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General Glory
General Glory
General Glory
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General Glory
The Joseph Jones incarnation of General Glory as depicted in Who's Who in the DC Universe #11 (July 1991). Art by Linda Medley (penciller/inker) and Anthony Tollin (colorist).
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearance(Jones)
Justice League America #46
(January 1991)
(Wallace)
Justice League Quarterly #16 (Autumn 1994)
Created by(Jones)
Keith Giffen
J.M. DeMatteis
(Wallace)
Paul Kupperberg
In-story information
Alter ego- Joseph Aloysius Jones
- Donovan Wallace
Team affiliations(Jones) Justice League International
Justice League
AbilitiesEnhanced strength, olympic athlete in other areas

General Glory is the name of two DC Comics characters. The persona is mostly used by writers as a parody of Marvel's Captain America with exaggerated "patriotic values" and a sidekick called Ernie (aka Ernie The Battling Boy), who was similar to Bucky. General Glory first appeared in Justice League International #46 as a 1940s-style hero placed in a modern world, resulting in cultural differences and personality issues.[1] Whereas Captain America is patriotic, heroic, and rational, General Glory is so blindly patriotic that it approaches the point of fault, unwilling and psychologically unable to believe that his country or international peacekeeping organizations have a dark side. He was introduced as a comic foil for the jingoistic Green Lantern corps member Guy Gardner in the early 1990s.

Fictional character biography

[edit]

Joseph Jones

[edit]

Joseph Jones was a soldier in World War II who was granted superior abilities by Lady Liberty herself upon saying the words:

"Lady of Liberty, hear my plea —
For the land of the brave —
And home of the free!"

He became a government agent, under the authority of an Agent Newkirk Sharp. Sharp arranged for General Glory comic books to be published, so that people would believe he was a fictional character. In England, his adventures were published in the pages of Tuppenny Fun.[2]

During his many adventures in World War 2, General Glory worked with the original Beefeater, an English-based super hero.[3] One mission saw him working with the time-travelling hero Booster Gold - who had come to 1943 looking for his missing adopted daughter - when a Nazi scientist was attempting to create a time machine, although Booster regarded Glory as mentally unbalanced at best.[4]

As with Marvel Comics' Captain America, General Glory disappeared in an Arctic mission. Rather than be encased in ice, however, he returned to America with little memory of his past. He would later learn that Sharp had drugged him and given him a new identity.

Many years later, Glory, having forgotten the magic words, was outbid by Guy Gardner for a General Glory comic book containing the words. He persuaded Gardner to let him read the book by offering him the refund price of the bid. Reading the comic, Jones shouts out the magic words and became General Glory again. Shortly after this, he was arrested for treason by Ernest E. Earnest. It eventually transpired that Sharp had framed Glory to divert suspicion from himself. Ernie confronted him and was shot. Sharp was brought to justice by Glory and the Justice League, and General Glory became a member of the team. Maxwell Lord considered that a true Golden Age hero might be good for their image, and Glory thereafter assists the team from time to time.[1] For example, Glory and the JLA defeat a revenge-crazed elderly Nazi that had been plaguing Jones with technologically advanced threats for some time; often chasing him out of the latest home Jones had created. Said Nazi is finally defeated in issue #50.[5]

In this time period, Glory owns a dog named 'Liberty'; the pet is featured in a later Justice League Quarterly issue. The dog unintentionally helps save the JLA who were having miniaturization issues.[6]

Glory assists the League in saving Ice from demonic possession. At the same time he tries to help Maxwell Lord with his seeming drinking problem.[7]

Donovan Wallace

[edit]

During one of Jones's transformations into his elderly self, he suffered a cardiac episode and ended up in the hospital next to New York City policeman Donovan Wallace, who had become paralyzed risking his life to save a child from gangsters.

