A New Era Begins in Captain America as S.H.I.E.L.D Returns

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The story centers around Holly Martins, a writer of cheap novels, who travels to Austria after World War II when a friend, Harry Lime, offers him a job. But when Martins arrives, he discovers Lime has supposedly died, and witnesses the event along with two other unidentified men. Martins quickly figures out who two of these men are, but the identity of the third remains a mystery.

The movie takes place in Austria right after World War II, a fascinating time when Vienna was divided into four zones, each governed by the United States, Britain, France, and the Soviet Union. This division created a lot of confusion and a thriving black market, which a shadowy figure named Harry Lime exploited to become rich through questionable activities.

I want to point out that Chip Zdarsky is aiming for this exact feel in Captain America #6. The story follows what’s happening in Latveria after the events of One World Under Doom. Doom, who was essentially the world’s emperor, now appears to be dead, and his empire has fallen. This leaves Latveria vulnerable, with different countries vying for control. It’s a complicated and interesting situation, and this storyline begins to explore it.

The latest issue of Captain America, #6, is created by writer Chip Zdarsky, artists Delio Diaz and Frank Alpizar, colorist Romulo Fajardo Jr., and letterer Joe Caramagna. It’s generating buzz because it brings S.H.I.E.L.D. back into the Marvel Universe. While the story is called “Doom’s Shadow,” much of the issue deals with the lasting impact of the Secret Empire storyline.

What is the “shadow” of Secret Empire?

The Secret Empire storyline revolved around Kobik, a being connected to the Cosmic Cube, being tricked by the Red Skull. He convinced her that Captain America would improve the world if he joined Hydra. During an Avengers event, Kobik appeared to restore Captain America to his younger self after a period where he’d aged due to the effects of a serum. However, she didn’t actually restore him – she created a different version of Captain America who was secretly working for Hydra.

Over time, this alternate version of Captain America gained control of S.H.I.E.L.D., and during the Secret Empire storyline, he and the organization essentially took over the world. However, the heroes of the Marvel Universe gradually fought back, and the true Steve Rogers eventually emerged to defeat the imposter who had twisted his beliefs.

After the villains were defeated, S.H.I.E.L.D. also had to be disbanded. An organization can only be exposed as secretly connected to Hydra so many times before it’s shut down for good.

I’m really excited about this new story! It’s great to see S.H.I.E.L.D. back, even if it’s a much smaller operation now, with Nick Fury Jr. calling the shots. Apparently, they’re on a super important, top-secret mission to sneak into Latveria and secure a weapon that could seriously change everything – like, control of the whole planet! It sounds intense.

Zdarsky began his Captain America run with a smart move: showing one of Cap’s earliest missions after waking up from being frozen – dealing with the country of Latveria. This allowed readers to see Captain America facing Latveria both in the past and the present, a well-executed storytelling choice by Zdarsky.

What happened to the Red Hulk?

I was really fascinated by how the “One World Under Doom” storyline connected to other parts of the Marvel universe. It turned out Doom, while taking over everything, wasn’t just about brute force – he actually kidnapped some of the smartest military strategists on Earth to help him manage any rebellions! It was so cool seeing that Thunderbolt Ross, the Red Hulk, was one of those captives. It really showed how seriously Doom was taking things.

Because of his deep involvement with and knowledge of the realm of Doom, Ross possesses a significant advantage. The U.S. government recognizes this and puts him in charge of dealing with Latveria, inevitably leading to clashes with Captain America.

What’s up with Steve Rogers and Sharon Carter?

Steve Rogers and Sharon Carter have a complicated relationship, and the writer, Zdarsky, highlights this by having them accept the chaos instead of trying to fix it. They’re both dedicated to their missions and decide to simply enjoy their time together when they can, without putting pressure on the relationship to be anything more.

I think this is a clever approach. It keeps the possibility open for future storylines and allows Steve to potentially have other romantic interests, while still respecting the existing relationship. It felt like a strong choice.

Diaz and Alpizar have very different artistic styles, which sometimes creates jarring transitions between panels. However, the story remains clear, and the new S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were designed by Valerio Schiti, the series’ usual artist. His designs are surprisingly vibrant and colorful – a bold choice that works well.

This first issue of the new storyline highlights the complex political issues surrounding the division of a country. We see several Latverian groups competing for control, and Zdarsky skillfully introduces three distinct factions. The resulting conflict between Captain America and the official U.S. stance in the country promises to be compelling.

This was a compelling installment in a storyline that appears to be significantly shaping the future of the Marvel Universe.

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2026-01-22 16:46