Real
Name: Nelson Flagg/Johnny Flagg
Fighting American
Real
Name: Nelson Flagg/Johnny Flagg
Identity/Class: Enhanced human
Occupation: Defender of freedom and liberty, truth, justice and the American way
Affiliations: Speedboy (sidekick - Golden Age version, mentioned as deceased in the Awesome version)
Enemies: The "Red Menace" - specifically including Peter Piper, Round Robin, Hotsky Trotsky, Poison Ivan, Super Khakalovich, Invisible Irving, and Double-Header
Known Relatives: Johnny Flagg (older brother, deceased)
Aliases: Johnny Flagg
Base of Operations: U.S.A.
First Appearance: Fighting American #1 (Prize Comics, 1954)
Powers/Abilities: Superb physical specimen, at peak of human fitness
History: Nelson Flagg was the timid younger brother of star athlete and war hero Johnny Flagg. Johnny had suffered crippling injuries during the war, forcing his retirment from both the forces and sports, and now made a living as a top news commentator. It was in this new role that he stumbled across a Communist plot to overthrow the government, but before he could expose it, the conspirators mortally wounded him.
Nelson swore an oath at Johnny's deathbed that he would deliver his brother's killers to justice. He signed up to Project Fighting American - in a government laboratory military super technology was used to revitalise and strengthen Johnny's corpse. Nelson's mind was transferred into it using "life force probers", and Nelson assumed his dead brother's identity. Given the codename Fighting American, he and his new sidekick Speedboy would go on to defend his country against Reds and other enemies of freedom.
Comments: Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby
First published in 1954, Fighting American ran to seven bimonthly issues before being cancelled. Ahead of its time, the comic refused to take the "Red Under The Beds" attitude of the time seriously, which may have contributed to it's demise. More than a decade later the first issue was reprinted by Harvey Comics, packaged with an eighth issue which had been finished as part of the initial run but never published. Marvel reprinted the entire eight issue run as a hardcover volume in 1989, then DC licensed the character for a six issue run of new stories in 1994. Awesome Entertainment is the latest publisher to try their hand with the character, as of 1997. As well as three mini-series and a one-shot convention special, they have also released an action figure of their version and the Golden Age version of the character.
Everywhere else that mentions this character refers to the Fighting American's secret identity being Johnny Flagg. I'm sorry, but my understanding of his origin is that Johnny is dead. It might be his body, but Nelson Flagg is the Fighting American, using his brother's identity as a cover.
DC's Fighting American
Identity/Class: Enhanced human Occupation: (former) TV talk show host Affiliations: The Kid (sidekick); Mary Loo Enemies: Unknown Known Relatives: John Flagg (older brother, deceased) Aliases: None known Base of Operations: Unknown First Appearance: Fighting American (D.C.) Powers/Abilities: Superb physical specimen, at peak of human fitness History: DC's version of the Fighting American had John Flagg being a TV host in 1980's America. His weekly talk show often took on Communism, until eventually one of the enemies he made through the programme shoots him dead. As with the original version, his younger brother swears vengeance and agrees to have his mind transferred into his brother's suitably upgraded corpse. One difference made to the character was that it took several years before Nelson's persona could be placed in the rebuilt body, so that by the time the experiment was over, the Cold War had ended, forcing the Fighting American to find new foes to battle. Comments: The only other major alteration to this version of the Fighting American was that his sidekick, only referred to as "Kid", was now black (see below). |
Awesome's Fighting American
Real
Name: Nelson Flagg / John Flagg
Identity/Class: Enhanced human
Occupation: Unknown
Affiliations: Speedboy (sidekick - mentioned as deceased in the Awesome version); S.P.I.C.E. (sidekick - Awesome version)
Enemies: Iron Cross, Red Menace
Known Relatives: John Flagg (older brother)
Aliases: None known
Base of Operations: Unknown
First Appearance: The Fighting American (Awesome Comics)
Powers/Abilities: Superb physical specimen, at peak of human fitness
History: John Flagg was transformed by science into America's greatest Cold War weapon. Following the death of his partner Speedboy though, he retired. Years later the return of his old foes such as the Iron Cross and the Red Menace prompted the still youthful Flagg to dig out his costume and return to the game. His new sidekick was SPICE (Super Prototype Intelligent Cyborg Entity), a cyborg created from the body of a sixteen year old girl.
Comments: Frankly the character's background in this version is far less interesting than the real world background. Basically Rob Liefeld and Jeff Loeb were hired by Marvel Comics to revamp Captain America as part of the "Heroes Reborn" storyline. They created a revised history and a young, female Bucky (Captain America's sidekick). Then Marvel terminated their contract.
