Captain America has gone from punching Hitler to fascist sympathies – is it time to panic?

Marvel’s reveal that Captain America is a sleeper agent for rightwing group Hydra feels like a betrayal of his Jewish creators – but nothing is set in stone in comics

Truth, justice and the American way … are all out the window this week, as Marvel comics revealed that Captain America, their stalwart upholder of everything red, white and blue, is a sleeper agent for Hydra: a fascist, terrorist organisation.

In the first issue of Steve Rogers: Captain America – written by Nick Spencer, with art by Jesus Saiz – one of Marvel’s best-loved characters, who this year celebrates his 75th year of publication, comes out of the closet as a flag-bearer for his long-time enemies, sending the internet into a mini-maelstrom that could be summed up as a collective: “What the fuck?”

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