| Super-Patriot | |
|---|---|
 Panel fromNick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #13 (July 1969). Pencils byHerb Trimpe, inks bySam Grainger. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #13 (July 1969). |
| Created by | Gary Friedrich,Herb Trimpe |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | unknown |
| Abilities | None, although has access to various high-tech weapons. |
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Super-Patriot is a name used by three fictional characters in theuniverse ofMarvel Comics. The first was an enemy ofNick Fury andS.H.I.E.L.D. The second wasJohn Walker, who used the name Super-Patriot as a rival toCaptain America.[1] When Steve Rogers gave up the role of Captain America, Walker was tapped by theCommission on Superhuman Activities to replace Rogers; Walker later adopted the moniker U.S. Agent after Rogers' return. The third person to use the alias was Mike Farrell, a former neighbor of Steve Rogers, who became Super-Patriot and allied himself with Dead Ringer, a mutant villain with the power to mimic.[2][3]
The Super-Patriot aliasPatric List was first seen staging a political rally inNew York City, protesting the immigration policies of the United States. His speech labeled American officials who allow foreigners on American soil as "traitors", and encouraged American citizens to overthrow the government. Agents of the anti-terrorist organizationS.H.I.E.L.D. came on the scene to arrest Super-Patriot for his refusal of a federalsubpoena, and the conflict quickly devolved into a gun battle between the two, from which Super-Patriot ultimately escaped unscathed.[4]
Nick Fury, then a fugitive on the run from S.H.I.E.L.D., receives intelligence from a friend that Super-Patriot is planning a terrorist attack on theUnited Nations. An undercover agent of the Super-Patriot's informs him that Fury is no threat; this agent later reveals himself to Fury asJasper Sitwell, a S.H.I.E.L.D. mole. Fury trades places with him and arrives at theUnited Nations Headquarters just as Super-Patriot is about to destroy it with his "Ultimate Weapon". S.H.I.E.L.D. shows up, and a three-way battle erupts, during which the Super-Patriot attempts to flee, clutching an American flag to his body (believing that S.H.I.E.L.D. agents will not fire at the flag). However, he accidentally trips over the fabric and falls to his death.[5]
Nick Fury removes the Super-Patriot's mask to reveal Nick Fury's own face underneath. However, in later comics it is revealed that this was merely a hallucinatory vision induced by a "truth serum" S.H.I.E.L.D. had used on Fury with the intention of testing his loyalty. The battle with Super-Patriot was apparently real, however, as Fury's colleagueDum Dum Dugan remembers it as well.[6]
John Walker became the Super Patriot before taking on the mantle of Captain America following Steve Rogers resignation. He was apparently killed byScourge in issue 350 although this turned out to be a conspiracy by the US Government who gave him the new identity Jack Daniels and the uniform that Steve Rogers had worn as the Captain (in fact, one of the reasons that triggered Rogers’ resignation was that the Government was claiming they held the copyright to the Captain America design). Daniels as he was now would fight as USAgent.
Super-Patriot III akaMike Farrell was created inCaptain America #237 byChris Claremont,Roger McKenzie andSal Buscema.
Ex firefighter Mike Farrell joined theWatchdogs sometime later but ran afoul of the terrorists for his guilt over the death of a sleeping janitor in a building he and other members of the Watchdogs burnt down.[7] Turning toBernie Rosenthal for help when the Watchdogs sought to kill him to rid themselves of a problem, both Farrell and Rosenthal were kidnapped by the group. Captain America and U.S.Agent infiltrated the Watchdogs headquarters and freed their captives but afterwards Farrell turned himself over to Captain America insisting he be punished for his part in the Watchdogs atrocities and the murder of the janitor.[8]
Later, Farrell began blaming Captain America for all the problems he had suffered in his life and teamed up with a mutant called Dead-Ringer aka Louis Dexter to start a campaign to destroy Captain America's reputation. Dead-Ringer would use his mutant power of mimicry to appear as various dead super-villains while Farrell would dress as Captain America and fight the villains sloppily causing collateral damage and tarnishing the real Captain America's image. Farrell also set himself up alternatively as a superhero called the Super-Patriot to likewise show Captain America up by appearing as the superior superhero in staged public fights.[9]
After a long cat-and-mouse game with the real Captain America, Farrell was accidentally killed by Dead-Ringer when the mutant was appearing asDeath-Stalker.[10] Revelations of abrain tumor suggested to his friends and doctors Mike was not in full control of his actions.
Neal Curtis wrote that the character's 1987 story was "an excellent example of the way Marvel constantly negotiates competing visions of America". He further notes that "despite his passionate love for his country, Walker’s dogmatic belief in America first, together with his own involvement with a campaign of retribution and revenge, shows him to be wholly unfit to assume the mantle." He also commented on the earlier 1969 story, noting that the first incarnation of this character "was an explicit racist who promoted anti-immigration policies and then met his end when he tripped himself up on an American flag he had draped himself in and fell to his death", which portrayed the author's message that American ideals are opposed to "this advocate of exclusionary nationhood".[11]: 51
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