Someone is tugging at the threads of time, and only a squad led by Captain America can safeguard the founding fathers of the United States. Your Major Spoilers review of 1776 #1 from Marvel Comics awaits!

1776 #1

Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Sean Damien Hill/Ron Lim
Inker: Jay Leisten/Roberto Poggi
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Editor: Devin Lewis
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: November 12, 2025

Previously in 1776: Calamity strikes when a mysterious force dares to tamper with the sacred threads of history. Captain America and his formidable squad of Marvel heroes leap into action! Their mission? To safeguard the founding of the United States of America!

The fate of the nation hangs in the balance at the dawn of the Revolution, as these valiant heroes must navigate the treacherous waters of the past to ensure a future that remains untarnished.

SARATOGA, NEW YORK: SEPTEMBER 1777

Described as a turning point in the American Revolutionary War, the battles of Saratoga were also among the most punishing battles of that war, on Earth-616 as in our own world. Of course, thanks to the machinations of a mysterious woman in green, things have turned out somewhat differently for the nascent United States. In the present, Doctor Strange becomes aware of the alterations to the time stream, gathering Doctor Bruce Banner, Doctor Peter Parker, Doctor Anthony Stark, and Captain Steven Rogers as an elite four-person time team. Upon arriving in the 18th century, accompanied by Clea Strange, the not-exactly-Avengers find themselves facing the prospect of a world without the U.S., but Captain America knows one man they can trust. And his name is Benedict Arnold!

Yeah, that’s what Spider-Man thought, too.

NOT QUITE UP TO SNUFF

There are a few moments in 1776 that feel like they have potential, such as Banner wondering whether the states not uniting would be that much of a tragedy. Cap’s disbelief at the discussion could have made for some interesting drama, but instead, we are treated to a strange conversation that ends up feeling pointless. That sense that things aren’t going anywhere is pervasive to the story, from the lengthy conversation about how the immortal villain behind the plot can alter time against the established rules of the Marvel Universe to Iron Man opining that he beat her previously with his charm. It makes for an inconsistent story flow, which is matched by the back-and-forth of Hill’s art with Lim’s.

Both artists have strong moments in these pages, but the art seems uniformly rushed. The last three pages of Hill’s portion of the issue feature some truly disturbing facial structures, and even the notoriously solid work of Ron Lim feels rushed and ill-proportioned.

BOTTOM LINE: ONE YOU CAN SKIP

My biggest problem with 1776 #1 is actually something that I can’t justify holding against the comic, and that’s the fact that the cover image is both much more detailed and well-rendered than the interiors, and features characters not in the issue, but the overall effect of the issue is disappointment, earning 1.5 out of 5 stars overall. The premise behind this is interesting, but the execution just doesn’t quite get it done.

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1776 #1

33%

33%

Awkward, Slow, And Hard To Look At

The art feels rushed and inconsistent, and it feels like there isn't nearly enough story for the page count involved. You're probably safe waiting for the trade here.

• Writing

  2
• Art

  4
• Coloring

  4
• User Ratings (0 Votes)
  0