Robert Morales facts for kids

Robert Morales (1958 - 2013) was an American writer, editor, and journalist. He was best known for creating the comic book series Truth: Red, White & Black. This series introduced his original character, Isaiah Bradley. Besides writing comics for Marvel Comics, Morales also worked as an editor for magazines like Vibe Magazine.

About Robert Morales

Robert Morales was born in New York City on February 3, 1958. His family background was Afro-Puerto Rican.

His Work in Journalism

Morales wrote short review articles for Heavy Metal magazine. He did this between 1982 and 1985.

In the early 1990s, he became the executive editor of Reflex magazine. He even brought famous author Neil Gaiman to work with the editorial team there.

From 1994 to 2007, Morales was a senior editor for Vibe. This magazine focused on music and entertainment. He also wrote for other publications, such as Publishers Weekly.

Writing Comic Books

Morales was also a talented comic book writer. He is most famous for his work on the Marvel Comics series Captain America. When he worked on Captain America, Morales often wrote stories that dealt with important real-world issues.

Creating Truth: Red, White & Black

Morales had an idea for a black Captain America. He shared this idea with Joe Quesada, who was Marvel's editor-in-chief. Morales was surprised when his idea was accepted. He later said, "I wrote a proposal that was so staggeringly depressing I was certain they’d turn it down. But they didn’t."

This idea became the hero Isaiah Bradley in the series Truth: Red, White & Black. Morales created this series with artist Kyle Baker. They had worked together before on cartoons for Vibe Magazine.

Truth told a new origin story for Captain America. It followed the stories of four African-American soldiers. These soldiers were unwillingly used in experiments by the U.S. government. The goal was to develop the super serum that created Steve Rogers. The series connected the Captain America story to real history. It touched on topics like unfair human experiments and ideas about human differences. Morales learned a lot about African-American history for this series. He studied at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Before the series came out, some fans online were upset. They worried it would harm the legacy of the character Steve Rogers. However, many critics changed their minds after reading the series. Morales explained that his story showed how everyone can be involved in problems, not just one person.

The collected edition of Truth included a note from Morales. In it, he explained how he used history and imagination for his story.

Working on the Main Captain America Series

After Truth, Morales was asked to write the main Captain America series. He took over after Dave Gibbons left. Morales wrote Captain America volume 4, issues #21–28 in 2004. He tried to show Steve Rogers as a more human character. This led to mixed reactions from fans. Morales eventually left the series earlier than planned.

His Passing

Robert Morales passed away at his home in Brooklyn on April 18, 2013.