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Captain America: Patriot #1-4
Captain America: Patriot
1941. Captain America puts on his mask and shield for the first time-- and instantly inspires an entire nation, including Jeff Mace-a rough-and-tumble reporter-who quickly dons his own star-spangled suit and calls himself the PATRIOT! It's a decision that will take him from stopping stateside saboteurs... to headlining the home front heroes known as the Liberty Legion... to the most unexpected offer of all: when the Sentinel of Liberty dies and Jeff Mace is asked to be the NEXT CAPTAIN AMERICA!
COLLECTING:
Captain America: Patriot #1-4, What if? #4
COLLECTING:
Captain America: Patriot #1-4, What if? #4
136 pages, Paperback
First published February 16, 2011
About the author
Karl Kesel
1,078 books42 followersKarl Kesel (Victor, New York) is an American comics writer and inker whose works have primarily been under contract for DC Comics. He is a member of Periscope Studio. In 2017, he started Panic Button Press with Tom Grummett to publish the creator-owned graphic novel Section Zero.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 6, 2019
I quite enjoyed this, to be honest.
I didn't know anything about Jeff Mace. I don't know much about the Captain Americas aside from Steve, Sam and Bucky. I quite liked Jeff as a character though. Cap inspired him and he became Patriot as a way to carry on Cap's work in America. He stood for something. Even when it appeared that the world wouldn't be okay with him supporting a man that was blue ticketed (in this case, for suspicion of homosexuality), he showed up in the PAtriot uniform anyway. He didn't care that it would piss a lot of people off.
Admittedly, I didn't know just how many Cap-like figures where were running around at one point. Patriot, Miss Patriot, Miss America (later taken as America Chavez's moniker for a really short while), and a few others. It's interesting (and I'm certainly not complaining) that Marvel doesn't really do things like that these days. Too many characters and it becomes pretty difficult to separate them from each other. (Didn't help that all these characters were white... just saying. They fight to protect marginalized groups but they didn't really hire any of them amongst the ranks until Sam came along in the 70s and his introduction was problematic as hell).
Anyway, this was pretty quick to read and I rather enjoyed it. It's nice to read stories about Captain America standing up for what's right. Sounds odd but, even that can be a challenge to find in comics these days.
I didn't know anything about Jeff Mace. I don't know much about the Captain Americas aside from Steve, Sam and Bucky. I quite liked Jeff as a character though. Cap inspired him and he became Patriot as a way to carry on Cap's work in America. He stood for something. Even when it appeared that the world wouldn't be okay with him supporting a man that was blue ticketed (in this case, for suspicion of homosexuality), he showed up in the PAtriot uniform anyway. He didn't care that it would piss a lot of people off.
Admittedly, I didn't know just how many Cap-like figures where were running around at one point. Patriot, Miss Patriot, Miss America (later taken as America Chavez's moniker for a really short while), and a few others. It's interesting (and I'm certainly not complaining) that Marvel doesn't really do things like that these days. Too many characters and it becomes pretty difficult to separate them from each other. (Didn't help that all these characters were white... just saying. They fight to protect marginalized groups but they didn't really hire any of them amongst the ranks until Sam came along in the 70s and his introduction was problematic as hell).
Anyway, this was pretty quick to read and I rather enjoyed it. It's nice to read stories about Captain America standing up for what's right. Sounds odd but, even that can be a challenge to find in comics these days.
October 2, 2012
Here we have a drop back in time (both literally in some reprinted material and story wise in the fill in material). Captain America as all his fans know (and now many movie goers) was frozen in suspended animation near the end of WWII. But there's a glitch. At the end of WWII and through the 1950s there were Captain America adventures. There were The Invaders who fought throughout WWII and there was the All Winner Squad through the '50s.
How is this possible? That would be telling.
So, worth reading, not badly written. The art is (again) a mixed bag, mostly good but with some muddy frames. In all and on the whole it's a good read. Enjoy.
How is this possible? That would be telling.
So, worth reading, not badly written. The art is (again) a mixed bag, mostly good but with some muddy frames. In all and on the whole it's a good read. Enjoy.
September 5, 2019
This is a surprisingly good read; it's a miniseries about the third Captain America in 616 continuity, Jeff Mace, the one who served with the All-Winners Squad.
The standout moment for me is the part where he insists on going to a funeral in costume and giving a eulogy for his friend who was blue-ticketed out of the Navy for being gay and then killed himself -- and when he's told he can't do it as Cap because it will ruin Cap's reputation with the public and no one can ever be Cap again, he does it as Patriot, his own previous costumed identity, and now can never be Patriot again. And then when Namor tells him it was idiotic that he ruined his own costumed identity out of loyalty to his friend, he punches Namor right in the face and breaks his own hand.
