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American Eagle (comics)
Encyclopedia
American Eagle is a fictional character
, a Native American superhero
in the Marvel Comics
universe
.
Annual
#6 (October 1981), by Doug Moench
and Ron Wilson
. In a story entitled "An Eagle from America!" Strongbow gains superhuman powers and becomes American Eagle. He joins with Thing
, Ka-Zar
, and Wyatt Wingfoot
to defeat Klaw. The character subsequently appears in Contest of Champions
#1, 3 (June & August 1982), Incredible Hulk
#279 (January 1983), and ROM #65-66 (April 1985-May 1985). He makes several appearances in Marvel Comics Presents
, including issue #27 (September 1989; in "Just Another Shade of Hate," American Eagle defeats the Peace Monger
), 128 (1993), 130 (1993), and 147-148 (February 1994). The American Eagle is not seen again for some time until his appearance in Thunderbolts
#112-115 (May 2007-August 2007). American Eagle will have his own digital comic in late 2008. American Eagle received an entry in the original Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
#1, and in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #1.
(born in Kaibito, Arizona
), attempted to stop a mining company from excavating a mountain sacred to his tribe. He discovered that the villain Klaw was in league with the mining company. Klaw needed uranium to augment his sonic powers. Strongbow's brother, Ward, did not agree with him about preserving the mountain. Inside the mine, an argument erupted between the brothers and Klaw which led to violence. During the fight, Klaw used his sonic blaster on the two brothers. Somehow a combination of the sonic energy of the blast and the exposure to the uranium gave both of the Strongbow brothers enhanced physical abilities. Klaw fled with his crew, including Ward, to the Savage Land
in hopes of gaining vibranium
to augment his powers.
Jason emerged from the mine and, taking inspiration from a flying eagle, took up the mantle of American Eagle. He followed Klaw to the Savage Land. There he met Ka-Zar
, the Thing
, and Wyatt Wingfoot
. The four joined forces and defeated Klaw and his minions, but during the battle, Ward was shot and killed by one of the miners.
American Eagle returned to become a champion of his tribe, subsequently identified as the Navajo Nation. Since his battle with Klaw in the Savage Land, he was among the heroes of the world gathered to take part in the Contest of Champions
, he was among the heroes who gathered to honor the Hulk
, and he was among the heroes who helped Rom the Spaceknight
defeat the Dire Wraiths. In his first solo adventure, the American Eagle defeated the Peace Monger
and his Knights of Saint Virgil in Washington, D.C.
.
Jason confirms to his friend Steve that he is strongly against the Super-Human Registration Act created during the Civil War event, and is planning to fight Iron Man
over it. He also bears a new costume with fewer stereotypically Native American attributes, including a leather jacket and a helmet resembling the head & beak of a bald eagle. It is his intent to prevent the Steel Spider
from direct confrontation with an angry group of men from Jason's Navajo reservation by persuading the Steel Spider to ease up on his zealous vigilante act. By talking to Ollie, he hopes to defuse a time bomb of local violence just waiting to explode.Ibid.
The Eagle finds the Steel Spider in downtown Phoenix, Arizona
as the Thunderbolts unexpectedly arrive. Ollie argues that they will try to kill him and replace him with "Some Good Government Worker". When the Thunderbolts eventually do emerge, Jason decides to ally himself with Steel Spider, shooting the team's leader, Moonstone
, through the wrist with a crossbow bolt. After a prolonged fight, Sepulchre
becomes involved, and the three defeat Venom, the Swordsman
, Songbird
, and Radioactive Man. Though the latter two wish to try and defeat them using the old team's methods, leaving Sepulchre and the Eagle, Moonstone orders that Bullseye
cripple the Eagle in the same way he did Jack Flag
. The issue ends with Songbird, Radioactive Man, Penance and Venom squaring up against Steel Spider, Sepulchre and Jason, in what Steel Spider describes as 'almost...a fair fight'.
The Eagle ends up crippling Bullseye before making his escape.
A news reporter stated that because American Eagle lives on a Native American Reservation
he is exempt from the Registration Act, and that the Commission on Superhuman Activities
would take no action against him because of this.
