4. Captain America: Secret Empire (2017)
Nick Spencer’s Secret Empire storyline sent shockwaves through the comic community by revealing that Captain America—an enduring symbol of justice—was secretly a Hydra agent the whole time. This dramatic twist was met with outrage and widespread criticism, as many argued it betrayed the character’s core values and disrespected his origins as a fighter against fascism.
Fans and critics alike debated the narrative’s timing and sensitivity, especially given the real-life implications of fascist symbolism. The 2017 political landscape in the United States at the time only led to further outrage when Marvel turned our trusted American hero into a villain. Thankfully, this wasn’t kept in Marvel canon at all.