Episode 1776 Talkback - Introducing! Uncle Sam, Colonial Captain America, and the Black Coat
Adam_Murdough
Posts: 506
We the people of Comic Geek Speak, in recognition of the fantastic coincidence that Episode 1776 of our podcast is due for release in the week of July 4th, do ordain and establish this special tribute to the first appearances of three characters with ties to the American War of Independence: Will Eisner's Uncle Sam (National Comics #1, 1940), Capt. Steven Rogers of the Continental Army (Captain America #194, 1976 / Cap: Sentinel of Liberty #6-7, 1999), and the Black Coat (The Black Coat: A Call to Arms #1, 2006). Download it at your liberty; it's a yankee-doodle dandy! (1:21:18)
Listen here, or give me death!
Listen here, or give me death!
Comments
Uncle Sam
I believe I must have read his origin in one of those DC reprints from around 2000. I think it is time to seek out some sort of collection of those stories.
Captain America
I have been wanting to read some 70s Kirby Cap of late. I know it will be kooky but that is what started me on my long road of Cap reading and collecting (issue #200 for the Bicentennial). Much of my stuff is in storage but I did find a Madbomb/Return of the King #193 in the 2 Buck Bin to read but have no memory of reading #194. I do remember the Bicentennial Battles Colonial Cap and the SoL storyline.
Here is that pin-up:
Cap did start in CAPTAIN AMERICA COMICS #1 for March 1941 but there are stories that it was on the stands as early as December 1940. Well after Eisner's Uncle Sam but that cover date minus 3 or so months deal was in affect early, it seems.
I liked all the Roger Stern talk. Yes, please revisit the Byrne/Stern Cap run at some point. And he was writing some darn good Avengers yarns in the mid-80s too (Assault of Avengers Mansion?). But perhaps you missed CAPTAIN AMERICA C.O.R.P.S. from 2011. It was a Cap mini series with multiple Caps teaming together and very much has that warm fuzzy comics feel of the 80s that we remember. I recommend it.
The Black Coat
I remember CGS talking about it. What sold me is when I checked out their website with Francesco's art and I was amazed. It had a lot of potential but I felt the character was going off in to directions I didn't care for and would have liked more history woven in.
After the CGS plug, I sought them out at the San Diego Comic-Con back in 2006. The photo is a little blurry but here is Francesco Francavilla and Ben Licius:
And finally, keeping in the spirit of 1776, Did you know Charlton put out a comic based on the movie? I'm still trying to track down a copy myself and it doesn't look to be of the highest caliber but I imagine Murd and the late Jamie would give it a hoot.
Thanks again.
This episode also reminds me of all the past episodes where the CGS crew interviewed some of the creators of these lesser know books.
As for which came first, National Comics #1’s on-sale date is listed as April 14, 1940, so Uncle Sam (presumably) hit stands before the Spirit. Given how far ahead the newspaper syndicates worked, though, the first Spirit strip was almost certainly created and drawn before the first “Uncle Sam”.
@i_am_scifi, could it be that your inclination to think of Uncle Sam as Southern comes from his goatee, which is nearly identical to the one iconically sported by Colonel Sanders of KFC fame?
I say you're right, @nweathington, I say!