By this point, Jones was too weak to change into his alter ego, but he regaled Wallace with inspiring stories about his adventures as Glory (the stories paralleled thematic trends in superhero comics). Initially skeptical, Donovan eventually came to believe in the spirit of glory and he was able to tap into the same energies that once powered Jones. He manifested great strength and agility, wings and throwing razors. He left his hospital bed and crushed the gangs that had crippled him. When he returned to the hospital, Jones was in cardiac arrest. To keep his legacy alive, Jones bequeathed his powers to Donovan, whose full mobility was restored. As Donovan becomes the second General Glory, Jones dies.[1][8]

Wallace was known to be estranged from his wife and child, but in Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #3 it is revealed that Wallace and everyone attending his wedding was dismembered during the ceremony by a Nazi-themed team called the Fourth Reich. This group's mission, backed up by the villain Vandal Savage, was to destroy the legacy of all American heroes whose identities were closely tied to America itself.[9]

During the 52 series, Martian Manhunter constructs a JLA memorial in the hills above Happy Harbor, a statue dedicated to each fallen JLA member, Glory included.

Powers and abilities

[edit]
  • General Glory was mystically endowed with enhanced strength and durability, but only in his "General Glory" persona, otherwise he was a frail 80-year-old man. He has demonstrated enough strength to lift objects as heavy as tanks. He was in peak physical condition in all other aspects and a capable military tactician. He seemed impervious to the effects of old age in his superhero persona, but when he decided to go back to being an ordinary human he would die of old age.
  • He seldom utilized his abilities, instead choosing to give long winded patriotic speeches. This was actually useful as it drew fire away from other Justice League members, as villains quickly wanted to kill General Glory to avoid having to endure his dissertations on morality.
  • The second General Glory demonstrated some different powers and weapons than the first. He had a sharp throwing star that would return to him after being released, and he also had golden bird wings that enabled him to fly.

Other versions

[edit]
  • One possible future shows an older Power Girl traveling back in time to World War II and meeting Ernie and Glory. Distracted by Power Girl's attractiveness, Ernie is slain by a falling bomb. Glory somehow convinces Power Girl to become his new, bowl-headed sidekick.
  • Another possible future stays in the future, where a Glory-influenced League, bowl-haircuts for all, is reformed. This and the older Power Girl event take place in the second JLE annual.[10]
  • In one future-past event, Lobo arrives in the wrong time and gender from Heaven. He encounters Ernie and General Glory where he is then pummeled.[11]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

General Glory

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
General Glory is a fictional in the DC Comics universe, primarily known as a patriotic figure parodying Marvel's , with enhanced physical abilities granted by Lady Liberty. The original incarnation, Joseph Jones, was a soldier who recited a —"I pledge allegiance to the of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all"—transforming into the star-spangled hero General Glory, complete with , durability, and a named Ernie. Created by writers and , with art by Linda Medley and Jose Marzan, the character first appeared in Justice League America #46 (January 1991), initially presented as a creation within the DC world before being revealed as real. Jones, presumed lost in an mission during the war, resurfaced in the with amnesia, manipulated by government agents, but eventually regained his memories and joined the Justice League America alongside heroes like , Guy Gardner, , , and . After Jones's death from a heart attack, his powers passed to Donovan Wallace, a young , who became the second General Glory and continued fighting threats like the , though he too met an untimely end. The character has seen limited but notable appearances, including a 1990s "extreme" makeover in Justice League Quarterly #16 that updated his costume with edgy elements like weaponized stars, reflecting the era's trends but receiving mixed reception. In recent years, a new iteration of General Glory emerged in Wonder Woman #18 (February 2025), depicted as a government-backed operative with similar powers who confronts at the , only to be swiftly defeated, highlighting themes of and heroism in modern DC storylines.

