After finding acclaim with Kingdom Come and DC Comics, artist Alex Ross turned his attention to a more obscure subject. Teaming with writer Steve Darnall, Ross spun a new tale featuring the classic character of Uncle Sam. Out of print for over a decade, this classic comic is now being reprinted in a special edition by Abrams ComicArts.
Originally created by Will Eisner in 1940, Uncle Sam was one of the first patriotism-themed American superheroes. Empowered by the American spirit itself, he could manifest whatever powers were required to fight against the enemies of the United States. Like King Arthur, he was also a hero of destiny, said to rise wherever he was needed.
Ross and Darnall’s Uncle Sam was a particularly dark deconstruction of the original concept. Their take on the character was a vagrant, speaking in sound-bites and haunted by visions of America’s dark past. This hero sought to discover his true identity, sorting through the differing ideas as to just what “the American spirit” meant in the late 20th century. Ultimately, this personification of idealism battles a corrupt avatar of America at its worst.
Why Uncle Sam still resonates today
When originally published by Vertigo Comics, Uncle Sam sparked controversy while simultaneously earning positive reviews. Some objected to the idea of a classic character like Uncle Sam being used to explore modern politics. The story also drew fire for defying the trends of the time, encouraging idealism in an era of grim-and-gritty reboots with might-makes-right heroes. In this, the series echoed the themes of the more famous Kingdom Come.
Given the growing political divide in the United States, the time seemed ripe for a reprint of the classic comic. The new Special Election Edition from Abrams ComicArts collects both books from the original Vertigo miniseries. The Special Edition includes all-new afterwords by both Darnall and Ross. In addition, it contains an illustrated history of the Uncle Sam character that inspired the comic book hero.
Uncle Sam: Special Election Edition is now available at comic shops everywhere.