Liefeld and Loeb, apparently somewhat upset about this, planned a new character for their own Awesome Comics line, called Agent America (see his picture here). Agent America's costume was visually almost identical to Cap's, he carried a round shield emblazoned with a star in the centre (like Cap), and he was to face villains such as the Cyber Skull (who looked a lot like a recoloured version of Cap's main foe, the Red Skull). They gave Agent America a female sidekick (like they had done during their time on Captain America) to replace one who had died in the past (just like what had happened in their time on Captain America), said death precipitating the hero's retirment for decades (like they'd done...do I need to go on?). Marvel saw the adverts for the character and instigated legal action, issuing a cease and desist. Liefeld then bought the rights to do Fighting American, and then combined Agent America's look with this pre-established character, giving Fighting American the Cap-like shield, Cap-like colour scheme on his costume (note the removal of FA's yellow and replacement of it with Cap's white), and female sidekick. At the end of the day the judge ruled that Liefeld could go ahead with this character (but not Agent America) so long as he made some more costume modifications, and that he NEVER throw his shield like a weapon (which Captain America does do as one of his signature traits). Both sides claimed victory.
This version of the Fighting American was treated as more of a continuation of the original than the DC one (which had been a straight forward revamp), and plans were afoot before they gave up publishing the character to have him team up with his Golden Age incarnation.
The Original Speedboy
Identity/Class: Normal human Occupation: Usher Affiliations: Fighting American (Prize Comics version) Enemies: The "Red Menace" - specifically including Peter Piper, Round Robin, Hotsky Trotsky, Poison Ivan, Super Khakalovich, Invisible Irving, and Double-Header Known Relatives: None known Aliases: None known Base of Operations: U.S.A. First Appearance: Fighting American #1 (Prize Comics, 1954) Powers/Abilities: Good fighter, acrobatic and resourceful History: Speedboy was an usher at the TV station where Johnny Flagg made his announcements. When the station was bombed by Communists, he displayed so much courage that Johnny decided to take him on as a sidekick. He gave him a costume and named him Speedboy. Comments: Jim Cook Jr, via Phil Latter of the International Comics Club, informs me that Speedboy's real identity was never given. I can't find a true identity for him. He is referred to as, " a young page boy" in his first appearance (the second story in issue #1, "SECOND ASSIGNMENT:"), and it never gives more information than that that I can find. He appears to be referred to as "Speedboy" in the captions that speak of his uncostumed ID as well. Thanks to both Jim and Phil for this information. |
DC's Kid
Identity/Class: Normal human Occupation: Unknown Affiliations: Fighting American (DC version); Mary Loo Enemies: Unknown Known Relatives: None known Aliases: "Young fella" Base of Operations: Unknown First Appearance: Fighting American #1 (DC) Powers/Abilities: Good fighter, acrobatic and resourceful History: Unknown Comments: It seems DC never got round to naming their Fighting American's sidekick. Once more Jim Cook Jr steps into the fray, relaying the following information through Phil Latter: As far as I can tell, he was only referred to as "kid" and "young fella" by Fighting American. He was referred to as, "The Kid" in the "NEXT ISSUE" box on the letters page of #5 though.
This Fighting American did have another ally. Again, it's over to Jim: Her name was Mary Loo, and she had a part in the entire series (well actually issues 2 - 6). She wore a jacket with the Fighting American emblem in issue #6 but was never an official side-kick. She was also an early gay (lesbian) comic character. |
S.P.I.C.E.
Identity/Class: Cyborg Occupation: Unknown Affiliations: Fighting American (Awesome Comics version) Enemies: Iron Cross, Red Menace Known Relatives: None known Aliases: None known Base of Operations: Unknown First Appearance: Fighting American #1 (Awesome Comics) Powers/Abilities: Unknown History: The Awesome Comic's Fighting American was teamed up with SPICE (Super Prototype Intelligent Cyborg Entity). SPICE had been a sixteen year old girl before being remade into a cyborg agent. Comments: None |
CLARIFICATIONS: Neither of the Flagg brothers should be confused with
Reuben Flagg, a.k.a. American Flagg
Flagg, later Patriot, of the Rising Stars Universe
Fighting American shouldn't be confused with
any other patriotic heroes, especially ones which Jack Kirby or Joe Simon had a hand in creating.
Agent America, a Rob Liefeld "creation" that strongly resembles the Awesome version of Fighting American
Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.
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