Captain America: Hail Hydra

A new limited series delves into the ongoing conflict between the Sentinel of Liberty and the notorious terrorist group



Captain America vs Hydra
By Tim Stevens

This January, America's greatest hero and the hordes of Hydra lock horns for the first time all over again in CAPTAIN AMERICA: HAIL HYDRA #1.

The limited series, written by award-winning novelist and DOOMWAR scribe Jonathan Maberry, seeks to delve deeper into the relationship between the Sentinel of Liberty and the terrorist group that has been a scourge of the Marvel Universe for many decades.

"The story follows Cap as he runs afoul of an ongoing Hydra plot," Maberry reveals. "He collides with it first during World War II, then again shortly after [being] 'brought back' from suspended animation by the Avengers. Each time Cap runs into it he tears it down and believes it to be destroyed. But that's the thing about Hydra: you can't really kill it."

Maberry, a decades-long Cap fan, feels thrilled to tackle the hero for the first time.

"When the opportunity came from Marvel to write a Cap [series] I jumped at it," he admits. "It's a wonderful thing to be able to add a small chapter to the library of great Captain America tales."

For editor Bill Rosemann, Maberry stood as an obvious choice to head up the project:

"Having worked with Jonathan previously on the Wolverine chapter of MARVEL ZOMBIES RETURN, I knew he was great at mixing action with science, which is the perfect combo for a Captain America story that spotlights the mad scientific plots of Hydra!"

CAPTAIN AMERICA: HAIL HYDRA #1 cover by Adi Granov
The series weaves through various eras as Cap seemingly dismantles the threat posed by Hydra only to witness it rise once more. Each chapter seeks to evoke the spirit of particular era of the Marvel Universe and to that end the book uses a variety of artists to nail the style and feel of those different times.

"The change in artistic styles will give a real sense of place in terms of the era and also will show the evolution of the characters from the more comic-book stylings of the 40's to the uber-real [look] of today," describes Maberry. "Artist Sergio Cariello has a style that perfectly captures the fluid movement and over-the-top heroics of [the 1940's]. Tom Scioli will bring a Jack Kirby-esque vibe to the chapter set in the 1960's. Ditto with Phil Winslade for the 70's and Kyle Hotz for the 90's. The last chapter will be set in modern day. By opening each issue you'll get an immediate sense of the passage of time."

In order to enhance the feeling of time moving forward, Maberry has made sure to include some of the Cap's most recognizable partners and supporting players from his lengthy career.

"Bucky has to be there," the writer asserts. "He's there in the first issue, the 1940's. Then we jump to modern day, and Bucky is Cap. He's a man with a long and complex history now, and that brings us to the other end of the subplot about personal and worldview growth and maturity.

Captain America & Bucky
"There will be other key players, too. The Falcon is in the mix-how could he not be?-as [are] D-Man, Sharon Carter and the Avengers.  These people are part of the Cap story, and in some ways it's as much their story as Cap's."

Readers will also be able to see the evolution of Captain America as e hero.

"In each issue, we see Cap as he evolves," Maberry explains. "During WWII, Cap is strong, noble, and a bit naïve. He is still in the process of learning the realities of the world in terms of political agendas, corruption, and deception. Each time we re-enter his life he's older, more jaded, a bit [more] cynical, more emotionally damaged, and at the same time much more powerful. By the fifth issue, Steve Rogers is the Super Soldier and Bucky is Captain America, and both of them are seriously formidable in mind and body. Just as their enemies have grown, so have they."

However, even as Steve Rogers grows and changes, certain parts of him remain recognizable throughout time according to Maberry:

"Now, as then, Cap stands for the American people: he's an idealist who does not believe in the 'mind country right or wrong' view, which is a stance that allows for wrongdoing of all kinds. Cap's a believer that our country should do the right thing, and that it should stand as a symbol."


For more big Marvel news this week and into San Diego Comic-Con International, keep checking back here on Marvel.com!





Check out the official Marvel Shop for your favorite Marvel Heroes!

MORE IN Comics See All



PROJECT:AUFERSTEHUNGS(Resurrections). These Timely Comics NAZI ZOMBIES could be linked to this Project: NAZOMBIES[Human Torch Comics#5a(Sum/41)Sub-Mariner & Angel story ]---their unnamed leader could be BASIL FRANKENSTEIN[The Invaders#31(8/78 )]. ARMY OF ZOMBIES[Marvel Mystery Comics#28(2/42)Angel story]---General Henchel is their leader. ZOMIES of the ZOMBIE MASTER[Sub-Mariner Comics#13(spr/44)Sub-Mariner first story ]and the American traitor the LORD OF DEATH and his ZOMBIES( HOLLOW MEN in the Title )[All-Winners Comics#1(sum/41)Captain America & Bucky story ]


THULE SOCIETY[ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thule_Society ]:There are TIMELY COMICS STORIES that could be linked to them like ALL-WINNERS COMICS#8(spr/43)Destroyer story[ www.atlastales.com/sI/186 ]--SATAN,MADAM SATAN & ATILLA THE HUN. KARL[ Captain America Comics#28(7/43)Human Torch & Toro story--used Magic Witch Doctor Drum and had other objects that could be given powers--Spears,Masks,Blowgun(& Darts ),Mummy Case & Stuffed Gorilla ].


To bad the writer of this probably didn't do any homework,because if it was me I would take advantage of what TIMELY COMICS created and linked the GREEN TERROR's[ www.marvunapp.com/Appendix4/greenterror3... ]unnamed GANG to HYDRA---since they HYDRA-LIKE COSTUMES( minus the H ----but it was BARON STRUCKER who gave an UNNAMED JAPANESE ORGANIZATION its name ). To bad there isn't a writer or editor working at MARVEL who thinks like me.