Isaiah Bradley’s Patriot Costume: Comics vs Live-action
July 01, 2025
About - Isaiah Bradley's Patriot Costume: Comics vs Live-action.
Isaiah Bradley is one of the superheroes to hold the title of Captain America, appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is an early product of the United States' Super Soldier program (codenamed Project: Rebirth) during World War II.
Carl Lumbly portrays the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe streaming television series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) and the film Captain America: Brave New World (2025).
If the MCU had shown Isaiah Bradley as Captain America in the past, it would have added a powerful, emotional, and historical layer to the universe.
Isaiah Bradley’s comic backstory is deeply tied to the real-world history of racism and injustice (inspired by the real-life Tuskegee experiments).
Showing him as an earlier Captain America—even for secret missions—could have explored themes like:
The cost of heroism when society doesn’t value the hero.
The hidden history of super-soldiers that Steve Rogers never knew.
The emotional weight of being erased from history despite saving lives.
In the MCU’s timeline, having Isaiah in the role (even briefly) could have:
Highlighted the uglier side of the government and military experiments.
Created a deeper reason for Sam Wilson’s internal conflict in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Opened the door for Isaiah’s family legacy (introducing his grandson Patriot sooner).
It would have made the Captain America legacy richer and more meaningful.
The story would show that the shield wasn’t just Steve’s—it had hidden heroes behind it.
It would have added heartbreaking but inspiring weight to Sam’s decision to finally take the shield.