| Patriot | |
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.webp) Rayshaun Lucas / Patriot. Textless cover ofSecret Empire: Brave New World vol 1 #2 (June 2017). Art by Paulo Siqueira. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance |
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| Created by |
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| In-story information | |
| Alter ego |
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| Species | Human mutate |
| Team affiliations | Secret Avengers Young Avengers Champions |
| Notable aliases | Lieutenant America Patriot |
| Abilities |
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Patriot is the name of severalsuperheroes appearing inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics. The first incarnation of Patriot,Jeffrey Mace,first appeared inHuman Torch Comics #4 (March 1941).[1] The second incarnation,Eli Bradley, debuted inYoung Avengers #1 (April 2005).[2] The third incarnation,Rayshaun Lucas, made his first appearance inCaptain America: Sam Wilson #18 (January 2017).[3]
The first Patriot isJeffrey Mace.[4] Created by writer Ray Gill and artistBill Everett, the character debuted inThe Human Torch # 4 (Spring 1941; numbered #3 on cover).[5]
Jeffrey Mace was a reporter who became a costumed adventurer after seeingSteve Rogers / Captain America in action.[6] He was later a member of theWorld War II superhero team theLiberty Legion. The Patriot himself later took on the mantle ofCaptain America.[7]
The second Patriot isEli Bradley. Created by writerAllan Heinberg and artistJim Cheung, the character debuted inYoung Avengers #1 (April 2005).[8]
Eli Bradley is grandson ofIsaiah Bradley,[9] who took up the mantle of Captain America following the disappearance ofSteve Rogers in World War II.[10] Isaiah had received his powers in thelimited seriesTruth: Red, White & Black as part of an earlySuper-Soldier Serum experiment tested on African American men in an attempt to reproduce the formula lost after being used to turn Steve Rogers into Captain America. Eli was conceived before Isaiah's involvement with the experiment, however, so Eli could not have inherited his grandfather's powers genetically.
WhenIron Lad began his search for the next generation ofAvengers, he came to the Bradley household in search of Isaiah's son,Josiah. However, Josiah had been missing for several months, and Iron Lad met Eli instead. Eli claimed to have gained superpowers through an emergencyblood transfusion from his grandfather, but this was untrue. He later gained his powers artificially with Mutant Growth Hormone (MGH), an illegal street drug that causes brief periods of superhuman abilities. MGH has been demonstrated to promoteirritability in individuals. Writer Allan Heinberg has stated that Bradley's drug usage is based on his own history,[11] stating
Since I had personally had a recent (and regrettable) experience withsteroids, steroid use was something I wanted to write about. For better or worse, Eli's race was never a factor in those storytelling decisions, and I hope that by the end of this arc, Eli's story will be an inspiring one to all our readers.
Patriot became a founding member of the Young Avengers. The public believed his costume resembled that ofCaptain America's 1940ssidekick,Bucky Barnes, but he revealed that his costume is a redesign of his grandfather's. He has an adversarial relationship with teammateHawkeye, who nonetheless gave him Captain America's original star-spangled triangularshield.
When the truth about Eli's lack of superpowers was revealed, Eli quit the team. He returned after theHulkling was kidnapped by theSuper-Skrull, and the other Young Avengers convinced him that he was the only one of them capable of leading the team, even without his powers. Patriot was later gravely wounded by aKree warrior when he jumped in front of a blast meant for Captain America, and received ablood transfusion from his grandfather, Isaiah, which granted him the abilities afforded by the Super-Soldier Serum.[12]
Eli joins Captain America's Secret Avengers during the 2006 - 2007 "Civil War" storyline. Patriot leads his team to assist the Runaways after they were attacked by the government. The Young Avengers and the Runaways worked together when two of their members were captured, and the Runaways decided to stay out of the mix in the war. Patriot managed to keep most of his team together, but Stature decided to join Iron Man's side.[13]
Eli later seeks out theWinter Soldier, whom he had earlier met during the "Civil War" storyline,[14] to discuss the nature of patriotism at a time when he disagrees with the Superhero Registration Act, and much of the way America is being governed. The two have a heartfelt chat about America as an idea and about the original Patriot, Jeffrey Mace.[15]
During the 2008 "Secret Invasion" storyline, Eli and the other Young Avengers are the first team to respond to theSkrull invasion ofManhattan. Despite their valiant efforts, and the aid of theInitiative cadets, they are all defeated. However, they are saved by the timely arrival ofNick Fury and theSecret Warriors, and help Earth's heroes defeat the Skrull invaders.[16]
During the 2008 - 2009 "Dark Reign" storyline, Eli is outraged whenNorman Osborn formed his "official" team of Avengers and even more so when he announcesa new team of Young Avengers. Eli's Young Avengers confront the latter and demand that they either join the first team of Young Avengers, or find another name for themselves. Near the end of the issue, Hawkeye (Kate Bishop) admits her love for Eli after he breaks his hand, to which he responds 'I may break my hand everyday', making their relationship clear after a few months of dating.[17]
Eli appears alongside the other Young Avengers inAvengers: Children's Crusade. He ultimately leaves the group at the end of the story, feeling guilty for preventing theScarlet Witch from undoing the near-extinction of mutantkind that she had previously caused in the 2005"Decimation" storyline.[18]
Eli is later mentioned in Gillen's volume 2 ofYoung Avengers when Tommy Shepherd confirms the Not-Patriot is an impostor.[19]
During the 2020 "Empyre" storyline, Eli makes a cameo at the wedding of his former teammates Wiccan and Hulkling following the defeat of theCotati.[20]
ThroughoutYoung Avengers Vol. 2, written byKieron Gillen, and launched in January 2013 as part of theMarvel Now! rebranding campaign, the titular team is haunted by a new multiversal Patriot, who capturesSpeed. At the story's conclusion,Prodigy correctly surmises that this Patriot is a member of the team who has been transformed into a non-human entity in some future magical event, and is now echoing backward along the timeline to ensure this future comes to pass. Guessing that this person may well be himself, he kisses the Patriot, causing the Patriot to vanish and Speed to reappear in his place.[21]
The third Patriot isRayshaun Lucas. Created by writerNick Spencer and artistDaniel Acuña, the character debuted inCaptain America: Sam Wilson #18 (January 2017).
