There's only one Captain America. I can never be him. But I can carry on in his name -- with his name. That I can do. That would be an honor. 
- —Captain America (Jeff Mace)[src]
History
Preface
Jeff Mace is a character with over 70 years of appearance. Below is an abridged version of his history. For his complete history see the Unabridged History of Jeff Mace.
World War II
As the Patriot
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Jeff Mace unmasked!
Jeffrey Mace grew up on Yancy Street.[2] He later became a reporter and correspondent for the New York Daily Bugle. When the United States entered World War II, inspired by Captain America and fervently patriotic, Mace began fighting crime and Nazi espionage under the costumed identity of the Patriot. As time went by, Mace got involved in a number of cases, even briefly acquiring a sidekick, Miss Patriot. The Patriot strengthened his reputation as a crusader against America’s enemies through a regular series of patriotic radio broadcasts from New York City.
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The original Patriot costume.
The infamous Nazi agent known as the Red Skull captured four members of the Invaders, a wartime team of champions consisting of Captain America, the Human Torch, Toro, and the Sub-Mariner, and brainwashed them into committing anti-American sabotage.[3] In order to summon other costumed adventurers to help rescue the Invader, Captain America’s young partner Bucky Barnes commandeered the radio station from which the Patriot was about to make one of his broadcast speeches. The Patriot joined the team that Bucky organized for this mission, which was named the Liberty Legion.[4] After clashing with the Liberty League several times,[5] the Invaders were finally freed from the Red Skull’s control, and the Liberty Legion remained together, battling criminals, spies, and saboteurs on the American home front during World War II.[6]
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2nd Patriot Costume
The Patriot continued his crime-fighting career even after the end of World War II. He was now based in Boston, Massachusetts, where in 1946 he saved the Human Torch, Toro, and the Torch’s creator, Professor Phineas T. Horton, from a trap in which they had been placed by Adam II, a malevolent android Horton had created. Horton told the Patriot that Adam II intended to substitute an android duplicate for a congressional candidate from a Boston district. The Patriot and the Torches contacted the Torches’ fellow members of the All-Winners Squad, the postwar successor to the Invaders, and informed them about Adam II's plan.[7]
The original Captain America and Bucky both had vanished in 1945; another costumed adventurer, the Spirit of '76, had taken over the role of Captain America, and a boy named Fred Davis was the new Bucky. Both the new Captain America and the new Bucky were members of the All-Winners Squad. One of Adam II’s robots killed the second Captain America at Boston’s Old North Church. Inspired by this second Captain’s noble sacrifice, the Patriot donned a spare Captain America costume from the Sub-Mariner’s nearby flagship and thus became the third man to assume the identity of Captain America. In his new role, the Patriot prevented Adam II from murdering the congressional candidate he intended to replace, John F. Kennedy.[7]
As Captain America
As the newest Captain America, Jeffrey Mace became the second Bucky’s new partner, and both remained active in the All-Winners Squad. The second Bucky retired from crime fighting in 1949 after being wounded, and Captain America formed a new partnership with Golden Girl. Eventually, believing that Americans no longer needed symbolic figures like Captain America, Jeffrey Mace retired as a crime fighter in 1950 and returned to reporting.[1]
Modern Era
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Some years ago, Mace discovered that he was dying of cancer. The Elder of the Universe called the Contemplator, also known as Mister Buda, granted Mace his fondest wish by allowing him to battle evil once more as Captain America, this time against the Adam II of an alternate Earth. Mace destroyed this Adam II and with this victory, came to terms with his past and achieved inner peace.[8]
Several months after his adventure in the alternate reality, Jeffrey Mace died of cancer with his hero, the original Captain America, at his bedside.[9]Attributes
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Abilities
Paraphernalia
Equipment
Weapons
- Captain America's Shield: As Captain America, Mace used a shield resembling the ones carried by his predecessors. While it was made of enhanced titanium, Mace's shield did not have the same virtually-indestructible properties of Steve Rogers' shield, though Mace became proficient in throwing it as an offensive weapon.
Notes
- As per the Official Index of the Marvel Universe, Jeff Mace took over as Captain America as of Captain America Comics #59.
- Mace was originally the longest serving Captain America (1946 to 1952, which was longer than the original, before Rogers was found and revived). Mace is now the second-longest serving Cap outside of Steve Rogers.
- Mace is currently the only man to serve as an officially recognized Captain America who was never either approved by the U.S. Government in the role, nor given the role by a previous established Captain America.
Trivia
- The text story in Human Torch Comics #4 takes place a year earlier, meaning that in the Timely Comics Universe the Patriot predated Captain America: Jeff Mace mentioned that he had used the uniform only once before in a newspaper promotion stunt, but now he realized its true value.
See Also
- 125 appearance(s) of Jeffrey Mace (Earth-616)
- 9 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Jeffrey Mace (Earth-616)
- 15 minor appearance(s) of Jeffrey Mace (Earth-616)
- 3 mention(s) of Jeffrey Mace (Earth-616)
- 5 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Jeffrey Mace (Earth-616)
- 42 image(s) of Jeffrey Mace (Earth-616)
- 12 quotation(s) by or about Jeffrey Mace (Earth-616)
- 5 victim(s) killed by Jeffrey Mace (Earth-616)
- 2 item(s) used/owned by Jeffrey Mace (Earth-616)
Links and References
- Jeffrey Mace at Wikipedia