SHIELD is back in Marvel canon, but it won’t look the same this time around. The current Captain America series is set to inaugurate the next major era for the Marvel Universe, and it starts with Captain America joining Nick Fury Jr.’s reconstituted, consolidated SHIELD organization for a mission to Doctor Doom’s country of Latveria following the tyrant’s death.
Newsarama shared a preview of Captain America #6, written by Chip Zdarsky, with art by Delio Diaz and Frank Alpizar.
Zdarsky teased the new incarnation of SHIELD, which returns to Marvel lore after an extended absence. “Nick Fury Jr. is starting small,” the author explained, as the character seeks to avoid the “sins” of the father.
SHIELD Is Back, And Nick Fury Jr. Is Determined To Do It Better Than His Famous Father
Captain America #6, Written By Chip Zdarsky, Art By Delio Diaz And Frank Alpizar; Releases January 2026 From Marvel Comics
The return of SHIELD is a big deal for Marvel Comics. The organization has been defunct for years now, and fans have anticipated its revival in the same way that they look forward to the resurrection of killed-off characters. Now, the moment is finally here, and SHIELD is back at a pivotal moment for the Marvel Universe.
However, fans should expect this to be “not your daddy’s SHIELD.” Or rather, not it’s leader’s daddy’s SHIELD. Yes, Nick Fury Jr., son of the original, is now in charge, and he’s seeking to learn from his father’s failure. As author Chip Zdarsky explained:
Nick Fury Jr. is starting small. The downfall of SHIELD was its size, its massive reach, and Fury knows that now. So his new team is laser-focused, soldiers of fortune who won’t let anything get in the way of their mission. Cap has the experience of Latveria from our first arc, plus the moral clarity that Fury needs to make sure his team succeeds.
Zdarsky also teased what is in store for the renewed SHIELD on their first mission: Red Hulk.
The Spotlight Is On SHIELD As It Returns At A Gamechanging Moment For Marvel Lore
Captain America #6 Begins The Road To ARMAGEDDON
The black-and-white preview pages for Captain America #6 show Steve Rogers in Washington, D.C., meeting up with Nick Fury Jr. It also features a glimpse of Thaddeus Ross meditating, trying to contain his inner Red Hulk. Ross is in Latveria following the end of the One World Under Doom event, and that is where SHIELD and Captain America are headed.
Latverian dictator Doctor Doom seemingly died at the end of the series, but his spectre still looms large over the Marvel Universe. It will be felt acutely in Captain America’s next arc. As Chip Zdarsky put it:
[Captain America and SHIELD are] going into a country that’s been under the rule of a tyrant for far too long, but that same tyrant has kept his people safe. Latveria is a powder keg with wolves at the door and Cap has to reckon with the ghost of Doom every step of the way.
Add Red Hulk to the mix, and it is set to be a chaotic kickoff to Marvel’s next epoch.
Chip Zdarsky is slated to write next year’s ARMAGEDDON series, which is expected to mark a massive shift for the Marvel Universe. The author has teased that all of that starts with Captain America #6, and with SHIELD, Red Hulk, and “the ghost of Doom” in the mix, Marvel has set up an intriguing start to its new era.
Captain America #6 will be available January 21, 2026 from Marvel Comics.
- First Appearance
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Captain America Comics
- Alias
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Steve Rogers, John Walker, Sam Wilson
- Alliance
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Avengers, Invaders, S.H.I.E.L.D., U.S. Army
- Race
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Human
- Franchise
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Marvel