During the Dark Reign
storyline, it is revealed that Jason is hiding James Rhodes
' mother inside the Navayo County. Norman Osborn
later tries to convince him to subdue War Machine, besides he has no jurisdiction over Strongbow. Jason refuses to act for anyone other than the interests of the Navayo and fights together with War Machine against a "Giant Ultimo Head" Rhodes stumbled upon along the way to find the men behind the "Ultimo Virus" deployed in Acquiria.
Jason is featured in a stand-alone story in "Marvel Assistant-Sized Spectacular" #1 (2009).
During the Fear Itself
storyline, American Eagle deals with the fear and chaos in Bleachville as well as deal with Bleachville's drug traffickers and Bleachville's mayor.
to a stalemate (however at this time the Thing was not nearly as strong as he is now) or to ably enough force to uproot a large tree. He also possesses superhuman speed, stamina, and sturdiness as a result of radiation-induced mutation. Strongbow's bodily tissues are somewhat harder and more resistant to physical injury than that of an ordinary human. However, he is far from invulnerable. While he can be injured by weapons composed of conventional materials, he can withstand impact forces that would severely injure or kill a normal human with little to no injury to show for it. The American Eagle's sensory organs have also been fortified by the radiation-induced mutation. Like his namesake, the Eagle, he has hyperkeen eyesight, able to see at 800 feet (243.8 m) what the average human being sees at 20 feet (6.1 m). His senses of hearing, smell, taste, and touch are approximately three times that of an average human being.
He also carries a crossbow which fires special bolts.
In "Native Americans in Comic Books - A Critical Study," Michael A. Sheyahshe notes that while American Eagle "may have some inherent stereotypic issues, the fact that American Eagle's powers come from a non-ethnically based source (and not, say, the Great Spirit) marks a significant improvement for Indigenous characters."
in recent times became the security chief and trainer for Project: Rebirth. He was captured by agents of the Red Skull
(Johann Schmidt) and was tortured by the Master Interrogator. He refused to yield any information and committed suicide to avoid breaking under further torture. First appeared in Adventures of Captain America #1 and appeared through to issue #3 which depicted his death.
:
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a Native American superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
in the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
.
Publication history
American Eagle first appears in Marvel Two-in-OneMarvel Two-in-One
Marvel Two-In-One was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics that featured the Fantastic Four member, the Thing, in a different team-up each issue with a different character. The series continued from the team-up stories starring the Thing in the final two issues of Marvel...
Annual
Annual publication
An annual publication, more often called simply an annual, is a book or a magazine, comic book or comic strip published yearly. For example, a weekly or monthly publication may produce an Annual featuring similar materials to the regular publication....
#6 (October 1981), by Doug Moench
Doug Moench
Douglas Moench , better known as Doug Moench, is an American comic book writer notable for his Batman work and as the creator of Black Mask, Moon Knight and Deathlok.-Biography:...
and Ron Wilson
Ron Wilson (comics)
Ron Wilson is an American comic book artist known for his work on titles starring the Marvel Comics character The Thing, including the titles Marvel Two-in-One and The Thing...
. In a story entitled "An Eagle from America!" Strongbow gains superhuman powers and becomes American Eagle. He joins with Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
, Ka-Zar
Ka-Zar
Ka-Zar is the name of two jungle-dwelling comics fictional characters published in the United States. The first appeared in pulp magazines of the 1930s, and was adapted for his second iteration, as a comic book character for Timely Comics, the 1930s and 1940s predecessor of Marvel Comics...
, and Wyatt Wingfoot
Wyatt Wingfoot
Wyatt Wingfoot is a fictional, comic-book supporting character in the Marvel Comics universe, who first appeared in Fantastic Four #50 . While having no superpowers, he has spent much time in the company of the Fantastic Four due to his friendship with Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, and his...
to defeat Klaw. The character subsequently appears in Contest of Champions
Contest of Champions
Contest of Champions is a three-issue comic book limited series published from June to August 1982 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Mark Gruenwald with art by John Romita, Jr. and Bob Layton.-Publication history:...
