Marvel's latest job for Captain America is far darker than his usual role as leader of the Avengers, with a crew of vampires replacing his typical superhero comrades.
Written by Tim Seeley and drawn by Sid Kotian, Captain America: Unforgiven #1 is the final chapter in a series of one-shots focused on the Forgiven vampire squad, and details for the issue have been revealed by the April 2023 solicitations for Marvel Comics. Composed mainly of bloodsuckers willing to battle on the side of good rather than evil, the Forgiven's ranks appear to have lost their heroic way in the issue, and it's up to Cap to straighten them out before they "give in to their darker natures."
CAPTAIN AMERICA: UNFORGIVEN #1
- TIM SEELEY (W) • SID KOTIAN (A) • Cover by KYLE HOTZ
- Variant Cover by E.M. GIST
- CAPTAIN AMERICA…VAMPIRE HUNTER?
- The FORGIVEN have lost their way — defeat after defeat has made them bitter and bloodthirsty...and they’re starting to like it!
- Can CAPTAIN AMERICA bring them back into the light? Or will they give in to their darker natures?
- Witness the thrilling conclusion to the UNFORGIVEN saga…if you dare!
- 40 PGS./ONE-SHOT/Rated T+ …$4.99
Captain America: Unforgiven #1 goes on sale following the release of the prior issues Spider-Man: Unforgiven #1 and X-Men: Unforgiven #1, both of which are set to release in March, with Spider-Man kicking off the three-part vampire saga on March 1. The solicitation for the Captain America one-shot reads, "The Forgiven have lost their way -- defeat after defeat has made them bitter and bloodthirsty...and they’re starting to like it! Can Captain America bring them back into the light? Or will they give in to their darker natures?"
What Unforgiven's Writer Has to Say About Marvel's Vampire Saga
"I love Marvel superheroes, no doubt, but I've got a special obsession with Marvel's horror heroes," said Unforgiven writer Tim Seeley, back when the saga was first announced in late August 2022. "Unforgiven gives that creepy, sexy, weird underbelly a chance to shine as a horrific conspiracy unites a crew of vampires with Spider-Man, the X-Men and Captain America, and shows us the stark differences (and surprisingly similarities) of those who are gifted with the ability to fight evil, and those who have to carry evil's curse." In an exclusive interview with CBR, Seeley discussed Cap's role in the story, and how the Forgiven's leader, Raizo Kodo, "sees [Captain America] as a guy who's sort of like [the Forgiven]. He's not one of them, but he insists on being there."
A Brief History of Marvel’s Forgiven
The Forgiven first appeared in Fear Itself: Hulk vs. Dracula, a three-issue series written by Victor Gischler and drawn by Ryan Stegman that spun out of the Fear Itself event from 2011. Led by Raizo, a Japanese vampire, the Forgiven were established as rogues who temporarily allied themselves with Dracula to stop a rampaging Hulk.
While the team has largely flown under the radar since then and is lacking in appearances alongside mainstream heroes like Captain America, they wouldn't be the first vampires that Cap has encountered. Baron Blood, a villain who debuted in 1976, has been a thorn in Cap's side since the days of World War II, when he used his powers to aid Nazi Germany in return for technology that made him less weak to sunlight. Of course, Cap has also fought alongside Blade on the Avengers, the sword-wielding half-vampire that hunts other bloodsuckers.
Captain America: The Unforgiven #1 is written by Seeley, illustrated by Kotian, and features cover artwork by Kyle Hotz and E.M. Gist. The issue is set to release in April 2023.
Source: Marvel