Story at a glance
- June is celebrated as LGBTQ+ Pride month and marks the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in 1969.
- Marvel Comics is honoring the community through representation in a new limited edition Captain America series.
- The label is also rolling out its “first-ever queer-centered special” and redesigned covers for LGBTQ+ characters.
The mantle of Captain America has been held by four generations since the super-soldier was created in World War II, and Marvel Comics has decided it’s time for a reunion to celebrate the series’ 80th anniversary.
But “The United States of Captain America” is greater than four men — and so is the upcoming limited series, which will feature citizens who have been inspired to take up Captain America’s mantle in their own communities. One of them is “Captain America of the Railways,” or Aaron Fisher, an openly gay character who protects runaways and homeless youth even without superpowers.
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“Aaron is inspired by heroes of the queer community: activists, leaders, and everyday folks pushing for a better life,” writer Aaron Trujillo said in a statement to Entertainment Weekly. “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 artist bringing him to life is Jan Bazaldua, who told Entertainment Weekly, “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.”
The new series is just one of a number of LGBTQ+ stories Marvel is highlighting in June, marking the celebration of Pride month this year. The “first-ever queer-centered special” will bring together LGBTQ+ characters from all over the Marvel Universe, from Mystique and Destiny to Wiccan and Hulkling, as part of the company’s “Marvel’s Voices” series, which have highlighted Black and Indigenous characters in the past.
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“When I was a very closeted, very lonely kid, these characters saved my life,” writer Anthony Oliveira said in a release. “It’s an honor to tell stories about them and to see the kind of stories queer people can tell about queer people deepen and grow.”
Reflecting just how much has changed since the early days of Marvel comics, America Chavez, Black Cat, Daken, Hulkling & Wiccan, Iceman, Moondragon, Mystique, Northstar and the new Valkyrie who debuted in “King in Black: Return of the Valkyries” will all get new special edition covers by artist Phil Jimenez.
“I’m always blown away at how different things are now in comics when it comes to LGBTQ+ representation than when I started, and Marvel’s dedication to that inclusion,” Jimenez said in a release. “As an (ahem!) older gay creator, I’m always thrilled by the opportunity to draw iconic LGBTQ+ characters from Marvel’s past and present, and grateful to contribute to Marvel’s future: one that truly represents the world — and the wonderful diversity of humanity — right outside your window.”
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