There is a lot going on here in the world of nerd this past week, and I am working on bringing all of that to you, however, over the next few days I wanted to do something that I hadn't done in a while, but that I had always intended on persisting with, and that is my character profiles. While the first of these I had written was about Superman, the intent was always to delve into less appreciated characters from across the spectrum of comic books: Marvel, DC, Image, etc. Today I am going to talk about one of my favorite, and coincidentally one of the most criminally under utilized characters, in Marvel comics at this point: The Patriot, Eli Bradley (and subsequently his grandfather Isaiah).
Now, one of the big reasons why I have chosen to do this character is because Marvel has announced that they are introducing a new Patriot in the Secret Empire arc, and while the arc as a whole has really been just great, this tidbit in particular has me particularly peeved, mainly since Eli's story and even presence in the universe has effectively dropped of the face of the Marvel Universe. However, to best understand Eli, first we should talk about his grandfather Isaiah Bradley.
Everyone knows the story of Steve Rogers, a frail man who, through the power of a special formula, was turned into the perfect super soldier. However, what very few know is that after the success of operation rebirth, there were massive efforts to replicate the serum especially and after Pearl Harbor the need was dire. The Super Soldier program, at this point headed by a eugenicist, Dr. Josef Reinstein, conducted their trials (of which most were fatal) to hundreds of African American soldiers at Camp Cathcart, and lies to their families about their deaths being on the battlefield. However, there were a few survivors of the tests, one was a man named Isaiah Bradley. Isaiah conducted several operations alongside his fellow African American super soldiers, all covert, however, eventually battle took all except him. Isaiah Bradley ends up stealing a prototype costume and shield meant initially for Captain America and takes on a suicide mission to destroy the Nazi super soldier effort by the German Scientist Dr Koch, who was set up at the Schwartzbitte concentration camp. The mission was a success, and Isaiah managed to also assassinate Dr Koch and this earned him the title of the Black Captain America. However, this did not come without a cost, he was captured after completing the mission. Hitler himself had him probed and experimented on.
Upon the defeat of Germany in 1945, Isaiah was released from the Germans back to the US. However, due to his theft of Captain America's costume and off records mission, he was tried by court martial for theft and AWOL (absent without leave). He was sentenced for life, and spent 17 years in Levenworth until he was pardoned by President Eisenhower at the end of his presidency (as a result to Isaiah's wife writing him for 3 years every month). Even still though Isaiah struggled, the serum he took caused for his mind to deteriorate in a way similar to Alzheimer's. With the government swearing him and his family to secrecy, and the program he was a part of technically not existing, he barely got any disability money for it. However this did not prevent him from leading a full life when he got out, he had a daughter with his wife, and the Black Captain America was an underground legend that was visited by several people of import as inspiration, from figures like Muhammad Ali, and Malcolm X to Nelson Mandela and Colin Powell. In the present he is even visited by Captain America, who apologizes for the indignity shown to him by the country he fought so hard for, and even gifts him the tattered Captain America uniform Isaiah had worn on that suicide mission to Schwartzbitte.
The story of Isaiah Bradley is a prologue though, as his grandson Elijah has a story of his own as well. The Avengers have disbanded and the hope for tomorrow is bleak as Avengers mansion is empty and with members like Thor, Hawkeye, and Scott Lang dead and other members barely able to speak to one another, a time for new heroes has never been more needed. Then suddenly a team of new young heroes emerges: a magic user, an Iron Man-esque character, a Hulkling, and at the head of them a young man in what seemed to be a costume similar to Captain America or his sidekick Bucky. That last person was Patriot and the team he lead was the Young Avengers. Eventually that team even recruits Cassie Lang (Scott Lang's, Ant Man, daughter), and Kate Bishop to be a new Hawkeye. However, let's not shift focus.
Eli claims that his grandfather's abilities from his super soldier serum was transferred through genetics. However, this is not actually the case. Instead Eli secretly takes a mutant growth hormone to give him the abilities that are similar to his grandfather's. However, before making any harsh judgement, you should know why. A little before becoming the Patriot, Eli and his grandfather were walking back from the grocery store and were accosted by some thugs that jumped both Eli and his grandfather. They verbally and physically beat down the grandfather calling him a retard. Eli was ashamed that he was powerless in that instant and angry at his grandfather's lack of action.sr He is given the pills initially while chasing down the guys who mugged him by a duo of street pushers. Later, the same muggers from before try to jump Eli while he and Isaiah played ball, and it ended with Isaiah beating them down with barely any effort. Eli's hero has always been his grandfather, the Black Captain America, and so he needed to become that. However, his team of Young Avengers eventually convince him that he doesn't need super powers to be great that he had plenty of other things to bring to the table, and so he did. Eli brought his intelligence and athletic ability to the role and became a great hero in his own right, taking on people like Norman Osborne as Iron Patriot.
The last time he was seen was at the end of the Skrull invasion following the events of Civil War and Siege where he was severely injured and in order to survive, Isaiah gives his grandson a blood transfusion. This in turn heals Eli and even gives him the abilities he had so wanted since he was a child. However that was some 5 or 6 years ago. Since then they have had some characters try to take his place. In Young Avengers they introduced America Chavez (whom is still an awesome character), and now in Secret Empire a new Patriot will emerge. However, I guess my question is why on earth can't we just have this incredible character as is?
This has been another edition of Comic Relief! we will see you next time with another Hero: Appreciation!
