Marvel Reveals Shocking Secret Empire Info

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for events taking place in today's Marvel Comics releases. We aren't going to say which books these spoilers are from just yet because even doing that would be a possible spoiler. You've been warned.

Over the past month, Marvel Comics has been teasing an upcoming Captain America-centric storyline titled "Secret Empire." They've released several promotional images featuring the title logo, including Steve Rogers' Captain America shield in the center. The logo has been accompanied by several cryptic, coded messages hinting at other Marvel Comics groups and characters. A final teaser featured several Marvel heroes, including Captain America himself.

Today's release of Civil War II: The Oath shed some new light on what "Secret Empire" will be about. It ties back to one of the visions Ulysses showed the other heroes during Civil War II. The vision had Spider-Man, Miles Morales, holding Steve Rogers' dead body on the steps of the Capitol.

It turns out there was more to that vision that the other heroes couldn't see because they were too focused on the conflict at hand. Captain America saw it, though because it's the vision he's been dreaming of.

What Captain America saw, as illustrated in the pages from Civil War II: The Oath by Nick Spencer and Phil Noto below, was the United States of America come under Hydra control. Internment camps for mutants and Inhumans, the press reporting propaganda at gunpoint, open Hydra recruitment, Hydra helicarriers policing the skies, and a legion of Hydra soldiers on the steps of the Capitol.

How does this all come to pass? The same issue sees Steve Rogers was sworn in as the new director of SHIELD, as well as the passage of the "SHIELD Bill" into law. The new law gives SHIELD increased jurisdiction and power, including the ability to take charge as "top cop" in the case of an emergency.

Also, a Chitauri army from space is headed towards Earth. So, yes, emergency.

It seems like Captain America's plan is coming together. We'll see how it turns out when "Secret Empire" kicks off in earnest. Check out the art in the gallery below.

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