This article originally appeared on our sister site D-Rezzed.
Marvel Comics has announced yet another version of Captain America, and this time Cap is a Native American.
Joe Gomez of the Kickapoo Tribe joins several other previously announced iterations of the hero planned for an comics event called The United States of Captain America, which celebrates the 80th Anniversary of Captain America.
Created by Lipan Apache writer Darcie Little Badger and Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation artist David Cutler, Joe Gomez’s Captain America will first appear in The United States of Captain America #3.
Here’s how Joe Gomez is described by writer Darcie Little Badger via Marvel.com …
“See, Joe Gomez is a construction worker, a builder in a world plagued by destruction. Every time a spaceship crashes into a bridge or a supervillain transforms a whole city block into rubble, people like Joe make things whole again. Work like that may seem thankless, but Joe genuinely enjoys helping his community survive and thrive.
That’s why he won’t charge elders for home repair services (the Joe Gomez senior discount is 100%). That’s also why he’s willing to risk his life to save others. I know lots of people like Joe–many of them my Indigenous relatives–so it was wonderful to help develop a character with his values, strength, and extreme crane-operating skills.”
Despite being created by Native American comics creators, the reaction on social media has been mixed. While there’s been some praise, some users feel the look is “stereotypical” while others questioned why a Native American would dress themselves in the flag of a country that pushed them out of their land.
Ouch.
The announcement tweet from the official Captain America Twitter account didn’t go as well as Marvel had probably hoped.
Meet Joe Gomez, the Captain America of the Kickapoo Tribe. Created by geoscientist and Lipan Apache writer Darcie Little Badger (@ShiningComic) and Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation artist @davidjcutler, the hero will debut this August in “The United States of Captain America” #3! pic.twitter.com/uX59EkxATO
— Captain America (@CaptainAmerica) May 6, 2021
Here are some more of Twitter’s reactions…
putting the colonized in the colors of the colonizer is kinda weird???
— touchstone pictures presents (@ventura_blvd) May 6, 2021
Website Heroic Hollywood posted a tweet with the new design, and nearly all of the comments were negative.
Marvel debuts a new Native American Captain America named Joe Gomez of the Kickapoo Tribe. 🇺🇸 What do you think? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/cDFo9oHykl
— Heroic Hollywood (@heroichollywood) May 6, 2021
Others pointed out a similarity to the character of American Eagle from the 1980s, who had his costume redesigned to be less stereotypical.
Still, others are much more enthusiastic about the new iteration of Cap.
The more I hear about The United States of #CaptainAmerica from @marvel, the more intrigued I become. It’s like Batman, Inc., but with @CaptainAmerica, and that’s AWESOME.
Issue 3 will introduce Joe Gomez, Cap of the Kickapoo Tribe, who was created by @ShiningComic. That rules. pic.twitter.com/8adfYbIncb— Comic Pause (@ComicPause) May 6, 2021
By day, Joe Gomez builds & repairs the world as a construction worker. When his community needs a protector, he’s their #CaptainAmerica!
Really cool costume & I can’t wait to see him in action! 🇱🇷🤩#SHPOLL21 #Marvel pic.twitter.com/K4TdsLMp5t— Comic Covers Blog! (@ComicCovers_Jay) May 7, 2021
The Kickapoo tribe… One of the very few tribes of Native Americans to never surrender to the US government.
— Colbalt91 (@colbalt91) May 6, 2021
About that last part…. yeah. The Kickapoo people didn’t take kindly to their land being taken by Americans. So there’s that.
What are your thoughts on Joe Gomez’s Captain America? Leave a coFalcon nt below!
[Source: D-Rezzed]
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