Captain America: the straight ally we all need!
There's another modern All-Winners one shot about Mace and a What If folded into the end, presumably to pad out the book a little, but this is worth picking up on its own; it's a really nice read. I didn't know much about the guy before and I'm glad I did.
The standout moment for me is the part where he insists on going to a funeral in costume and giving a eulogy for his friend who was blue-ticketed out of the Navy for being gay and then killed himself -- and when he's told he can't do it as Cap because it will ruin Cap's reputation with the public and no one can ever be Cap again, he does it as Patriot, his own previous costumed identity, and now can never be Patriot again. And then when Namor tells him it was idiotic that he ruined his own costumed identity out of loyalty to his friend, he punches Namor right in the face and breaks his own hand.
Captain America: the straight ally we all need!
There's another modern All-Winners one shot about Mace and a What If folded into the end, presumably to pad out the book a little, but this is worth picking up on its own; it's a really nice read. I didn't know much about the guy before and I'm glad I did.
June 29, 2016
Captain America: Patriot collects Captain America: Patriot #1-4, The 70th Anniversary All Winners Squad #1, and What If? Volume 1 #4
What If? #4 is at the back of the book and it contains the story in which Roy Thomas tried to explain the fact that while Stan Lee retconned Cap as being frozen in ice during World War II, he continued to have comic adventures years after the war. The explanation was that there were idifferent Captain Americas who took up a shield. This book focuses on Jeff Mace, the third Captain America who operated during the War under the name the Patriot.
Captain America: The Patriot is a well-written, emotionally strong piece. The art is painted by Steve Uy and it really is gorgeous to behold. The self is solid if a bit heavy handed about the Cold War.
The All Winners 70th Anniversary story was a bit of a mess. The art is very off with some very odd poses. The story of a Zombie invasion of New York seems just to be riffing off Walking Dead. The focus on Mace is okay, but the story is below par overall.
Of course, the classic What If? comic is very good as Roy Thomas develops a really fine yarn. It's reprinted in the What If? collections but I still found it a treat to read. Overall, I found this book a very pleasant surprise. It's so nice to have a title really make this much effort to honor a little remembered hero. Overall, a very enjoyable book.
What If? #4 is at the back of the book and it contains the story in which Roy Thomas tried to explain the fact that while Stan Lee retconned Cap as being frozen in ice during World War II, he continued to have comic adventures years after the war. The explanation was that there were idifferent Captain Americas who took up a shield. This book focuses on Jeff Mace, the third Captain America who operated during the War under the name the Patriot.
Captain America: The Patriot is a well-written, emotionally strong piece. The art is painted by Steve Uy and it really is gorgeous to behold. The self is solid if a bit heavy handed about the Cold War.
The All Winners 70th Anniversary story was a bit of a mess. The art is very off with some very odd poses. The story of a Zombie invasion of New York seems just to be riffing off Walking Dead. The focus on Mace is okay, but the story is below par overall.
Of course, the classic What If? comic is very good as Roy Thomas develops a really fine yarn. It's reprinted in the What If? collections but I still found it a treat to read. Overall, I found this book a very pleasant surprise. It's so nice to have a title really make this much effort to honor a little remembered hero. Overall, a very enjoyable book.
October 17, 2025
I’ve always had a soft spot for the untold stories of the Marvel Universe, and Captain America: Patriot definitely scratched that itch. It shines a light on Jeffrey Mace, a name that doesn’t get nearly enough recognition, and honestly… he’s now one of my favorite Caps. Dare I say he’s better than Sam 👀
What really impressed me was how the story managed to tie together the often messy and convoluted history of the Captain America mantle. It gave meaning and structure to something that’s usually glossed over, and it did so with heart.
It’s an underrated story for sure—quiet, emotional, and surprisingly thoughtful. It’s one of those books that makes you appreciate the legacy of the shield even more.
What really impressed me was how the story managed to tie together the often messy and convoluted history of the Captain America mantle. It gave meaning and structure to something that’s usually glossed over, and it did so with heart.
It’s an underrated story for sure—quiet, emotional, and surprisingly thoughtful. It’s one of those books that makes you appreciate the legacy of the shield even more.