In March 2017, Marvel Comics announced a new superhero using the codename Patriot would be introduced the 2017 "Secret Empire" storyline.[22]
Rayshaun Lucas is a teen activist who idolizesSam Wilson.[23] Lucas is living in Brooklyn with his mother when Sam Wilson releases footage showing thatRage has been wrongfully accused of burglary, and savagely beaten by Keane Industries' private security personnel, the Americops. Following Rage unjust conviction, Shaun painted his face to resemble Rage's mask and then slipped out to firebomb a local bank, before participating in the subsequent riots in New York City.[24]
After Sam Wilson resigns as Captain America, Shaun washes the Rage mask from his face and began to draw designs for a costume that he calls the Patriot.[citation needed]
After theBlack Widow finds a notebook with a Patriot suit drawn on it in the backpack of Rayshaun Lucas when he arrives at the secretHydra resistance base known as "the Mount," she gives the notebook to theTony Stark A.I. associated withRiri Williams, who in turn builds the suit. After trying to stop a group of bullies from taking an iPad from a little girl, Rayshaun gets beaten. Afterwards, the Tony Stark A.I. calls Rayshaun and gives him the suit that he made for him, explaining that Rayshaun gave him hope again and that the suit is a way to thank him for that. Rayshaun trains with an A.I. version of the Black Widow that the Tony Stark A.I. made and eventually confronts the bullies while he wears the suit and defeats them, giving the little girl her iPad back.Miles Morales andJoaquin Torres tell Rayshaun that they heard about him and that they are looking forward to having him on their team.[25]
Patriot later appears in the desert, where he overhears a discussion between Sam Wilson andMisty Knight. He then tells Sam about the people who need his help and support him, despite what the HYDRA government says. This conversation inspires Sam to reassume his mantle of Captain America.[26]
After HYDRA's attack onLas Vegas, Nevada, the Patriot helps theChampions in their search for survivors. When the Champions are expressing frustration over their failure, the Patriot arrives with a baby, the sole survivor of the attack, which inspires the team to continue fighting HYDRA.[27]
The Patriot later becomes theFalcon's sidekick, and together, they deal with the gang violence in Chicago, unaware thatBlackheart is posing as the Mayor of that city.[28]
While secretly using his specially concocted MGH formula, Eli Bradley possesses agility, strength, speed, endurance, and reaction-time superior to that of normal Super-Soldiers like his grandfather and Captain America, but at a heavy physical and mental cost. After receiving a blood transfusion from his grandfather, Eli develops genuine Super-Soldier abilities, which include superhuman strength, stamina, speed, reflexes, agility, and senses. He also possesses a degree of resistance to injury that makes his skin bulletproof, as well as ahealing factor. InCivil War #2, Eli appears to possess the full physical abilities of a Super-Soldier. He is able to outrun a helicopter, shrug off a hail of tranquilizer darts, jump 100 feet through the air, and survive a massive explosion.[29] The Patriot carries a replica ofCaptain America's original, star-spangled, heater shield, similar to the unpainted one originally carried into battle by his grandfather Isaiah. He also carries white metallicthrowing stars patterned after those on theAmerican flag.[citation needed]
Rayshaun Lucas is an expert at hand-to-hand combat ever since he trained with an A.I. version of Black Widow. He also wields a shield created by the Tony Stark A.I. that triples as a glider and a drone.[citation needed]
An alternate version of Patriot appears inExiles: Days of Then and Now. He was seen as a member ofQuentin Quire's surviving team of heroes fighting against theAnnihilation Wave.[30]
An alternate version of Patriot appears inAvengers: The Children's Crusade. Eli Bradley briefly appears in a possible future timeline as part of a new group of Avengers seen in theChildren's Crusade event. By this time, he has succeeded Steve Rogers to become the new Captain America and fights crime alongside his wife Samantha, the newFalcon. Their son Steve is also a member of the Avengers as the newBucky.[31]
The Rayshaun Lucas incarnation of Patriot appears in theMarvel Rising franchise, voiced by Kamil McFadden.[32][33][34][35][36] This version is aS.H.I.E.L.D. agent partnered withDaisy Johnson.
Several incarnations of Patriot appear in media set in theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
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