David Morrell Writes Captain America: The Chosen

You probably do not know David Morrell, but he is the novelist who created Rambo through his novel “First Blood.” In keeping with his reputation as an action thriller novelist, he has produced another literary blockbuster. But this isn’t like his other creations. This is a graphic novel! Talk about comic book man! He paired up with Mitch Breitweiser to author “Captain America: the Chosen.”

Makes me wonder if this graphic novel will be the basis of an upcoming Captain America movie. With Marvel psyching up the moviegoers with teasers about S.H.I.E.L.D. in Marvel movies, Captain America the Movie might just be based on David Morrell’s latest literary creation.

Joe Simon and Jack Kirby created the character of Captain America in 1941 in response to the Nazi scare in World War II. Since then, Captain America comics have sold around 210 million copies in more than 70 countries. When Cap went on a mission to diffuse a bomb in Germany, he ended up being blown into the Atlantic. He was frozen deep in the ice but eventually he was rediscovered alive!

David Morrell has not collected comic books since his childhood. Yet, with Captain America, he envisioned the complexities and difficulties that a Superhero faces if he came alive in today’s complex world. That’s exactly what he did. He brought Captain America to Afghanistan to show him in action.
“Captain America: the Chosen” follows the story of US Cpl James Newman as he fights terrorists in Afghanistan. He is able to see Captain America but surprisingly, no one else sees him. Just as he feels exhausted from too much fighting and dying, Cap says that they fight “As long as we’re able to lift a finger. As long as we can draw a breath.”

Surprisingly, Captain America was in a medical facility in the US, yet each time Newman is under desperate situations, the Cap helps him get the soldiers to safety.

More surprises can be found in this graphic novel but I won’t state them for fear of retaliation against fans who hate spoilers! Hahah.

On the whole, David Morrell gives justice to the character of Captain America and shows him at work in the contemporary world where war, conflict and violence are daily occurrences.