Publication history

Creation and early publications

General Glory was conceived as a satirical take on , featuring an overly patriotic World War II-era superhero thrust into the contemporary world, leading to humorous cultural clashes and exaggerated . The character, in the form of Joseph Jones, was created by writer , who provided the plot and breakdowns, and , who scripted the story, as a comic relief element to contrast with the brash Guy Gardner in the series. This introduction occurred during a transitional period for the titles, where the team faced roster instability following the departure of members like , emphasizing humor and interpersonal dynamics over traditional superhero action. Joseph Jones first appeared in Justice League America #46 (January 1991), where an elderly Jones regains his powers through magical words from a vintage comic book and encounters the League amid a bidding war for rare General Glory issues. The storyline continued in Justice League America #47 (February 1991), with General Glory assisting the team on a mission; #48 (March 1991), featuring a battle against a giant Nazi robot sent by his archenemy the Evil Eye; #49 (April 1991), in which he is framed for treason and imprisoned; and #50 (May 1991), culminating in his official induction into the Justice League after exoneration and a final confrontation with the Evil Eye. Additional early appearances included Justice League Europe Annual #2 (October 1991), where General Glory joined other heroes in a time-travel adventure tied to the Armageddon 2001 crossover, and Justice League Quarterly #3 (Summer 1991), a anthology issue spotlighting a mishap involving his loyal dog Liberty. The mantle passed to a second General Glory, Donovan Wallace, created by writer Paul Kupperberg, who debuted in Justice League Quarterly #16 (Autumn 1994). This oversized anthology issue depicted Jones's death from and Wallace, a paralyzed , inheriting the powers, marking a shift toward more "extreme" tropes while retaining the character's parodic roots. These early publications, spanning 1991 to 1994, were integral to the era's blend of satire and ensemble storytelling, with General Glory serving as a reserve member and occasional spotlight character in the team's humorous, character-driven narratives.

Later appearances and revival

Following the conclusion of General Glory's initial miniseries and Justice League appearances in 1994, the character saw sparse utilization in DC Comics publications, reflecting his status as a niche parody figure amid shifting editorial priorities toward more prominent heroes. In 2007, during the "One Year Later" era post-, General Glory was referenced in the weekly series 52, where constructed a site in the hills above Happy Harbor featuring statues of fallen members, including one dedicated to Joseph Jones as General Glory. This nod underscored the character's legacy within the broader , tying into themes of heroism's enduring impact after cataclysmic events like the Infinite Crisis. That same year, the second General Glory, Donovan Wallace, met his demise in Justice Society of America vol. 3 #3 (cover-dated April 2007), where he and Minute-Man were executed by agents of the Fourth Reich as part of a storyline exploring Golden Age heroes' vulnerabilities in the modern world. This event integrated General Glory into the Justice Society's narrative, emphasizing intergenerational legacy and the perils facing patriotic archetypes in a post-Crisis landscape, though it marked no immediate resurgence for the mantle. A brief cameo appearance of Joseph Jones occurred in Red Hood: Outlaw #43 (cover-dated April 2020), where the elderly hero was pulled from retirement to confront a monstrous threat, only to be transformed himself, highlighting the character's occasional utility in ensemble crises without deeper development. From 1994 to 2025, General Glory remained largely obscure, with no solo stories or significant arcs, as DC focused on reboots and high-profile events that sidelined lesser-known patriots in favor of core icons. This period of dormancy aligned with evolving cultural views on , rendering the character's exaggerated Americana less central until renewed interest in deconstructing such tropes. The 2025 revival came in Wonder Woman (vol. 6) #18 (cover-dated April 2025, released February 19, 2025), written by Tom King with art by Daniel Sampere, introducing a third iteration as a revamped government operative. Portrayed as a brainwashed puppet blindly serving authoritarian interests, this version—wielding an American flag as a weapon—confronts during a siege at the , embodying unchecked patriotism manipulated by state power. The revival has been noted for critiquing modern patriotism, with General Glory's misogynistic dismissal of as "a girl in a " swiftly rebuked, underscoring themes of and in Tom King's run. This appearance revitalized the character for contemporary audiences, transforming his parody roots into a cautionary symbol of weaponized Americana amid DC's All In initiative.

Fictional character biography

Joseph Jones

Joseph Jones gains his enhancements through a mystical , reciting the "Lady of Liberty, hear my plea, for the land of the brave and the home of the free!" to invoke the spirit of Lady Liberty, which transforms him into the empowered persona, including donning his star-spangled and ; if the transformation is not maintained, he reverts to his frail, elderly human form. Jones's story begins as a soldier presumed lost in an mission, resurfacing in the 1990s with amnesia and manipulated by government agents until he regains his memories and joins the .

