WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for "Captain America: Not Dead Yet" from the pages of Marvel Voices: Heritage #1, available now from Marvel.
Captain America's century-spanning war against the forces of tyranny has made him one of the most influential figures in the Marvel Universe. Having almost single-handedly turned the tide of World War II in favor of the Allies, Captain America has inspired a long line of patriotic heroes, many of whom are linked to failed attempts to recreate the long-lost super-soldier serum that gave him his superhuman abilities. Unfortunately, many of these heroes have failed to live up to Captain America's lofty legacy for one reason or another before fading into obscurity.
Unlike similarly patriotic heroes, Jason Strongbow, aka American Eagle wasn't given powers through a recreation of the super-soldier serum, but he too had all but vanished in the years following his debut in Marvel Two-In-One Annual #6 (by Doug Moench, Ron Wilson, Gene day, George Roussos, and Pierre Bernand Jr.) However, Marvel's Voices: Heritage, an anthology series celebrating heroes of Native American descent, has just brought the Navajo hero back into the spotlight, and American Eagle's triumphant return proves that he doesn't need the super-soldier serum to be a hero.
After discovering that a mining company planned on excavating a mountain sacred to his tribe, Jason led a peaceful protest against the company that came to a tragic end when one of Jason's tribesmen was shot by a guard. Outraged, Jason chased the guard into the depths of the mine, where he discovered that the mining company was in league with Ulysses Klaw. Upon discovering Jason, Klaw attempted to kill him with his sonic blaster, accidentally triggering an explosion that caused a cave-in. While escaping the collapsing mine, Jason was exposed to a vein of radioactive minerals that gave him superhuman strength and stamina, allowing him to emerge from the rubble unharmed. Hailed as a hero by his tribesman, Jason decided to use his newfound powers to protect his people and their land, taking on the name of "American Eagle".
Although he's not the first Native American superhero, American Eagle broke the mold when it came to Native American representation in comics by being one of the first whose powers weren't linked to an ethnicity-based source. Native American heroes who'd come before American Eagle were often granted their powers by mythological beings linked to their heritage, which were not only grossly inaccurate to actual Native American spiritual practices and beliefs, but overtly stereotypical in their presentation. In comparison, the origins of American Eagle's powers were much more realistic (at least by comic book standards), and this small change helped pave the way for less-stereotypical depictions of Native American heroes and culture within comics.
Unfortunately, American Eagle's powers aren't quite as impressive as those of other patriotic heroes like America Chavez, and his appearances became more and more sporadic as more powerful heroes were introduced. Marvel Voices: Heritage's "American Eagle: Not Dead Yet" (by Steven Paul Judd, David Cutler, Jose Marzan Jr., and Paris Alleyne) retcons American Eagle's recent absence as the result of his advanced age, and a series of flashbacks shows in excruciating detail how he was removed from the Avengers to make way for younger heroes and slowly forgotten by the general public, with only a few fans still remembering that he even exists.
Thankfully, American Eagle is given a chance to prove that he still has what it takes to be a hero when a crew of masked bank robbers holds up the bank while he's trying to cash in a check. Although he's initially unwilling to stop the robbery, he's inspired to act when he sees the robbers' leader assaulting a young boy who'd recognized him at a superhero convention earlier that day. Refusing to allow old age or bitterness to keep him from helping someone in need, American Eagle single-handedly takes out every one of the robbers, even after being shot in the shoulder by a stray bullet.
Although he nearly dies from the wound to his shoulder, American Eagle's victory shows that he doesn't need his powers to be a hero. Despite knowing that he wasn't as strong as he used to be, American Eagle is willing to risk his life to save others, staying true to the virtues that truly define the heroes of the Marvel universe. American Eagle's triumphant return proves that he doesn't need the super-soldier serum or a vibranium shield to be as great of an American icon as Captain America, and he has more than earned his place within the superhero community.