Last week at the Lucca Comics & Games festival, Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief C.B. Cebulski and superstar writer Chip Zdarsky pulled back the curtain on the next arc of CAPTAIN AMERICA, one of the industry’s hottest ongoing titles. Launching in issue #6 this January, the new storyline will establish a bold new status quo for Steve Rogers and the greater Marvel Universe—culminating in a moment fans have been waiting years for… THE RETURN OF S.H.I.E.L.D.!
Illustrated by series artist Valerio Schiti alongside guest artists Delio Diaz and Frank Alpizar, the upcoming Captain America arc thrusts the story firmly into the present day while setting the stage for next summer’s monumental ARMAGEDDON event, also written by Zdarsky. In the wake of One World Under Doom, Steve Rogers is once again thrust onto the frontlines, defending the future of Latveria against a resurging threat from the series’ opening arc. Fighting at his side is a reformed S.H.I.E.L.D.—the legendary covert organization making its long-awaited return after its dissolution in 2017’s Secret Empire.
Doom’s fall—and a brutal incursion by Thunderbolt Ross—has pushed Latveria to the edge of civil war. Captain America is dispatched to protect civilians and track down rumors of a hidden weapons cache, but when Nick Fury Jr.’s volatile new incarnation of S.H.I.E.L.D. enters the fray, it becomes clear that every power in play is coming for Latveria—no matter the cost.
With rival factions ripping Latveria apart and a team of unconventional S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives chasing agendas of their own, can Captain America truly restore peace? And perhaps more importantly—does his own chain of command even want him to?
“Ever since S.H.I.E.L.D. disbanded nearly a decade ago, the idea of bringing it back has come up at every creative retreat,” shared Cebulski. “We’ve been developing the return of S.H.I.E.L.D. for a long time, and especially over the past few months following our most recent retreat. As we dug deeper into this Captain America story with Chip, Valerio, and our teams, it became clear this was the right story and the right moment. And with this year marking the 60th anniversary of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s debut, it felt like the perfect time to make it happen.”
“The world’s a dangerous place. Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. weren’t there to stop Doom, but maybe they can stop what’s coming next…” Zdarsky teased.