In the spirit of Independence Day, I figured I'd post my favorite patriotic heroes!
5: Uncle Sam
The symbol of America! My personal favorite run, Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters (by Daniel Acuna as pictured above) are some of the best! He first appeared in National Comics #1 (1940) by the legendary Will Eisner and has been defending America ever since! Hope we see him return in Multiversity by Grant Morrison.
4: Wonder Woman
The Amazon Princess has a long history in American comics, beginning in All Star Comics #8 (1941) and continuing to this very day! Her history might have changed over the years, but historically, she began her career fighting the good fight for the USA during WWII!
3: The Shield
The ORIGINAL patriotic hero! Appearing in Pep Comics #1 in January 1940, 6 months before Uncle Sam and 14 months before Captain America, the Shield has been fighting the good fight longer than any other patriotic hero! The Shield is special to me, since his adventures in Mighty Crusaders from the 1960s are some of the oldest books in my collection, and I've followed his adventures from MLJ, Archie, Impact, and the recently revived Red Circle line with the New Crusaders! Love this character and his rich history.
2: Captain America
Speaking of Captain America, first appearing in Captain America Comics #1 (1941), the shield-slinger is probably the most recognizable patriotic hero around! The Star-Spangled Avenger burst on the scene literally socking Hitler in the jaw, and has been an American symbol ever since! Side note: because of a complaint by MLJ about Cap's triangular shield resembling The Shield's outfit, they redisigned it to the iconic round shield we all know and love today.
1: Superman
Although other heroes might wrap themselves into the flag, nothing, to me, is more American than Superman. Ever since his debut in Action Comics #1 (1938), Superman has been fighting for truth, justice, and the American way! One of my all-time favorite issues is Action Comics #775, titled "What's so Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?" It was an outstanding story that showed that even in the modern, more violent world we live in now, we still need a "Superman" to uphold our core values. Seek it out if you can find it, you'll enjoy it!
Well, do you agree or disagree? What are your favorite patriotic heroes?
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