Captain America has been a staple of Marvel comics for nearly 70 years. The story of Steve Rogers and an experimental Super Soldier Serum is well known. What is less well-known is that Cap wasn’t always Steve Rogers. When his frozen body was discovered by The Avengers it was revealed he had been frozen since the end of World War II. So who was wearing the costume in the 1950’s and 60’s? Turns out it was several people, including Jeff Mace.

Captain America: Patriot #1 presented the story of Daily Bugle reporter Jeff Mace, moonlighting as a costumed hero, The Patriot, fighting alongside the All-Winner’s Squad in Boston when he finds the current Captain America dead. This led to Mace donning the red, white and blue tights himself.

Patriot #2 opens with a nice retro Daily Bugle page to get readers up to speed on Jeff Mace and Miss Patriot, his friend and former partner. This is a great trick to create a sense of timing for the story, essential considering the design of the book. Not only is the story set in a specific time, but it’s meant to recall Marvel’s Golden Age of comics. Mitch Breitweiser’s art is very much a throwback to the bygone era of Marvel’s superho books. It’s a refreshing yet rarely seen style with some drawbacks. Facial details seem to take a backseat, which is exacerbated by the thick lines and inks. Many times the characters’ eyes get lost, even in close ups.

Questionable art decisions aside, Mace as Captain America, fighting a team of Russian superheroes with the All-Winners Squad is a good time. The crux of the plot is that no one outside the squad (and it’s FBI handler, Betsy Ross) knows the original Cap is dead. Everyone is working together to maintain the symbol of Captain America while still keeping him an active hero on the streets.

Karl Kesel is an excellent writer and this story has many great elements. It’s no easy task to capture the Golden Age feel of superhero books and still make it entertaining for modern readers. The story captures the camp and action, but also the drama and human side of  Captain America. The touching last appearance of The Patriot is striking in the context of the current debate in Washington regarding  “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” The foreshadowing of McCarthyism, which will likely be featured in part three, seemed like a treat specifically for history nerds. And in case anyone has forgotten that Namor is a dick, this will remind you.

This comic is great as a self-contained story that leaves the reader wanting more. Unfortunately, being such a short series, it is difficult to build a relationship with the characters. This lack of emotional connection steals some of the glory of the last page. With an expectation of a “new” villain for part three this miniseries is really taking shape.

This book is getting four out of five shields. It’s tempting to take one away because of the art flaws, but it gets a reprieve because the retro look fits.

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