Real Name:
Jeffrey Mace
Occupation: Reporter and correspondent, adventurer
Identity: Secret
Legal Status Citizen of the United States with
no criminal record
Other Aliases: Captain America (III)
Place
of Birth: Brooklyn, New York
Place of Death: New York City
Marital Status: Unrevealed, but unmarried at the time of his death
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: (as the Patriot) Member
of the Liberty Legion, (as Captain America III) Member of the All-Winner Squad
Base of Operation: New York City and Boston
First Modern Appearance:
MMARVEL PREMIERE #29
Final Appearance: CAPTAIN AMERICA #285
History: Jeffrey Mace was 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. The Patriot strengthened his reputation
as a crusader against America’s enemies through a regular
series of patriotic radio broadcasts from New York City.
The infamous Nazi agent known as the Red Skull captured four
members of the Invaders, a wartime team of champions - Captain
America himself, the original Human Torch and Toro, and the
Sub-Mariner - and brainwashed them into committing anti-American
sabotage. 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 Liberty Legion. 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.
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 original 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 untended
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. Steven Rogers, the original Captain America,
and Bucky Barnes 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.
The third Captain America became the second Bucky’s new
partner, and both remained active in the All-Winner’s Squad.
The second Bucky retired from crime fighting in 1949 due to
a bullet wound, and Captain America III formed a new partnership
with the superhuman adventurer Golden Girl. Finally, believing
Americans no longer felt a need for symbolic figures like Captain
America, Jeff Mace retired as a crime fighter in 1950 and returned
to reporting.
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 do battle once more as Captain America, this time against
Adam II of an alternate Earth. Mace destroyed this Adam II and
in winning this victory, came to terms with his past and achieved
inner peace.
Several months after this adventure in the alternate reality
diverged by the Contemplator, Jeffrey, Mace died of cancer with
his hero, the original Captain America, at his bedside.
Height: 6 ft. 2 in.
Weight: 205 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair:
Black, later grey
Strength Level: The Patriot possesses the normal human
strength of a man of his age, height, and build who engaged
in intensive regular exercise.
Known Superhuman Powers: None
Other Abilities: The Patriot was a superb hand-to-hand
combatant and an exceptional all-around athlete
Weapons: As Captain America III, the Patriot carried
a shield resembling the one that the original Captain America.
However, the shield carried by Captain America III was made
of ordinary steel and hence was not virtually indestructible
like the original Captain America’s shield.
