C2E2 2010: Captain America: Patriot

Karl Kesel and Mitch Breitweiser shine a spotlight on Jeff Mace in CAPTAIN AMERICA: PATRIOT

Posted Apr 16, 2010 11:48 am

Updated Apr 16, 2010 4:21 pm

By TJ Dietsch

History lesson time! Everyone knows Steve Rogers became Captain America during World War II and got frozen in ice for decades, but that didn't mark the end of Cap's adventures, as other tried to fill those red boots.

First William Naslund, the former Spirit of 76, died wearing the star-spangled costume, then came Jeff Mace, once The Patriot, who ended up walking away from the suit. Writer Karl Kesel and artist Mitch Breitweiser will be exploring Mace's history in the four-issue limited series CAPTAIN AMERICA: PATRIOT, hitting shelves beginning in July.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: PATRIOT #1 preview art by Mitch Breitweiser

"The story starts with his origin, which means it starts with him meeting the first Captain America, since Cap inspired Jeff to become a costumed hero," Kesel previews. "Of course, it's not quite as simple as that, but then, it never is, is it?"

Adding further complications to Mace's life will be mountains of conflict between him and America's enemies, but also with Fred Davis, his Bucky at the time.

"Some new villains, some established villains," Kesel teases in regards to who Jeff will face off against. "But the focus of the story is about Mace trying to be a living legend, and the real conflict in that situation is with the people who know he's not the original Cap. For instance, this Bucky, Fred Davis, has been Bucky longer than Mace has been Cap, and he's not too thrilled to be teaching Mace the finer points of being the symbol of America. Let's just say he thinks they should be referred to as 'Bucky and Captain America.'"

With so much heat around the recently-returned Steve Rogers, it seems like the perfect time for Kesel, who also currently works on the CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE 1940'S NEWSPAPER STRIP digital comic here on Marvel.com, to explore Mace's past.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: PATRIOT #1 preview art by Mitch Breitweiser

"I first thought hard about Jeff Mace as Cap when I was writing the ALL-WINNERS COMICS 70^TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL last year," Kesel recalls. "I thought the idea of someone trying to fill Cap's boots was really interesting; Jeff Mace clearly had what it took to be Patriot, but did he really have what it took to be Captain America? That Jeff had no powers, that he wasn't a super-soldier, said to me that filling Cap's boots would be damn difficult for him. And then there was the fact that he actually retired from being Cap-he walked away from being the top super hero in the Marvel Universe at the time. I found that very intriguing. I mean, as a fan I wanted to know the story behind that. So I wrote it!"

Thankfully, unlike Mace's relationship with his partner Bucky, Kesel and Breitweiser have been getting along famously.

"This project was kicked up about 10 notches by Mitch Breitweiser coming on-board as the artist," Kesel boasts. "His stuff is outstanding! Some of the most dynamic, exciting, yet subtle and emotional stuff I've ever seen. Every single page is a work of Art with a capital "A". PATRIOT wouldn't be half of what it is without Mitch."

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Showing #1-5 of 6 Comments

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KARL,you should make ALL OF TIMELY'S HEROES MEMBERS OF THE LIBERTY LEGION[ www.reocities.com/ratmmjess/gaguide.html ] like Roy Thomas did with DC Comics & Quality Comics( after Crisis On Infinite Earths the Fawcett Characters too ) Golden Age Heroes[ www.comics.org/issue/38389 ]---All-Star Squadron # 31(3/84).

John_Holstein | Jul 23, 2010 | 1:26 pm

KARL,you should look at MARVEL PREMIERE#29(4/76)[BUCKY,PATRIOT,RED RAVEN,THIN MAN,MISS AMERICA,WHIZZER,BLUE DIAMOND & JACK FROST's FIRST APPEARANCE as the LIBERTY LEGION ] as there version of GIANT-SIZE X-MEN#1(5/75)--the FIRST APPEARANCE of the NEW X-MEN( WOLVERINE,BANSHEE,SUNFIRE,STORM,NIGHTCRAWLER,THUNDERBIRD and COLOSSUS ).

John_Holstein | Jul 3, 2010 | 2:31 pm

HOPEFULLY we will get to see a montage of the PATRIOT's TIMELY COMICS FOES[ www.comics.org/series/137 ]&[ www.comics.org/series/178 ]. VILLAINS like the YELLOW SHIRST[ Human Torch#4 ]or the VEILED VIOLINIST[ Human Torch#5a ].

John_Holstein | Jul 3, 2010 | 2:25 pm

KARL,if AVENGERS#71(12/69) can be an INVADERS appearance when only 3 FOUNDERS APPEAR( Captain America,Human Torch & Sub-Mariner ) does the TIMELY COMICS appearance of 4 or 3 FOUNDING INVADERS count as an earlier appearance? [YOUNG ALLIES COMICS#1(sum/41)--CAPTAIN AMERICA,BUCKY,HUMAN TORCH & TORO,YOUNG ALLIES vs. RED SKULL(--chapter 6; though this should be counted as a LIBERTY LEGION & YOUNG ...

John_Holstein | Jul 3, 2010 | 2:17 pm

KARL,this TIMELY COMICS story can be turned into a FIRST APPEARANCE of another TIMELY COMICS UNNAMED SUPER GROUP:---USA COMICS#2(11/41)"When USA HEROES Meet"--CAPTAIN TERROR,DEFENDER & RUSTY,JACK FROST,MAJOR LIBERTY,ROCKMAN,VAGABOND & WHIZZER---they agreed to meet semi-regularly and swap info.

John_Holstein | Jul 3, 2010 | 2:01 pm

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