Patriot

Real Name: Jeffrey Mace

Identity/Class: Normal human

Occupation: Reporter

Affiliations: Golden Age  Miss Patriot (Mary Morgan, partner)

Silver Age member of Liberty Legion, ally of Captain America, Spirit of '76, Red Guardian (WWII);

Silver Age, in his Captain America identity member of the All Winners Squad, partner of Golden Girl, partner of Bucky (Fred Davis), briefly allied with the Contemplator (a.k.a. Mr.Buddha), Captain America (1950's version)

Enemies: Golden Age The Cracksman, Dr.Hades, Grosse, Future Man, Parrot, the Human Fly, Madame Death, Lavender, the Jester

Silver Age Adam II, U-Man, Masterman, Sky Shark, Brain Drain, Red Skull

Known Relatives: Golden Age None (see comments)

Silver Age Elizabeth Ross (Golden Girl, wife)

Aliases: Jeff

Silver Age Pat (Thin Man's name for him), Captain America (replacing the Spirit of '76 in that role)

Base of Operations: Silver Age Times Tower, New York, U.S.A.

First Appearance: The Human Torch #4/(3) (Timely, Spring 1941)

Powers/Abilities: Extremely fit, skilled fighter.

History: (Marvel Mystery Comics #21-45, #49-74, Human Torch Comics #4-5, ga) Inspired by the example of Captain America, reporter Jeff Mace created his own costumed persona, the Patriot. In this new identity he battled crime and agents of the Axis powers, assisted by Mary Morgan, who briefly adopted the identity of Miss Patriot.

The Patriot returned in the Silver Age as a member of the Liberty Legion(Marvel Premiere #29) The Patriot was due to make a radio broadcast to the people of New York, when Captain America's partner Bucky intruded, seeking help from any hero within range to subdue the Invaders, who had been brainwashed by the Red Skull. Other heroes rallied round, forming the Liberty Legion.

(Invaders I #6) The members of the Liberty Legion had a number of indecisive skirmishes with the mind-controlled Invaders.

(Marvel Premiere #30) Finally the assembled Liberty Legion battled the Invaders, managing to both free them and defeat the Skull's plans.

(Marvel Two-In-One Annual #1, MTIO #20) When the time travelling Thing came back in time to 1942, he encountered both the Patriot (and the rest of the Liberty Legion), and battled several Nazi villains alongside them.

(Captain America Annual #13) In 1945 the Patriot accompanied Captain America and the Spirit of '76 to Russia, where they worked with the soviet hero The Red Guardian.

The Patriot takes over from the Spirit of '76 as Captain America

(What If? I #4) When rogue android Adam II tried to drown the Human Torch, Toro and Professor Horton, the Patriot discovered the three of them in time to save their lives. The All Winners Squadron gathered to deal with Adam II, but Captain America (actually the Spirit of '76, replacing the original who was missing in action) died during the fight. The Patriot assumed the identity of Captain America.

(Captain America Comics #58-65,  ga story retconned to be Jeff Mace's adventure) No synopses available.

(She-Hulk II #22) The All-Winners Squad encountered the She-Hulk, a heroine who had travelled back in time, while trying to recover a stolen nuclear weapon.

Thanks to retcon, this is the Patriot' losing a partner(Captain America #66, ga ) In 1948 when his sidekick Bucky was shot by Lavender, and forced to retire due to his injuries, Cap asked Betsy Ross to become his new partner. He revealed his secret identity to her, and after some training Betsy became Golden Girl.

(Captain America Comics #67-69, ga) Golden Girl continued to battle alongside Captain America.

(Captain America Comics #70-75, ga) Having retired her superhero identity, Betsy continued to be Cap's friend and ally.

(bts) Jeff retired from being a superhero and married Betsy.

(Captain America Annual #7) Years later Jeff discovered he was dying of cancer. He encountered the Contemplator, a being of great power, who granted him his deepest desire, to briefly resume his role as Captain America alongside the other men who had worn that identity - Steve Rogers, William Nasland and "Steve Rogers" (the 1950's incarnation) - and to once more defeat Adam II.

(Captain America I #284-285) Jeff Mace passed away from his cancer, with his friend and idol, the original Captain America, by his bedside.

Comments: When Captain America was revived in the modern Marvel era, he was revealed to have been frozen before the end of the Second World War. This caused a problem in regards to the Golden Age comics which portrayed Cap's post-war adventures, which was resolved by having three other men take up the mantle for a time. The Patriot thus retroactively gained several extra Golden Age appearances, and two new partners, and all the stories in Captain America comics between #66 (at least - maybe as far back as #58) and #75 are now Jeff Mace's adventures. In What If? I #4, which chronicled the death of the Spirit of '76 Captain America, it was noted that he had fought Isbisa (as chronicled in All-Winners Comics #19), but seemed to die prior to the Squad's battle with the Future Man (All-Winners Comics #21) - given the publication dates of these two issues, if we match that to the corresponding issues of Captain America Comics, I'd say the changeover between the Spirit of '76 and Patriot came between #58 and #59 of Captain America Comics.

It should be clearly understood that the original intention at the time was for them to be the continued adventures of the original.

At least one online source claims Miss Patriot was not Jeff Mace's love interest, but instead his sister. I haven't read the original Golden Age stories, but given the weight of evidence disagreeing with this, I'd say it's unlikely.

The first glimpse of the Patriot in the modern era was as one of Rick Jones' mental projections during the Kree-Skrull War (Avengers I #97), but this was not an actual appearance of the character.

Thanks to Jess Nevins for allowing me to use information from his excellent Golden Age Heroes Directory and his Guide to Golden Age Marvel Characters. Thanks also to Richard Boucher & Darrin Wiltshire @ PR-Publications for permission to use information from their equally brilliant collection of Golden Age Sites, PR Publications. Their knowledge of Golden Age characters far outstrips my own.

CLARIFICATIONS: The Patriot should not be confused with

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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