Anthony Mackie's casting as Captain America has sparked controversy, highlighting the ongoing debate about representation in superhero media. Comic book writer Mark Waid, who first introduced the idea of a Black Captain America in the comics, discusses the challenges and triumphs of pushing boundaries in storytelling.
Anthony Mackie taking on the role of Captain America , a fictional comic book character initially portrayed as a white man with blond hair and blue eyes, isn't groundbreaking to comic book fans. The idea of a Black man as the patriotic superhero was introduced in 1998 by writer Mark Waid in the comic book. Over two decades after Sam Wilson became Cap in the comics, a Black Captain America in the movie adaptations has turned into a contentious topic.
The issue of a Black Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe first arose after Chris Evans, who portrayed Cap on-screen for eight years, passed the mantle on to Mackie’s Falcon in 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame.” Fans were upset with Evans’ departure and some felt Mackie wasn’t capable of taking on the superpowered role. Though some eventually warmed up to the idea after seeing him in the 2021 critically acclaimed Disney+ series, “Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” where Mackie’s Falcon grapples with the complicated notion of what it means for a Black man to be Captain America, the vitriol against actor ramped back up during his press run for “Captain America: Brave New World.”\“Captain America represents a lot of different things, and I don’t think the term ‘America’ should be one of those representations. It’s about a man who keeps his word and who has honor, dignity, and integrity. Someone who is trustworthy and dependable. This is like an aspect of a dream coming true,” the actor said at the time. Of him as Cap, Mackie, 46, says he wasn’t “aware” that a Black Captain America had become so controversial. Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly newsletter. “I think that’s funny, because we all call ourselves comic book fans, right? We all call ourselves comic book nerds, right? So if the comic book says, Sam Wilson becomes Captain America, then Sam Wilson becomes Captain America,” Mackie says pragmatically. Though Mackie says he “didn’t have any hesitations” taking on the role in the MCU, Waid — who introduced the idea of Falcon becoming the first Black Captain America in the comics — admits there was “a little bit of resistance” from Marvel when he pitched it in the '90s. “Not because anybody disbelieved the message,” Waid, 62, tells TODAY.com. “Not because anybody at Marvel was on the wrong side of history here, but just because when you’re dealing with a corporate character like that it’s going to go through many creators hands over his 80 years of existence. Captain America was first created in 1941 during World War II. Since then, an array of people have held the role in the comics, including women and people of color, like Sam Wilson. Waid explains that Marvel wanted him to be careful and not “too extreme” since that could potentially “alienate” a huge part of their audience. “Because that’s where the money comes from,” he explains. But Waid’s goal wasn’t just to make sure the comic’s core readers were satisfied, it was also to authentically portray the Black experience. To do this, the comic book writer says he spoke to his real-life Black friends who made him see a different perspective of America, which included sentiments of “racial hatred” and “bigotry.” “‘There is more of this going on than you realize … so just be mindful of that as you go into the story,’” he recalls them saying. Within Marvel, Waid says his story of Falcon taking on the mantle of Captain America “was very well received.” But externally, he says there was “a little bit of pushback” from fandom and readers, with some saying, ‘‘Well, this is not Captain America. I don’t know what you’re trying to say.” Looking back, Waid says the pushback by fans wasn’t so severe that he recalls “receiving any hate mail” about it. But he suspects that if he had done this story today, “people would be screaming DEI at us at the top of their lungs without knowing what they’re talking about.” Waid notes that over the last 10 to 15 years, “There’s been a lot more trolling, a lot more blow back. A lot of organized fandom full of angry white guys who are not happy that they are being quote, unquote, eclipsed by people of color, which is bulls--t.”
Captain America Anthony Mackie Sam Wilson Mark Waid Black Representation Superhero Movies Comic Books Marvel Cinematic Universe
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