Captain America: Brave New World has earned 2025's biggest debut yet, and with it, audiences are reacquainted with some familiar faces from the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which saw Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) first put on the Stars and Stripes as Captain America.
A few new characters were introduced in this series, the Captain America: Brave New World cast is a character I have been wanting more of in the MCU: Isaiah Bradley, who is portrayed expertly by Carl Lumbly.
When the series was first announced, I a co-worker of mine hoping that The Falcon and the Winter Soldier would somehow bring in Bradley. At that time, I had not read his origin story - Captain America: Truth by Robert Morales and Kyle Baker - but how my colleague talked about Isaiah sold me on the series, and I got my hands on the book once I could find it.
Captain America: Truth Made Isaiah Bradley My Favorite Comic Book Captain America
Carl Lumbly's Isaiah Bradley Is Fantastic, So Please Give Me More of Him
After reading Isaiah's story, it was easy for me to see why my co-worker hoped he would be part of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and I was in the same boat. To my delight, Bradley was in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and while he played a ing role, Lumbly stole every scene he was in. The series - which took liberties with Bradley's comic origin - scratched the surface of the tragedy of this character, as well as his importance. I was thrilled to see him back for Captain America: Brave New World, especially since we got to see more of his dynamic with Sam Wilson.
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Both Mackie and Lumbly ooze charisma while also being deeply empathetic, and I wanted them together on-screen even more. I wanted more of Isaiah, plain and simple, especially since the MCU feels like it is still holding back on Bradley's full story. Every time I see Lumbly's Bradley, I want more of him in the best way possible. While I am unsure if the MCU will deliver on this - I hope they do if there is a Captain America 5 - for now, I'll revisit his origin in Captain America: Truth, a Captain America story that remains relevant to this day and is rooted in a tragic history.
What Is Isaiah Bradley’s Origin Story In Marvel's Comic Books?
Isaiah Bradley's Origin Has Strong Connections to Real World History
Captain America: Truth collects #1-7 of 2003's miniseries Truth: Red, White, and Black. In the MCU, the "forgotten" Captain America's history differs from Isaiah Bradley's comic origin. While he is a Korean War soldier in the MCU, Bradley is a World War II soldier - like Captain America - in the comics. On top of that, the comic follows a group of African American soldiers who are involuntarily subjected to dangerous experiments meant to recreate the super soldier serum. Of the 300 soldiers, only Isaiah survives. These experiments are based on the Tuskegee Experiments, according to Morales' Appendix in Captain America: Truth.
In 1997, President Clinton apologized on behalf of the nation for the very Tuskegee experiments that inspired Marvel editor Axel Alonso's premise for Truth. During the Depression 300 Black Alabamans signed up with the U.S. Public Health Service for free medical care, only to be used as unwitting guinea pigs in a study of untreated syphilis that went on for decades -- a tenth died directly of treatment, a third died of related complications.
Captain America: Truth is unafraid to pull from real-life history, especially the ugly parts of it. With Bradley being the sole survivor, for instance, he goes on a suicide mission to a concentration camp and Nazi base, where he sees first-hand the monstrous experiments the Nazis conducted on Jewish prisoners. It's one of the most heartbreaking moments I have read in a Marvel comic, and Baker's artwork captures that horror, as well as Bradley's pain and sorrow.
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Isaiah Bradley Shouldn't Be Relegated to the Sidelines
Along with these experiments, Isaiah - as well as the readers - comes face to face with some of the living prisoners and the nightmares in store for them. Once again, Morales does his research on this haunting chapter of history, turning to books like The Holocaust Encyclopedia, The War Against the Jews, The Anatomy of the Nuremberg Trials, Imagining the Holocaust, and Maus: A Survivor's Tale, whose creator, Art Spiegelman, is working on a new comic as of December 2024.
Captain America: Truth captures Isaiah's humanity, even if it is in a way that shatters your heart.
Both of these moments happen in the fifth issue of the series, but the rest of this seven issue run is also rich in history and so much care for Isaiah and his story. The fifth issue in particular, though, is one of the hardest issues of a Marvel comic I've read, a gut punch that left me teary-eyed and haunted. It's also an issue that I am convinced can sell anyone on Isaiah Bradley's Captain America. It captures his humanity, even if it is in a way that shatters your heart.
Captain America: Truth is available now from Marvel Comics.
Captain America: Brave New World
- Release Date
- February 14, 2025
- Runtime
- 118 minutes
WHERE TO WATCH
Captain America: Brave New World (formerly titled New World Order) marks Sam Wilson's first MCU big-screen appearance as Steve Rogers' successor after receiving the suit and shield in Phase 4's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Anthony Mackie returns as the titular Avenger alongside Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, Carl Lumby as Isaiah Bradley, and Tim Blake Nelson as The Incredible Hulk's former ally Samuel Sterns. Harrison Ford makes his MCU debut replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross.
After meeting President Thaddeus Ross, Sam is caught in a global crisis. He must expose the mastermind behind a sinister plot before the world descends into turmoil. Captain America: Brave New World marks the big-screen debut of Sam Wilson as Captain America, and Harrison Ford makes his MCU debut, replacing the late William Hurt as Thaddeus Ross.
- Cast
- Danny Ramirez, Rachael Markarian, Jacqueline Loucks, Tony Mareno, Zo'Anne Mckinstry, Phuong Kubacki, Colby Lopez, Xosha Roquemore
- Director
- Julius Onah
- Writers
- Dalan Musson, Malcolm Spellman
- Prequel(s)
- Avengers: Infinity War
- Franchise(s)
- Captain America, Marvel Cinematic Universe
- Main Genre
- Superhero
- Studio(s)
- Marvel Studios
- Distributor(s)
- Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
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