Explicit storylines address systemic racism, government mistreatment of Black soldiers via Isaiah Bradley, police brutality parallels, and institutional barriers, with dialogue and subplots framing America as inherently exclusionary toward Black heroes. Creator Malcolm Spellman deliberately prioritized these racial and political issues over pure action or character development from the source material.

The deliberate casting of a white John Walker as the interim Captain America serves as pointed commentary on racial preferences in power structures. Flag Smasher elements layer in critiques of nationalism and borders. While action sequences exist, the ideological framing frequently interrupts or overrides them, leading to widespread audience criticism of preachiness and prioritization of messaging, with backlash labeling it overly woke and divisive.