Donovan Wallace

Donovan Wallace, a police officer, became the second General Glory after inheriting the mantle from Joseph Jones in 1994. Paralyzed from the waist down following a sustained while shielding a child from gang violence, Wallace shared a hospital room with the aging Jones, who revealed his and transferred the patriotic powers upon his death from a heart attack. Wallace adopted an updated version of the powers, including adaptations like retractable wings for flight and the ability to hurl projectile stars, while serving as a against threats such as and supervillains before his eventual . The powers remained dependent on reciting a patriotic to invoke Lady Liberty and trigger the transformation, limiting their availability to moments of resolve and national duty. In his non-powered state, Wallace's persisted, potentially hindering mobility outside of active heroism, though the enhancements fully restored his physical capabilities during transformations.

2025 revival

In the storyline of (vol. 6) #18, a revamped iteration known as General Glory III emerges as a patriotic enforcer created by the U.S. , portrayed as a brainwashed tool of authority drawing on the legacy of earlier General Glory figures. The key confrontation occurs at the , where General Glory III intercepts (Diana Prince) as she demands an audience with the , the secret ruler manipulating American power structures—derogatorily dubbed the "secret King of America" in the narrative. Dismissing Diana as "a girl in a ," he engages her in combat alongside forces, showcasing exaggerated blind patriotism in his attacks. Diana swiftly defeats him with a single powerful punch, underscoring his role as an overmatched obstacle rather than a true peer. Portrayed as a brainwashed of the authorities, General Glory III fights without evident personal agency or deeper backstory, emphasizing themes of manipulated in the issue written by Tom King and illustrated by Daniel Sampere. His deployment highlights the government's desperation to suppress Diana's challenge to hidden corruption. This revival ties into broader arcs exploring justice, unchecked power, and the corruption of patriotic ideals, positioning General Glory III as a foil to Diana's principled heroism and leaving room for potential future development as a rogue agent or reformed figure.

Powers and abilities

Joseph Jones

Joseph Jones gains his superhuman enhancements through a mystical , reciting "Lady of Liberty, hear my plea — For the land of the brave — And home of the free!" to invoke the spirit of Lady Liberty, which transforms him into the empowered persona; without maintaining the transformation, he reverts to his frail, elderly human form. The uniform and helmet are part of the empowered persona. In this state, Jones possesses sufficient to lift and hurl tanks, exceptional durability that allows him to shrug off bullets and survive large-scale explosions, and enhanced stamina enabling sustained combat without fatigue. His physical prowess is complemented by expert derived from his service, including and in battle, as well as proficiency in techniques typical of elite soldiers. Jones's equipment includes his signature star-spangled , which symbolizes and is integral to the transformation process, a durable for head protection, and a versatile employed for blocking attacks or as a thrown in offensive maneuvers. Despite these capabilities, his powers are intrinsically linked to the General Glory identity, rendering him powerless and highly vulnerable outside of it; notably, he lacks flight, energy projection, or other advanced abilities, relying solely on enhanced physicality and skill for effectiveness.

Donovan Wallace

Donovan Wallace, a police officer, became the second General Glory after inheriting the mantle from Joseph Jones in 1994. Paralyzed from the waist down following a sustained while shielding a from violence, Wallace shared a room with the aging Jones, who revealed his and transferred the patriotic powers upon his death from a heart attack. Upon transformation, Wallace retained the core superhuman enhancements originally bestowed upon Jones by the spirit of Lady Liberty during , including enhanced strength capable of lifting a , superhuman speed, , , and invulnerability to small arms fire, but these manifested with personal adaptations reflecting his modern context. Distinct from Jones's ground-focused prowess, Wallace gained retractable golden wings that enabled sustained flight, allowing for aerial and that expanded the hero's tactical mobility. Additionally, he could manifest and hurl razor-sharp stars or blades as projectile weapons, often converting symbolic stars from his uniform into lethal throwing implements for ranged attacks. Wallace's skills as General Glory integrated his pre-existing police training in marksmanship, , and investigative tactics with the inherent to the persona, enabling him to blend urban precision with broader heroic maneuvers against threats like or supervillains. His equipment included an updated uniform that incorporated the retractable wings for seamless flight integration, while maintaining the iconic indestructible for defense—now complemented by an emphasis on his stars and blades as offensive tools. The powers remained dependent on reciting a patriotic to invoke Lady Liberty and trigger the transformation, limiting their availability to moments of resolve and national duty. In his non-powered state, Wallace's persisted, potentially hindering mobility outside of active heroism, though the enhancements fully restored his physical capabilities during transformations.