#1, 3 (June & August 1982), Incredible Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
#279 (January 1983), and ROM #65-66 (April 1985-May 1985). He makes several appearances in Marvel Comics Presents
Marvel Comics Presents
Marvel Comics Presents was an American comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics originally from 1988 to 1995; it returned for a second volume in 2007-2008.-Volume 1:The first volume was released on a biweekly basis and lasted for 175 issues...
, including issue #27 (September 1989; in "Just Another Shade of Hate," American Eagle defeats the Peace Monger
Peace Monger
Peace Monger is a fictional character, a mutant in the Marvel Universe. His first appearance was in Marvel Comics Presents #27.-Fictional character biography:...
), 128 (1993), 130 (1993), and 147-148 (February 1994). The American Eagle is not seen again for some time until his appearance in Thunderbolts
Thunderbolts (comics)
The Thunderbolts are a Marvel Comics superhero team, which consists mostly of former supervillains. The group first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #449 , and was created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley.-Publication history:...
#112-115 (May 2007-August 2007). American Eagle will have his own digital comic in late 2008. American Eagle received an entry in the original Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe
The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe is an encyclopedic guide which details the fictional universe featured in Marvel Comics publications...
#1, and in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #1.
Fictional character biography
Jason Strongbow, a member of the Navajo NationNavajo Nation
The Navajo Nation is a semi-autonomous Native American-governed territory covering , occupying all of northeastern Arizona, the southeastern portion of Utah, and northwestern New Mexico...
(born in Kaibito, Arizona
Kaibito, Arizona
Kaibito is a census-designated place in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. The population was 1,607 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Kaibito is located at , at an elevation of 5,810 feet ....
), attempted to stop a mining company from excavating a mountain sacred to his tribe. He discovered that the villain Klaw was in league with the mining company. Klaw needed uranium to augment his sonic powers. Strongbow's brother, Ward, did not agree with him about preserving the mountain. Inside the mine, an argument erupted between the brothers and Klaw which led to violence. During the fight, Klaw used his sonic blaster on the two brothers. Somehow a combination of the sonic energy of the blast and the exposure to the uranium gave both of the Strongbow brothers enhanced physical abilities. Klaw fled with his crew, including Ward, to the Savage Land
Savage Land
The Savage Land is a hidden prehistoric land within the fictional Marvel Comics Universe. It is a tropical preserve hidden in Antarctica. It was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in X-Men #10...
in hopes of gaining vibranium
Vibranium
Vibranium is a fictional metal that appears in the Marvel Universe. It is most commonly known as one of the materials used to construct Captain America's shield, but it is also noted for its connection to the Black Panther and his native homeland of Wakanda .-Publication history:Vibranium first...
to augment his powers.
Jason emerged from the mine and, taking inspiration from a flying eagle, took up the mantle of American Eagle. He followed Klaw to the Savage Land. There he met Ka-Zar
Ka-Zar
Ka-Zar is the name of two jungle-dwelling comics fictional characters published in the United States. The first appeared in pulp magazines of the 1930s, and was adapted for his second iteration, as a comic book character for Timely Comics, the 1930s and 1940s predecessor of Marvel Comics...
, the Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
, and Wyatt Wingfoot
Wyatt Wingfoot
Wyatt Wingfoot is a fictional, comic-book supporting character in the Marvel Comics universe, who first appeared in Fantastic Four #50 . While having no superpowers, he has spent much time in the company of the Fantastic Four due to his friendship with Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, and his...
. The four joined forces and defeated Klaw and his minions, but during the battle, Ward was shot and killed by one of the miners.
American Eagle returned to become a champion of his tribe, subsequently identified as the Navajo Nation. Since his battle with Klaw in the Savage Land, he was among the heroes of the world gathered to take part in the Contest of Champions
Contest of Champions
Contest of Champions is a three-issue comic book limited series published from June to August 1982 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Mark Gruenwald with art by John Romita, Jr. and Bob Layton.-Publication history:...
