Truth: Red, White & Black
Encyclopedia
Truth: Red, White & Black is a seven-issue comic book
limited series
written by Robert Morales and drawn by Kyle Baker
, published by Marvel Comics
.
, the series takes the Tuskegee Experiments as inspiration for a tale that re-examines the history of the super-serum that created Captain America
. Beginning in 1942, the series follows a regiment of black soldiers who are forced to act as test subjects in a program attempting to re-create the lost formula earlier used to turn Steve Rogers
to Captain America. The experiments lead to mutation and death, until only one remains - Isaiah Bradley
.
, where Morales was asked to pitch a story. He notes that "I wrote a proposal that was so staggeringly depressing I was certain they'd turn it down. But they didn't."
felt some of the criticism for this series came from "outright racists who just don't like the idea of a black man in the Cap uniform."
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
written by Robert Morales and drawn by Kyle Baker
Kyle Baker
Kyle John Baker is an American cartoonist, comic book writer-artist, and animator known for his graphic novels and for a 2000s revival of the series Plastic Man....
, published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
.
Synopsis
Set in the Marvel UniverseMarvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
, the series takes the Tuskegee Experiments as inspiration for a tale that re-examines the history of the super-serum that created Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
. Beginning in 1942, the series follows a regiment of black soldiers who are forced to act as test subjects in a program attempting to re-create the lost formula earlier used to turn Steve Rogers
Steve Rogers
Steve, Steven, or Stephen Rogers may refer to:*Steve Rogers , the best known alter-ego of Marvel Comics character Captain America*Steve Rogers , English actor and screenwriter...
to Captain America. The experiments lead to mutation and death, until only one remains - Isaiah Bradley
Isaiah Bradley
Isaiah Bradley is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe, an early product of the United States' Super-Soldier program during World War II.-Publication history:...
.
Development
The idea for the series first sprung up in a meeting involving Joe QuesadaJoe Quesada
Joseph "Joe" Quesada is an American comic book editor, writer and artist. He became known in the 1990s for his work on various Valiant Comics books, such as Ninjak and Solar, Man of the Atom...
, where Morales was asked to pitch a story. He notes that "I wrote a proposal that was so staggeringly depressing I was certain they'd turn it down. But they didn't."
Critical reaction
Axel AlonsoAxel Alonso
Axel Alonso is American comic book creator, known primarily as an editor at DC Comics from 1994–2000, and at Marvel Comics from 2000 to the present. At DC, he edited a number of books published under their Vertigo line, such as Doom Patrol, Animal Man, Hellblazer, Preacher and 100 Bullets...
felt some of the criticism for this series came from "outright racists who just don't like the idea of a black man in the Cap uniform."
External links
- Reliving World War II With a Captain America of a Different Color, New York Times, December 1, 2002