captain_merrick-jeremy-capcorps-usoca5-altcovcaptain_merrick-jeremy-capcorps-costumedCAPTAIN JEREMY MERRICK

Real Name: Jeremy Merrick

Identity/Class: Human (conventional weapons user)

Occupation: Air Force Intelligence Officer

Group Membership: United States Air Force (or is it Space Force?);
    Captains Network (Campus Captain America/Arielle Agbayani, Captain America of the Railways/Aaron Fischer, Captain America of Harrisburg/Nichelle Wright, Captain America of the Kickapoo tribe/Joe Gomez, at least seven others unidentified);

Affiliations: Captain America (Steve Rogers), Captain America (Sam Wilson; aka the Falcon), Captain America (James Barnes, aka Winter Soldier), USAgent (John Walker),

Enemies: Commander Krieger (Julia Koenig; aka Warrior Woman), Hate-Monger (Adolf Hitler mental replica/energy-being), Speed Demon (James Sanders, posing as Captain America), Superior (Sinthea Smith)

Known Relatives: Helena (daughter);
    Dave (brother or brother-in-law, or possibly just a close family friend)

Aliases: Protector of Soldiers

Base of Operations: Cheyenne Mountain Complex, el Paso County, near Colorado Springs, Colorado;
    home in Colorado Springs

First Appearance: The United States of Captain America#4 (November, 2021)

Powers/Abilities: Trained to the level of Captain in the Air Force, Jeremy is experienced in armed and unarmed combat as well as military strategy.

    He is an experienced jet pilot, and he has access to a large jet.

    He is skilled with energy analysis, detection, manipulation, and containment technology.

    He can repel down a rope, with a single arm if needed, and he has occasionally wielded a shield of undefined composition (likely steel).

    Jeremy is a loving father and a loyal soldier, looking out for those serving under him both on the field and in ensuring they have proper medical (both physical and mental health) care after returning home.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6'2")
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 240 lbs.)
Eyes: Green
Hair: Dark brown

History:
(The United States of Captain America#5 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Jeremy fathered Helena, and, at least eventually, he was a single father to her in their home in Colorado Springs.

captain_merrick-jeremy-capcorps-usoca4-seekingaid(The United States of Captain America#4 (fb) - BTS) - While serving in Afghanistan, Jeremy worked not only to protect those serving under him from the enemy but also from those who wished to manipulate them into spending their earnings so they would be forced to sign off for additional tours. He helped to ensure that when they got home they got mental health care are real support.

(The United States of Captain America#4 (fb) - BTS / The United States of Captain America#5 (fb) - BTS) - Jeremy was placed stationed at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex Space Force Base (back up to NORAD) where he oversaw the Hate-Monger research and containment program.

(The United States of Captain America#5 (fb) - BTS) - For years, the Hate-Monger pledged to murder Jeremy and his family.

(The United States of Captain America#4) - When Superior and Commander Krieger, alongside their hypnotized agent, Speed Demon (posing as Captain America) broke into the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, Jeremy and his men tried futilely to stop them, but they were no match for the superhuman warriors. Jeremy reported that NORAD (see comments) was under assault by unknown assailants.captain_merrick-jeremy-capcorps-usoca4-withgun

(The United States of Captain America#4 - BTS) - Receiving this report, Captain Americas Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson, USAgent, Winter Soldier (James Barnes), and Captain Captains Network members Aaron Fischer and Arielle Agbayani traveled by car and motorcycle to the Cheyenne Mountain Complex.

(The United States of Captain America#4) - As Krieger, Speed Demon, and Superior spoke to the contained Hate-Monger, Jeremy confronted them at gunpoint and instructed them to get down on the ground. Speed Demon swiftly smashed Jeremy back against a wall, but the arriving USAgent then punched down Speed Demon.

    As the other Captain Americas engaged the villains, Jeremy recovered his weapon and steeled himself to prevent the Hate-Monger's escape, only to be taken down by Captain America's shield, thrown by Superior.

    Recovering, Jeremy asked USAgent how many Captain Americas were there (short answer? A #$%& load). Ultimately, Krieger released and escaped with Hate-Monger, throwing USAgent into Jeremy in the process.

    As the heroes discussed options, Jeremy noted that the Hate-Monger was a dangerous asset, but when Aaron commented that he did not seem like an asset, Jeremy agreed that that was a bad choice of words.

    Jeremy then introduced himself to the others, noting that his assignment had been the containment and study of "that thing," which had been ready to kill him.

    USAgent subsequently prepared to torture information out of Superior.

(The United States of Captain America#5 (fb) - BTS) - After dropping Helena off at school, Jeremy came home and discovered the message "Goodbye Captain...Goodbye America" carved into his door. Having slept soundly due to exhaustion, he was uncertain whether the message had been carved while he slept or while he was taking Helena to school. captain_merrick-jeremy-capcorps-usoca5-upper

(The United States of Captain America#5) - Arielle joined Winter Soldier in traveling to Jeremy's home. After Merrick noted the threats the Hate-Monger had made against his family, they resolved to get Helena out of school early.

