Union Jack question

[BigDuke]

I started picking up the Union Jack LS because I liked the character in the Invaders and I liked the new guy in the recent Cap series.

Obviously this is not the same guy that was in the Invaders, but does anyone know who he is, where he came from, and how he got to be Union Jack? Does he have any powers (like the old UJ static powers)?

[The Night Phantom]

Union Jack is Joey Chapman, a Manchester-born working-class friend of the Falsworth family that spawned the first two Jacks. His first appearance was in Captain America #253–254, in which Chapman took over the role to impersonate the first Jack, in a plan to help Cap against the original Jack’s brother, the Nazi vampire Baron Blood. The Falsworths awarded permanent use of the identity to Chapman upon the successful completion of the mission. So far as I know, he currently has no superpowers, but there was a period in the ’90s in which he had some mystic sensory abilities by virtue of possession by the spirit of Lancelot. Chapman served in the recent short-lived revival of the Invaders.

[BigDuke]

Thanks for the info Phantom. After you recounted it I remembered that Baron Blood story from way back. Ironic that CA used his shield to deCAPitate the good Baron (sorry).

I don't know how many other folks out there have been reading the UJ mini, but it was a really good story: good balance of action and plot, good character interaction, made sense (for the comic world). I would love to see more of this character, but doubt that will happen. Maybe Cap will have to spend an extended period abroad after CW and we will get to see him hanging out in Europe with UJ, Spitfire the Thing, and a couple others. AVENGERS EUROPE anyone?

[ozbot]

I liked the UJ miniseries a lot, particularly because of the interantional flavor that was very intentional. I loved seeing Sabra and the new Arabian Knight, for example, and it didnt' diminish UJ's very specific presence in the series. I'm not sure it could be sustainable in the long run, but another miniseries would be cool.

As a moderator for the marvel.com's Universe wiki, be sure to make it your first stop for getting questions about various characters. Chapman's UJ was covered by someone else, but I entered the Falsworth versions. www.marvel.com/universe