Summary
- Steve Rogers recruits powerful mutant Malik to fight Death in a new mission for Lyra.
- Malik's unique ability to punish lies with injury or death adds a twist to the team's dynamics.
- Captain America faces off against demons and prepares to battle Death with a team of Change Agents.
Warning: contains spoilers for Captain America #11Steve Rogers is assembling a roster of powerful mutants, as Captain America builds the forces he needs to fight Death and protect the mystical haven known as the Front Door Cabaret. In Captain America #11 Steve meets the powerful Malik, who wields many mysterious abilities, including the creative power to injure, maim, or kill any being that lies to him with evil intent.
Captain America's latest mission has seen the iconic hero working for Lyra - seemingly the embodiment of life in some corner of the Marvel Universe - to collect "change agents" as she battles her brother, Death, for the future of humanity and the entirety of Earth.
When Captain America discovers Malik in Captain America #11 - from writer J. Michael Straczynski with artists Jesús Saíz and Matt Hollingsworth - it is revealed that not only can Malik read individuals' futures, but he cannot be lied to without consequences.
Malik Is A Unique And Powerful Addition To Steve's Team
The new hero is protected by the powerful Guardian
After collecting Carlos in Chile and Seer in London, the three head to Chicago to find a mysterious mutant at the behest of Lyra, who is unable to pinpoint the powerful mutants' exact location. It is interesting, to say the least, that this run of Captain America has included so many mutants. The mutants of Earth have just lost Krakoa after a brutal war with Orchis, and Captain America was not very responsive to their plight. Regardless, Steve Rogers is determined to save the Front Door Cabaret by collecting mutants, and Malik is next up on his list.
The team is able to track down Malik to a mysterious cave, where they find a massive crowd of people waiting to see the man. Before they can get to Malik though, they are stopped by his bodyguard, a woman who calls herself The Guardian and who is extremely protective of Malik, for unknown reasons, and is incredibly proud of his heroism. Malik has been reading people's futures, which is a power many Marvel characters possess, but it's his other ability that sets him apart. Depending on how severe the lie, and how much evil intent the person who lied had, that person will get sick after lying to Malik, with effects ranging from a mild stomach ache to instant death.
Villains Beware, You Can't Lie To The Great Malik
This power would be a blessing and a curse
The villains in Captain America's current run are literally demons, like the horrific Asmoday that Steve recently exorcised. If there is one thing a villain is going to do, is lie, meaning Malik could really come in handy fighting against the forces of evil. Of course, this power is also a curse, since no one can tell you a white lie, which could end up being pretty terrible. Lyra revealed to Steve that Malik, as a Change Agent, will die before the end of this story, and it seems like Malik has accepted this fate... and could he even lie to himself if he wanted to?
Lying runs rampant in the Marvel Universe, between friends and foes, so a creative power like injuring anyone who lies to you is a pretty powerful and unique ability to hold. Only time will tell how Malik's fascinating ability helps Captain America in his quest to defeat Death and rescue the world's Change Agents, but one thing is certain... there won't be any lying involved!
Initially debuting in 1940, Captain America is the patriotically themed superhero who has shared the title with only a few individuals. Beginning with Steve Rogers, Captain America's birth resulted from a frail man taking part in an experimental U.S. Army super-soldier trial, which imbued him with super-human abilities. The character is often depicted wielding a nigh unbreakable and aerodynamic shield made of vibranium that they use to defend and attack their foes.
Captain America #11 from Marvel Comics is available now in stores.