    As Jeremy hugged Helena outside of her school Steve Rogers instructed the Captains to come to California's Channel Islands based on information they had uncovered from Superior prior to her escape. Concerned about this information and plan, Barnes nonetheless had the group return to Jeremy's home and pack up so they could get moving. Although Helena did not want to go, Jeremy assured her it would be OK and instructed her to get Mister Bear. As she got ready, Barnes questioned the transponder signal they had gotten from Superior, and Jeremy had James show him the alphanumerics of the signal.

    While researching the information, Jeremy encouraged Barnes to reclaim his role as Captain America for this adventure. He further discussed his experiences in protecting soldiers from manipulation. He subsequently discovered that the signal the others were investigating was a repeater, a masking relay, and they realized that it was trap (although too late to warn Rogers, Wilson, and USAgent, who were incapacitated by an explosion).

    Appreciating that the real signal was nearby, Jeremy convinced Barnes to let him take him and Arielle there as they needed a pilot. After Jeremy explained to Helena that he would be taking her to her Uncle Dave's in Utah in his special plane, he further advised that they could use the radio and other methods to broadcast messages to Aaron Fischer to check in with the Captains Network. captain_merrick-jeremy-capcorps-jet

(The United States of Captain America#5 (fb) - BTS) - After Jeremy dropped Helena off at Dave's, he reverse engineered the repeater signal and identified its source as a defunct satellite station in Mount San Antonia.

(The United States of Captain America#5) - Twenty minutes from the drop zone, Jeremy discussed his findings and had Barnes and Arielle parachute to the site, letting him know that he would be topside in 20 minutes and would be right behind them. captain_merrick-jeremy-capcorps-energytrap

(The United States of Captain America#5 (fb) - BTS) - Jeremy donned a Captain America-esque costume, complete with a shield.

(The United States of Captain America#5) - With Barnes and Ariella having arrived shortly before hand and freed the captive Rogers, Walker, and Wilson, Jeremy joined Aaron Fischer, Joe Gomez, Nichelle Wright, and approximately seven other members of the Captains Network in confronting the villains.

    Jeremy had USAgent help him set of an energy transmitter, and -- after Superior and Krieger had been taken down -- he recaptured the Hate-Monger within a small cube.

    Steve Rogers deferred a public speech -- in place of the planned Hate-Monger speech -- to the others, and Aaron proudly spoke up, ensuring anyone listening that the Captains Network had their backs. 

Comments: Created by Christopher Cantwell, Ron Lim, Cam Smith, and Scott Hanna.

    At the time of the story in The United States of Captain America#4, Captain Merrick was 37-years-old.

    In The United States of Captain America#4, the Cheyenne Mountain Complex is identified as NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command). I believe that it was the base of NORAD up until 2008, after which NORAD was relocated to Peterson Air Force Base (now Peterson Space Force Base) in nearby Colorado Springs, although it is still considered the "Alternate/back-up Command Center."

    While talking to the Winter Soldier, Jeremy noted he wanted to stop them from repeating the same mistakes...he stopped upon discovering the repeating code in the signal he was analyzing, so we don't know if he was going to say the same mistakes that others had made or that he had made.

    Helena's mother is not mentioned, beyond it being clarified that Jeremy is a single parent.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
Captain Jeremy Merrick should be distinguished from:

Helena

captain_merrick-jeremy-capcorps-usoca5-pickuphelenacaptain_merrick-jeremy-capcorps-usoca5-helena-facecaptain_merrick-jeremy-capcorps-helena-happyA student at Colorado Springs Elementary, Helena lives with her father in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

After agents of the Hate-Monger threatened his family, Jeremy picked up Helena from school and then flew her to her Uncle Dave's in Utah before going to California to face Hate-Monger and his allies.

--The United States of Captain America#5

Note: Her last name is presumably Merrick, but I don't think that was confirmed in-story.

     She appears to have blue eyes and brown hair.

     Her mother is not mentioned, beyond it being clarified that Jeremy is a single parent.


images: (without ads)captain_merrick-jeremy-capcorps-usoca5-headshot
The United States of Captain America#4, story pg. 5, panel 5 (reporting attack);
       pg. 14, panel 4 (with gun);
    #5, pg. 3, panel 3 (arms crossed);
       pg. 8, panel 1 (hugging Helena by school);
       pg. 14, panel 4 (Helena, face);
          panel 5 (holding Helena, happy face);
       pg. 18, panel 1 (jet);
       pg. 23, panel 1 (costumed)
       pg. 28, panel 9 (headshot)

Appearances:
The United States of Captain America#4 (November, 2021) - Christopher Cantwell (writer), Ron Lim (penciler), Cam Smith & Scott Hanna (inkers), Martin Biro (assistant editor), Alanna Smith (editor)
The United States of Captain America#5 (December, 2021) - Christopher Cantwell (writer), Dale Eaglesham (artist), Martin Biro (assistant editor), Alanna Smith (editor)

First posted: 05/21/2023
Last updated: 05/21/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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