Americop

Americop
Promotional artwork of Americop for Thunderbolts: Desperate Measures
Publication information
Publisher Marvel Comics
First appearance Captain America vol. 1 #428 (June 1994)
Created by Mark Gruenwald (writer)
Dave Hoover (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego Bartholomew "Bart" Gallows
Team affiliations Houston Police Department
Abilities Suit enhanced strength
Formidable martial artist and strategist
Carries pistols, a baton and a fixed blade tactical knife
Wears Kevlar body armor, a ballistic facemask and a customized cap
Drives a gimmicked pickup truck

Americop (Bartholomew "Bart" Gallows) is a fictional vigilante appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Publication history

Americop first appeared in Captain America (1st series) #428 (June 1994), and was created by Mark Gruenwald and Dave Hoover.

Fictional character biography

Bart Gallows was born in Sugar Land, Texas[1] and later became a police officer in Houston, Texas. Disillusioned at the law's inability to protect society from crime, he resigned from the force and became a vigilante named 'Americop'.[2]

He travels across America and uses a police scanner to track down criminals. He is not above executing the criminals he thinks deserve said fate. He sometimes takes money from the drug-trafficking criminals he battles, keeping half and donating the rest to drug rehabilitation programs. Americop finds himself in conflict with Captain America while trying to bring down a child exploitation ring; Captain America is appalled by his brutality.[3]

Americop's investigation led him to the New Orleans mansion of indestructible munitions magnate Damon Dran. Although initially subdued by a gas grenade attack and imprisoned alongside Captain America, he manages to break free. During the fight, he kills several of Dran's mercenaries. During the resulting fight, he shoots down Dran's helicopter. Americop believes Dran died during the crash when the criminal in fact survived.[4]

After the super-hero Civil War, Americop is a target on the Thunderbolts' Most Wanted list. Norman Osborn sends Penance and Bullseye to battle Americop, with the secret hope the vigilante will kill the two (as both haven't been worth the trouble). Instead, the two crash Americop's truck and Bullseye causes Penance's stored-up energy to be unleashed which fries 80 percent of the vigilante's synaptic nerve endings.[5]

He later died (presumably from his injuries) and had his uniform and code name copied by a private security force called the Americops run by Keane Industries.[6]

Powers and abilities

  • A formidable martial artist and strategist, Americop carries .45 caliber pistols, a baton and a fixed blade tactical knife
  • He wears bulletproof Kevlar body armor, a ballistic facemask and a customized cap which doubles as a throwing weapon. His costume includes a device that absorbs ambient electrical energy and uses it to increase his strength to low-superhuman levels.[7]
  • His pickup truck has a roof-mounted lightbar, police siren, public address system and bulletproof armor and windows.

References

  1. ↑ Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z Vol.1
  2. ↑ Captain America (1st series) #428
  3. ↑ Captain America (1st series) #429
  4. ↑ Captain America (1st series) #430
  5. ↑ Thunderbolts: Desperate Measures
  6. ↑ Nick Spencer (w), Daniel Acuña (p), Daniel Acuña (i), Daniel Acuña (col), VC's Joe Caramagna (let), Tom Brevoort (ed). Captain America: Sam Wilson #12 (17 August 2016), United States: Marvel Comics
  7. ↑ All New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe HC #1
  • Americop at the Marvel Universe wiki
  • Americop at the Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
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