, he was among the heroes who gathered to honor the Hulk
Hulk (comics)
The Hulk is a fictional character, a superhero in the . Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 ....
, and he was among the heroes who helped Rom the Spaceknight
Rom the Spaceknight
Rom is a fictional character, a cosmic superhero in the . He first appears in Rom, Spaceknight #1 and was created by Bill Mantlo and Sal Buscema.-Toy:...
defeat the Dire Wraiths. In his first solo adventure, the American Eagle defeated the Peace Monger
Peace Monger
Peace Monger is a fictional character, a mutant in the Marvel Universe. His first appearance was in Marvel Comics Presents #27.-Fictional character biography:...
and his Knights of Saint Virgil in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.
Jason confirms to his friend Steve that he is strongly against the Super-Human Registration Act created during the Civil War event, and is planning to fight Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...
over it. He also bears a new costume with fewer stereotypically Native American attributes, including a leather jacket and a helmet resembling the head & beak of a bald eagle. It is his intent to prevent the Steel Spider
Steel Spider
The Steel Spider is a fictional character who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics, primarily in the various Spider-Man titles.-Origin:...
from direct confrontation with an angry group of men from Jason's Navajo reservation by persuading the Steel Spider to ease up on his zealous vigilante act. By talking to Ollie, he hopes to defuse a time bomb of local violence just waiting to explode.Ibid.
The Eagle finds the Steel Spider in downtown Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
as the Thunderbolts unexpectedly arrive. Ollie argues that they will try to kill him and replace him with "Some Good Government Worker". When the Thunderbolts eventually do emerge, Jason decides to ally himself with Steel Spider, shooting the team's leader, Moonstone
Moonstone (comics)
Moonstone is a fictional character, both a supervillain and superheroine in Marvel Comics' Marvel Universe.-Publication history:...
, through the wrist with a crossbow bolt. After a prolonged fight, Sepulchre
Sepulchre (comics)
Sepulchre is a fictional superhero published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in Quasar #45 , and was created by Mark Gruenwald and Grant Miehm.-Origin:...
becomes involved, and the three defeat Venom, the Swordsman
Andreas von Strucker
Andreas von Strucker is a comic book character in Marvel Comics' main shared universe. The character was created by Chris Claremont and John Romita Jr. Andreas and his twin sister Andrea were known together as Fenris; after she was killed, he became the new Swordsman. Andreas first appeared in...
, Songbird
Songbird (comics)
Songbird , formerly known as Screaming Mimi, is a fictional character, a superheroine and former supervillainess in the Marvel Comics Universe.-Publication history:...
, and Radioactive Man. Though the latter two wish to try and defeat them using the old team's methods, leaving Sepulchre and the Eagle, Moonstone orders that Bullseye
Bullseye (comics)
Bullseye is a fictional character, a supervillain in the Marvel Comics universe.A psychopathic assassin, Bullseye uses the opportunities afforded by his line of work to exercise his homicidal tendencies and to work out his own personal vendetta against Daredevil.Although he possesses no...
cripple the Eagle in the same way he did Jack Flag
Jack Flag
Jack Flag is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. He first appeared in Captain America #434 , and was created by Mark Gruenwald and Dave Hoover.- Fictional character biography :...
. The issue ends with Songbird, Radioactive Man, Penance and Venom squaring up against Steel Spider, Sepulchre and Jason, in what Steel Spider describes as 'almost...a fair fight'.
The Eagle ends up crippling Bullseye before making his escape.
A news reporter stated that because American Eagle lives on a Native American Reservation
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
he is exempt from the Registration Act, and that the Commission on Superhuman Activities
Commission on Superhuman Activities
The Commission on Superhuman Activities is a fictional government group from the Marvel Universe.-Publication history:...
would take no action against him because of this.
During the Dark Reign
Dark Reign (comics)
"Dark Reign" is a 2008–2009 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. It deals with the aftermath of the "Secret Invasion" storyline, which led to a shift of power in the Marvel Universe toward Norman Osborn. The title "Dark Reign" refers to Osborn's rise to national power and the...
storyline, it is revealed that Jason is hiding James Rhodes
War Machine
War Machine is a fictional character, a comic book superhero appearing in comic books set in the Marvel Comics universe. The character of James Rhodes first appeared in Iron Man #118 by David Michelinie, John Byrne and Bob Layton...
