The original concept for the character came from an offhand comment by Marvel's publisher,
Bill Jemas.
Axel Alonso was taken by the idea "inherent of politics of wrapping a Black man in
red, white, and blue" and "a larger story ... a metaphor of America itself"; he also immediately thought of the
Tuskegee Study. In a meeting involving
Joe Quesada, Alonso proceeded to pitch the idea to
Robert Morales, who was brought in to write the story and create the supporting cast and the ending. The idea of an African American Captain America made Morales laugh, but, once he heard the premise, he found it depressing. He says he "wrote a proposal that was so staggeringly depressing I was certain they'd turn it down. But they didn't." Morales originally envisioned the character as a young scientist prodigy who became the accidental victim of his own experiment, a nod to
Silver Age scientists
Reed Richards and
Bruce Banner; however, Marvel wanted a more explicit reference to the Tuskegee Syphilis Study. He was able to push through an ending in which Bradley suffered brain damage, a reference to
Muhammad Ali that gave the character a tragic ending. Morales was disappointed in having to get rid of his idea for a Black scientist, but he was consoled to know that the most important story element, a strong Black marriage, had remained at the core. He performed extensive research into the time period, which he balanced with editorial suggestions. Bradley's strong marriage came from an unsuccessful
Luke Cage proposal by
Brian Azzarello. == Synopsis ==