudly proclaiming "The first two issues are on sale in September!" Wrestling the controls of this article away, Andy Schmidt just had to sing the praises of the book and its creators some more before he left Marvel. "I am proud of this book in particular. It's been a dream come true working with two such talented and influential people. David's work has been a constant in my life. Both my older brothers and my mother are fans of his writing and it's been awesome watching Mitch turn into such an amazing artist. You'll see both of them around on other projects after this. They're too good not to do more comics work."
Atten-hut! Check out CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE CHOSEN by David Morrell and Mitch Breitweiser, on sale in September.
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