The Draft

In this single 1988 Marvel issue, writer Fabian Nicieza and Mark Gruenwald, with art by Herb Trimpe, explore a grim alternate reality where the United States government drafts super-powered teenagers into mandatory military service. The story follows young heroes forced to navigate a world where their abilities are weaponized, questioning the cost of patriotism and the loss of innocence. Though brief, The Draft stands as a pointed, standalone political commentary within Marvel's late-80s output, reflecting the era's anxieties about conscription and state control.