Marvel’s Evil Captain America Returns With a Name Straight Out of the MCU

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As a gamer with over two decades of Marvel comics under my belt, I must say that the return of Hydra Cap as Flag-Smasher has me both excited and apprehensive. The first time around, his takeover was a controversial yet intriguing plot twist in Secret Empire. Now, seeing him reappear in West Coast Avengers has me eager to dive back into the action.

The wicked counterpart of Captain America, who had been infiltrated by Hydra, is set to resurface. Back in 2017, Marvel published an event called Secret Empire, where Hydra seemingly conquered the world with a disguised Captain America leading the charge. The storyline was contentious, but the original Steve Rogers eventually thwarted Hydra Cap’s plans. This evil Captain America continued to exist and adopted the name Flag-Smasher, and he’s making another appearance in the West Coast Avengers.

In March, Marvel unveiled the cover and details for issue #5 of West Coast Avengers. The artwork by Ben Harvey showcases Flag-Smasher standing triumphant over Iron Man, War Machine, Spider-Woman, Firestar, and Ultron, who are all lying unconscious on the ground. Readers will remember that Flag-Smasher has made previous appearances in the Marvel Universe since the event known as Secret Empire. Recently, fans witnessed him adopt the Captain Krakoa identity to face off against the Avengers Unity Squad, headed by Captain America, in Uncanny Avengers.

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The West Coast Avengers comic book series by Marvel is experiencing such high demand that they’re reprinting the initial issue for a second time, and the printers are also preparing to produce Issue #2 ahead of its release. A significant portion of the excitement surrounding West Coast Avengers stems from Ultron being part of the team. Iron Man and War Machine are working on rehabilitating villains, with Ultron serving as their most challenging obstacle. However, the climax of the premiere issue leaves this endeavor uncertain.

How Hydra Cap became Marvel’s new Flag-Smasher

In the recent issue of Uncanny Avengers, events unfolded during the collapse of X, after Orchis’ devastating attack at the Hellfire Gala. Much like the evil Captain America did to Steve Rogers, “Stevil,” a name given by fans, assumed the role of Captain Krakoa to attack the X-Men and mutants. During this period, Captain America and the Avengers Unity Squad managed to disarm a nuclear device planted by Hydra Cap on Empire State University and apprehended the villain, or so they believed. However, Grant Rogers, Stevil’s civilian identity, was surprisingly acquitted at his trial. Following the verdict, he delivered an impassioned speech on the courthouse steps that incited his followers. In a dramatic finale, he tore apart the American flag and declared himself a Flag-Smasher.

Originating from the minds of Mark Gruenwald and Paul Neary, the character known as Flag-Smasher first appeared in issue #312 of “Captain America” back in 1985. Over time, both Karl Morgenthau and Guy Thierrault have portrayed this adversary to Captain America. In case you’re a Marvel Cinematic Universe aficionado, you might recall that the Flag-Smashers constituted a terroristic organization spearheaded by Karlie Morgenthau in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

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In issue #5 of West Coast Avengers, Flag-Smasher is back! Steve Rogers’ ominous twin has set his sights on the West Coast Avengers. With Iron Man and War Machine leading an unlikely group, can they withstand a foe who came close to world domination?

The cover for West Coast Avengers #5 is below, as well as second printing covers for West Coast Avengers #2 by Ben Harvey and Danny Kim. Written by Gerry Duggan with art by Danny Kim, West Coast Avengers #5 goes on sale March 12, 2025.



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2024-12-09 20:41