March 5, 2021
Captain America: Patriot is an interesting history lesson for Marvel fans as we get a nice look into the history of Cap, not Steve Rogers. Jeff Mace is a hero and its nice to see his history. Karl Kesel does a great job with that history lesson, although he does do quite a bit of info dumping. I was surprised by how much I was invested in a tale I "knew". The art, by Mitch Breitweiser, was wonderful and an exact match for the story. Overall, a very good look into a rarely talked about time in Cap's history.
October 25, 2013
Karl Kesel sheds light onto the third replacement Captain America with his volume entitled Patriot. Jeff Mace was introduced into Marvel continuity in order to explain the appearances of Captain America following his World War II adventures - when he was supposed to be frozen in ice. Kesel allows the replacement to step into the spotlight, and demonstrate the hardships one faces in filling another man's shoes. New reporter Jeff Mace wanted to do more; inspired by Captain America, a brawling hero emerged under the guise of the Patriot. Recruited to battle the Axis powers on the home front, Mace becomes disillusioned when he feels no longer needed after the war concludes. Fate gives Mace a shove when he is tapped to replace the second Captain America, tasked with helping keep the legacy alive. Constantly striving to live up to the ideals of the Captain, Mace is plagued by self doubt. His Invaders teammates know Mace is a substitute, his former allies are working him for information, and his country only wants him as a poster boy. Despite the challenges thrown his way, Mace emerges with newfound respect and dedication, retiring as hero and living his own American Dream. The volume is concluded by an All-Winners one-shot and a What If issue, both highlighting Mace's time as Captain America. Kesel does a masterful job at taking a shoehorned retcon and making it into a golden look at the weight of legacy. I salute this read!
October 8, 2014
Back in the 1970s, Roy Thomas retconned that Captain America's post-war 1940s adventures were the work of other men wearing the cowl, the third-string super-hero Spirit of '76 and the second-string Patriot. This miniseries looks at the career of the Patriot from reporter Jeff Mace's early decision to fight crime in a mask through his transition to the Captain America role and his uneasy efforts to live up to a legend. Surprisingly happy though, author Karl Kesel liking the idea that Mace was able to walk away from the gig.
February 26, 2011
A good solid tale of Jeff Mace, the man who was retconned intp Marvel history as the third Captain America. Mace fights more than one battle when he takes on the role and gives up being the costumed vigilante the Patriot. He loses a woman who loves him, the FBI agent in charge of the program distrusts him, and Cap's former teammates either patronize or dismiss him entirely. Karl Kessel shows that while he hasn't been writing very much lately that he remains a solid storyteller.
May 4, 2015
Karl Kesel si concentra su Jeff Mace, il super eroe della WWII già noto come Patriota, che succederà a William Naslund come Capitan America. Sarà il terzo a fregiarsi del titolo, ma che uomo era, in fondo?
La sceneggiatura è molto buona ed è pure in continuity, cosa decisamente importante per il sottoscritto. I disegni sono eccellenti, hanno quel senso di retrò pur essendo, in effetti, molto attuali.
La sceneggiatura è molto buona ed è pure in continuity, cosa decisamente importante per il sottoscritto. I disegni sono eccellenti, hanno quel senso di retrò pur essendo, in effetti, molto attuali.
August 23, 2011
Kesel Does Cap a'la Brubaker better than Brubaker.
Superb art by Breitweiser ties this back-story in with the look and feel of Brubaker's recent work in Captain America. And the writing does too.
This was an good story about Jeff Mace, originally the Patriot who for awhile tried to play the role of Captain America.
Slightly choppy though it was to read, this story has heart.
Superb art by Breitweiser ties this back-story in with the look and feel of Brubaker's recent work in Captain America. And the writing does too.
This was an good story about Jeff Mace, originally the Patriot who for awhile tried to play the role of Captain America.
Slightly choppy though it was to read, this story has heart.
October 20, 2012
Kesel has done a great job of recreating the 1940s and 1950s with a very modern feeling tale, and in the course filling in a lost chapter in the history of Captain America. The characters shine, as does the plot. Roy Thomas’ original story doesnt’ hold up as well, but he did do a great job in setting up the Captain America legacy which many writers have delved into since.
August 25, 2013
This grouping of comics is what got me into reading comics recently, and i love it for that. It has a brilliant story and outstanding art work that i haven't found a parallel to in comics. Still searching.. :)
August 28, 2015
Okay I just don't know how to properly rate a graphic novel. Picked this up for a reading challenge, and I'd say that though I don't have much Marvel background apart from the movies, I enjoyed reading this. :)
August 7, 2013
An okay what if story...
March 24, 2015
Very solid restoration and expansion of a C-List hero with a part of a greater legacy.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews