Captain America (Image via Marvel)
Celebrate both Independence Day and your love of heroes with some of the most colorful and patriotic superhero costumes in the world of comics
When you think about the whole concept of superheroes, it’s odd that you don’t find more nationalistic ones. We’ve got plenty of mythical gods, space aliens, and regular old mutants, but rarely is someone willing to take on the mantle of a particular country.
Of course, it could be that the fantastical realm of comics doesn’t jive quite so well with the real world. Then again, in the right hands, a finely crafted comics tale can be a powerful interpretation of events both current and historic. It takes a thoughtful team of creators to make that work, however. Perhaps it’s just easier to write about a rich guy who likes to dress up as a bat, rather than the personification of the United States of America.
But some brave — or at least determined — creators forge ahead. As a result, there is a bevy of especially American heroes, though I doubt it will ever compare to the sheer number of X-Men waiting out there.
Sometimes, all of this is cause for a complex exploration of what it means to be an American. So, you may get Captain America punching bad guys while wearing a stars and stripes costume, or you also find Steve Rogers wondering how to be a righteous, upstanding hero in the modern world.
It’s not all grim and serious
Then again, you could also encounter Yankee Poodle or American Maid. As much as these red, white and blue costumes may lead creators and readers to highfalutin’ musing on nationalism, it’s also rich grounds for humor and satire. In today’s world, we all need to think long and hard about the U.S.A.’s place in the international community, to be sure.
However, we can still laugh at ourselves, too. There’s nothing like an anthropomorphic poodle shooting stars and stripes out of her paws to bring you out of overly serious musing.
As you read on, you’ll encounter red, white and blue costumes that are serious, silly and everything in between. This is also a great opportunity to look back on some of the more strange and even surprisingly affecting characters in the world of American comics. Enjoy.
Cover of Iron Patriot #4 (Image via Marvel)
13. Iron Patriot
I mean, the name alone kind of sounds like some public relations person in the military had to create a superhero. Plus, when you look at the costume — which is basically the Iron Man suit with an American flag plastered all over it — you really start to wonder.
“Iron Patriot” actually refers to a series of people who have used this particular exosuit. Originally, baddie Normon Osborn of Green Goblin fame donned the suit during Marvel’s Dark Reign storyline. Essentially, Osborn thought that slapping on a patriotic paint job would be enough to make people think he was doing good — and he was mostly right.
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty embarrassed. I still think the armor looks pretty cool, if a little over the top.
The suit was then used as the basis for a few different drones, to the point where an army of sentient drones attack the United States and give me some serious nightmares. Thankfully, the Hulk managed to save the day by just sort of smashing the entire force.
Things aren’t always quite so bad, though. Dr. Toni Ho, an engineer with about a million doctorates and serious engineering skills, currently uses a version of the armor. She’s currently part of an America-themed super team called the U.S. Avengers.
American Maid (The Tick screencap via 20th Century Fox)
12. American Maid
If you’re somehow unaware of The Tick, here’s a quick refresher. He’s a superhero created by artist Ben Edlund in 1986. Originally, The Tick was meant only to be a newsletter mascot and a spoof of more serious superheroes. However, The Tick struck a chord and soon took off. Ben Edlund, who was only 18 when he created the character, was able to parlay The Tick into a comic series, animated show, video game, merchandising, and even a short-lived live-action TV show starring Patrick Warburton as the titular character.
Given that The Tick was created as a sort of loving parody of comics tropes, it comes as no surprise that there’s a kind of Wonder Woman analog. I am referring, of course, to the American Maid.
American Maid, who appears in the animated series, is actually a parody of two different characters. Given her physical prowess and Amazonian-style crime fighting, the parallels with Wonder Woman are pretty clear. Unlike many of the other so-called heroes featured on the show, American Maid is a formidable opponent. Yes, she flings her heels and tiara at villains, but does so with great strength and pinpoint accuracy. She’s the rare Tick character that actually gets something done.
American Maid is also a good Captain America twin; just look at that star spangled costume and tell me you don’t see it.
Yankee Poodle (Image via DC Comics)
11. Yankee Poodle
Patriotism doesn’t always have to involve super-serious, grim-faced emotions. At the very least, it’s hard to keep a straight face when confronted with a superhero called Yankee Poodle.
First appearing in 1982, Yankee Poodle is a talking poodle whose real name is Rova Barkitt, because of course it is. Rova inhabits a world where talking animals are the norm. Hence, readers first saw her interviewing actor Byrd Rentals in his home. While just trying to do her job, Rova is struck by a stray meteorite fragment.
Instead of being obliterated by a space rock, she instead gains the powers of “animal magnetism.” Byrd is also affected and gains superpowers. The duo team up, find a few other animal heroes, and form a group known as the Zoo Crew.
So, what exactly is “animal magnetism”? Yankee Poodle, as Rova comes to be known, can shoot various stars and stripes (colored red, white, and blue, naturally) out of her hands. One hand can attract objects, while the other repels them. Using both hands, Yankee Poodle can create “magno-blasts” and is able to travel up a ramp of red and white stripes while shooting blue stars behind her.
Given the silliness of her concept, no one is expected to take Yankee Poodle all that seriously. But that’s some real dedication to the bit if nothing else.
Uncle Sam (Image via DC Comics)
10. Uncle Sam
Yes, Uncle Sam has been playing the personification of the United States since sometime in the early 19th century. We’ve all seen him on that famous U.S. Army recruiting poster (which is actually based on an earlier poster from Britain).
But, did you know that Uncle Sam is also a comics character? And he isn’t even a modern-day satirical character, either. Uncle Sam first appeared in National Comics #1, published in July 1940. He’s part of the crop of ultra-patriotic World War II-era heroes, many of whom can be found beating up various representatives of the Axis Powers.
His backstory is pretty strange, too. Originally, Sam was a sort of mythical being who was part slain soldier from the American Revolutionary War. Whenever the United States has need of a hero, he arises like King Arthur and proceeds to beat up whoever’s causing trouble.
In later incarnations, Uncle Sam was a spirit summoned up by the Founding Fathers during an occult ritual. You can never convince me that comics aren’t the some of the craziest forms of entertainment out there.
When the character was acquired by DC Comics, he became a supporting character in the Justice League of America during the 1970s. He was also tapped as the leader of the Freedom Fighters, which was in part based in a parallel universe where World War II dragged on into the 1970s.
Nuke (Image via Marvel)
9. Nuke
While many American-themed characters are ultimately meant to be fun, Nuke is on the other end of the spectrum. On one side, you’ve got goofy heroes like Yankee Poodle and American Barbarian (more on that gentleman later, I promise). On the other side, you’ve got the unhinged and unnerving character of Nuke.
Nuke was created by writer Frank Miller and artist David Mazzucchelli. Given Miller’s grimdark track record with 300, Sin City and The Dark Knight Returns, you may sense a big hint regarding the tone of the character.
Originally named Frank Simpson, Nuke was a test subject in the Weapon Plus super soldier program. Earlier, the same program had produced Captain America and would later create famed mutant fighter Wolverine. Nuke, however, was the unfortunate victim of some growing pains within the program.
The process leaves him with serious mental health issues. In fact, much of his story recalls the real life trauma suffered by veterans of the Vietnam War. It’s heavy stuff.
This context makes the whole red, white and blue theme a little strange. For example, Nuke usually goes around with an American flag painted on his face. He also takes a series of pills to induce various physical effects. Yes, of course they are also red, white and blue. The red pills increase the levels of adrenaline in his body, while the blue ones bring him back down. The white pills are intended to keep him in a state of equilibrium.
A less obviously patriotic(ish) version of Nuke appeared in the first season of Jessica Jones on Netflix. In this version, Nuke is Will Simpson (Wil Traval), a police sergeant under the command of the mind-controlling Kilgrave.
Still from Wonder Woman (2017). Image via Warner Bros./DC Entertainment via “Power” TV spot.
8. Wonder Woman
What is there to say about Wonder Woman that hasn’t already been said about a million times over? She’s one of the premier female superhero characters, if not the biggest one of all time. Wonder Woman has been a fighter in various world wars and conflicts, saving humanity’s bacon over and over. She’s a founding member of the Justice League.
She’s either made out of clay or the daughter of Zeus, depending on whether you’re reading an issue pre- or post-New 52. Given her recent success in the Wonder Woman film directed by Patty Jenkins and starring Gal Gadot as the title character, she’s bound to stick around for a while longer.
At first, it may seem strange that Wonder Woman — whose given name is Diana — is even close to a patriotic character. She originally hails from Themyscira, a hidden Greek island that is home to the warrior Amazons. When the American Steve Trevor crashes onto their island, he brings news of a serious outside conflict to the Amazons. In the film, he’s a World War I pilot and spy. In other versions of Wonder Woman’s backstory, he’s fighting in World War II or a more modern conflict.
Wonder Woman is compelled by his story. In fact, she’s so interested that she follows Trevor back to the outside world and begins fighting for good. While early Wonder Woman comics make her lovesick over Steve Trevor, more contemporary stories focus on her growing empathy and dedication to peace.
Thanks to Trevor, Diana most often teams up with U.S.-based superheroes. Her costume, arrayed with red, white, and blue features is especially patriotic.
Phantom Eagle/Karl Kaufman (Image via Marvel)
7. Phantom Eagle
This is one serious deep-cut in the realm of patriotic comics history. Still, Phantom Eagle’s story is so interesting that it’s worth a dive.
There are actually two Phantom Eagle characters. The first one, created by Fawcett Comics, was a World War II teen named Mickey Malone. Though Malone is forbidden to fight by his superior officer (why, exactly, is a teenager in the military? Of course, this isn’t really answered), he goes ahead and makes plans to fight. Malone actually builds his own airplane and goes on to become an anonymous flying ace. He even forms a group of teenaged pilots known as the Phoenix Squadron.
However, the second Phantom Eagle created at Marvel Comics has a far more interesting backstory. He begins as Karl Kaufman, a German-American pilot who becomes active during World War I. Because Kaufman’s parents have returned to their native Germany, he decides to conceal his identity in order to protect them.
As Phantom Eagle, Kaufman leads fighter squadrons, fights the Hulk, and joins a team known as Freedom’s Five. Come to think of it, there have been a lot of patriotic superteams through comics history. At any rate, though Phantom Eagle’s disguise is predictably goofy — it’s a Silver Age amalgamation of capes and weird headgear — his backstory is surprisingly compelling. It’s worth tracking down at least a couple of the old issues.
General Glory (Image via Marvel)
6. General Glory
Speaking of strange costumes, let’s turn our attention to General Glory. Once again, the title belongs to a couple of different individuals, though the central concept remains the same: America.
Like at least a couple of other characters mentioned here, General Glory is a response to Captain America. General Glory, who first appeared in 1991, was first played by Joseph Jones. Joseph was a World War II soldier who was given powers by the personification of Lady Liberty. He becomes a superhero fighter for the U.S. and even teams up with the Beefeater, an English hero. Naturally, he also needs a Bucky Barnes sort of sidekick, so General Glory eventually finds Ernie, the Battlin’ Boy.
Like many superheroes, Jones is extraordinarily long-lived. However, his time comes to an end when he becomes too old and weak to continue transforming into the ultra-patriotic General Glory. His hospital roommate, an injured NYC cop named Donovan Wallace, eventually takes on the role.
Whoever is playing him, General Glory remains an amped-up Captain America. He sports red and white striped pants, as well as a blue hood, gloves, and boots, all decorated with stars. Furthermore, no one can miss the giant gold eagle emblazoned across his chest. If none of that helps you get the hint, then all of the literal flag-waving and patriotic song singing will likely get the point across.
The Spirit of ’76 (Image via Marvel)
5. The Spirit of ‘76
First appearing in 1977, the Spirit of ‘76 was in part inspired by the bicentennial celebration of the United States only a year earlier. Unsurprisingly, he was also directly inspired by Captain America, to the point where he even took over that superhero title for a short time.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. The story of the Spirit of ‘76 starts with William Naslund, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He comes of age during World War II and, like many young men featured in comics at that time wants to help the Allies in their fight. He practices Captain America’s moves with a discus and actually gets pretty good.
Naslund becomes well known enough that a mysterious man named “Alfie” recruits him for a team called the Crusaders. However, it’s soon revealed that Alfie is actually a German agent and the Crusaders have been coerced into fighting their Allied compatriots. Once they discover the ruse, all of the Crusaders but Naslund leave the superhero business.
When Captain America goes missing in action, President Truman recruits Naslund to become the replacement Cap. He does good work but, unfortunately, is killed in action in 1946. If it makes you feel any better, he dies while fighting a robot. Also, unlike Captain America, Naslund does all of this work without any scientific or chemical assistance.
Liberty Belle (Image via Marvel)
4. Liberty Belle
Some superheroes are more subtle than others. It’s true that superhero comics, in general, are not exactly known for their understated themes and finely-drawn, complex characters. That’s not to say that they don’t exist, especially as comics has become its own distinguished art form.
But understatement is really not the name of the game for Liberty Belle.
For one, Liberty Belle’s powers are triggered by the ringing of the actual Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. The first Liberty Belle, Libby Lawrence, actually had a sidekick in the form of a guard for the bell. His name? Tom Revere, of course. Whenever Libby gave him the signal, Tom would ring the bell (and somehow not get fired immediately after), giving her the necessary powers.
Later on, Libby would team up with Johnny Quick, a superhero who is definitely, probably not a knockoff of the Flash. They eventually marry and have a daughter, Jesse Chambers. Jesse takes on the mantle of Liberty Belle, enhanced by both of her parents’ powers. She actually teams up with The Flash on multiple occasions.
The original Liberty Belle’s costume isn’t strictly red, white, and blue. Rather, the white is often replaced by gold or yellow. However, her powers are just so incredibly American that it would be a crime not to include her here.
The Force of July (Image via DC Comics)
3. The Force of July
As you’ve figured out by now, there have been many different patriotic superhero teams. There are the U.S. Avengers, the Freedom Fighters, and Freedom’s Five, just to name a few. Of course, I could not even begin to properly address this oddly diverse topic without naming The Force of July.
Honestly, The Force of July sounds a lot like a giant joke. In the world of superhero comics, it’s awfully hard sometimes to tell the difference between a joke or satire and the real deal. Still, I think we can get by without taking The Force of July too seriously.
So, who are these intrepid and nationalistic heroes? As it turns out, they’re actually antagonists for other teams, such as the Suicide Squad and the Outsider.
The original line-up consists of some of the most patriotic heroes you’ll ever lay eyes on. There’s Lady Liberty, who dresses up like the famous status and shoots energy out of her torch. Major Victory can fly and fight as well as any other DC character, and has a star-spangled jumpsuit to boot. Mayflower can control plants. Silent Majority can duplicate himself. Sparkler basically shoots sparklers and flies around. There are also a couple of government agents that accompany the team, including one named Abraham Lincoln Carlyle.
Alas, many of these team members are killed off. They’re eventually replaced by an offshoot group called Freedom’s Ring. This new team includes versions of Lady Liberty, Major Victory, and Silent Majority.
Freedom’s Ring also features a character named Bigfoot, who is essentially the Bigfoot. This is either irrelevant or uniquely American. I’m leaning towards the latter.
Cover of American Barbarian (Image via AdHouse Books)
2. American Barbarian
It may be that you have no idea who this American Barbarian character is. While that’s okay, I’m here to quickly fix this issue. As written and drawn by Tom Scioli, who is apparently channeling trippy comics artist Jack Kirby, American Barbarian will make you want to run out in the street cheering.
This modern comic is set in, according to its summary, a “post-post-apocalyptic world.” This world is suffering the effects of “The Great Clusterf-k,” some sort of catastrophic event that nearly destroyed the world and our species. Still, humanity has managed to carve out a peaceful oasis in the midst of a violent land. This island of calm is presided over by Pa and his seven sons — all of whom sport red, white, and blue hair.
Tragedy is not far away, however. The tranquility is shattered by Two-Tank Omen, a world-conquering giant pharaoh with tanks for feet. This monster and his army kill all of the sons except for the youngest, Meric.
Meric then proceeds on an epic revenge quest. He even carves the word “revenge” onto his fingers, though he has three extra spots after he’s done with the seven-letter word. No matter – he just fills it in with exclamation points.
Perhaps those exclamation points are the best explanation of an exceedingly strange and breathtakingly awesome comic. If you want to feel extra, super, special American this holiday, then check out American Barbarian right now.
Captain America (Image via Marvel)
1. Captain America
Of course, it was always going to be Captain America. Cap embodies some of the best things about American culture. Well, at least if you ignore some of the twisty-turny stunts Marvel has been pulling recently.
Steve Rogers, the original Captain America, was actually born on July 4, 1920. With a birthday like that, you’re already primed to become some sort of Old Glory-waving superhero. Though he’s a weak, sickly young man, Rogers tries to join in World War II. However, he’s too weak to do any real work.
Steve’s so dedicated that he’s willing to undergo an experimental super soldier serum treatment. Similar treatments would produce mixed results for the likes of Nuke and Wolverine. Happily, though, Rogers got lucky. He was transformed into a muscle-bound good guy, capable of beating up villains and surviving decades frozen in ice. That now-iconic red, white, and blue uniform was simply icing on the very patriotic cake.
Next: 25 things you didn’t know about Wonder Woman
Like many superheroes, Captain America occasionally undergoes a crisis of conscience and discards his title. He was some groovy guy called Nomad for a while, though thankfully that didn’t last too long. Rogers even “died” during the more recent Civil War comics event — though, as we all know ad nauseum, practically no one really dies in comics. He was back in due time.
At his best, Rogers embodies the nobility and righteousness that U.S. culture idealizes. It’s not always an easy path, and certainly, Captain America has made some serious missteps. Still, he ultimately does the right thing, even when it is difficult. We can all hope to be that honorable.