' mother inside the Navayo County. Norman Osborn
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....
later tries to convince him to subdue War Machine, besides he has no jurisdiction over Strongbow. Jason refuses to act for anyone other than the interests of the Navayo and fights together with War Machine against a "Giant Ultimo Head" Rhodes stumbled upon along the way to find the men behind the "Ultimo Virus" deployed in Acquiria.
Jason is featured in a stand-alone story in "Marvel Assistant-Sized Spectacular" #1 (2009).
During the Fear Itself
Fear Itself (comics)
"Fear Itself" is a 2011 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics, consisting of a seven-issue, eponymous miniseries written by Matt Fraction and illustrated by Stuart Immonen, Wade Von Grawbadger, and Laura Martin, a prologue book by writer Ed Brubaker and artist Scott Eaton, and...
storyline, American Eagle deals with the fear and chaos in Bleachville as well as deal with Bleachville's drug traffickers and Bleachville's mayor.
Powers and abilities
American Eagle has superhuman strength sufficient enough to arm wrestle the The ThingThing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
to a stalemate (however at this time the Thing was not nearly as strong as he is now) or to ably enough force to uproot a large tree. He also possesses superhuman speed, stamina, and sturdiness as a result of radiation-induced mutation. Strongbow's bodily tissues are somewhat harder and more resistant to physical injury than that of an ordinary human. However, he is far from invulnerable. While he can be injured by weapons composed of conventional materials, he can withstand impact forces that would severely injure or kill a normal human with little to no injury to show for it. The American Eagle's sensory organs have also been fortified by the radiation-induced mutation. Like his namesake, the Eagle, he has hyperkeen eyesight, able to see at 800 feet (243.8 m) what the average human being sees at 20 feet (6.1 m). His senses of hearing, smell, taste, and touch are approximately three times that of an average human being.
He also carries a crossbow which fires special bolts.
In "Native Americans in Comic Books - A Critical Study," Michael A. Sheyahshe notes that while American Eagle "may have some inherent stereotypic issues, the fact that American Eagle's powers come from a non-ethnically based source (and not, say, the Great Spirit) marks a significant improvement for Indigenous characters."
World War II
There was an American Eagle before Strongbow took the mantle. Lt. Col. James Fletcher, a renowned battlefield hero of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in recent times became the security chief and trainer for Project: Rebirth. He was captured by agents of the Red Skull
Red Skull
The Red Skull is a name shared by several fictional characters, all supervillains from the Marvel Comics universe. All incarnations of the character are enemies of Captain America, other superheroes, and the United States in general....
(Johann Schmidt) and was tortured by the Master Interrogator. He refused to yield any information and committed suicide to avoid breaking under further torture. First appeared in Adventures of Captain America #1 and appeared through to issue #3 which depicted his death.
Earth-712
There have also been two incarnations of characters named the American Eagle in the Squadron SupremeSquadron Supreme
The Squadron Supreme is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Squadron Supreme first appeared in Avengers #85 - 86 The Squadron Supreme is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The Squadron Supreme first...
:
- The first being Johnathon James Dore Senior, who was a member of the Golden Agency and a founding member of the Squadron Supreme. He is also the father of Blue EagleBlue Eagle (comics)Blue Eagle is a fictional comic-book character in the Marvel Comics multiverse.The character debuted as a member of the team of superheroes called the Squadron Supreme in The Avengers #85 as American Eagle, then as Cap'n Hawk in The Avengers #148 , and finally as Blue Eagle in Squadron Supreme #1...
. He first appeared in Squadron Supreme #1. - The second incarnation, is the son of the original Squadron's American Eagle. He took the mantle on during his first appearance in Avengers (1st series) #85 and his next appearance in Web of Spider-ManSpider-ManSpider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
Annual #5. He later changed his name to Cap'n Hawk but is more recently known as Blue Eagle.