2025 iteration

The 2025 iteration of General Glory, introduced in Wonder Woman #18 (February 2025), possesses similar powers to previous versions, including , durability sufficient to engage in combat with high-level heroes, and the use of a patriotic for defense and offense. As a government-backed operative, no unique abilities beyond these core enhancements have been specified.

Other versions

Alternate Earths

In the DC Multiverse, the General Glory archetype has limited manifestations outside the prime continuity, primarily as thematic echoes rather than fully developed alternate counterparts. These versions emphasize patriotic heroism but lack standalone narratives diverging significantly from Joseph Jones's story. Colonel Glory is an 1980s-era superhero on New Earth with a similar star-spangled, all-American motif and superhuman abilities, including super strength, flight, and heat vision from his eyes. He collaborated sporadically with the of America while investigating organized crime, such as the Feretti family in , where he was killed by hitman Benito Gallo, who slit his throat during a confrontation. This character represents a grittier take on patriotic , referenced in later DC titles without extensive exploration. Appearances of General Glory in multiverse-spanning events are rare and typically serve as brief nods reinforcing the character's satirical roots as a parody.

Future timelines

In Justice League Europe Annual #2 (1991), part of the crossover event, the time-traveling envisions divergent futures for the roster to identify potential threats to the timeline. One such projection features Joseph Jones as General Glory emerging as a central figure in the Justice League's reformation, stepping into a role after J'onn J'onzz retires to become a mystic guru. This scenario illustrates General Glory's thematic evolution from a symbol of national patriotism to one of universal heroism, emphasizing his enduring legacy in guiding teams through temporal crises. In Lobo's Back #3 (1992), a parodic encounter depicts a battle-worn General Glory clashing with the anti-hero Lobo, who has been reincarnated in a displaced wartime , highlighting Glory's resilient prowess amid chaotic, interstellar-flavored conflicts. These stories align with DC Comics' tradition of time-travel narratives akin to -style explorations, focusing on heroism's adaptability across eras without establishing canonical ongoing futures.

References

  1. https://www.cbr.com/justice-league-general-glory-extreme-makeover/
  2. https://comicbook.com/comics/news/wonder-woman-brought-back-general-glory-captain-america-dc-comics/
  3. https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TID=103671
  4. https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?q=Justice%20League%20America%2047
  5. https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?q=Justice%20League%20America%2048
  6. https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?q=Justice%20League%20America%2049
  7. https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?q=Justice%20League%20America%2050
  8. https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?iid=3555811
  9. https://www.comics.org/issue/106446/
  10. https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/52_Vol_1_24
  11. https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Justice_Society_of_America_Vol_3_3
  12. https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Red_Hood:_Outlaw_Vol_1_43
  13. https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Wonder_Woman_Vol_6_18
  14. https://screenrant.com/wonder-woman-dc-captain-america-clone-general-glory-factoid/
  15. https://screenrant.com/wonder-woman-name-meaning-no-sense-op-ed/
  16. https://bleedingcool.com/comics/mark-waid-dc-all-in-crossover-event-we-are-yesterday/
  17. https://comicvine.gamespot.com/general-glory-jones/4005-2055/
  18. https://www.comics.org/issue/106459/
  19. https://comicvine.gamespot.com/general-glory-wallace/4005-10083/
  20. https://dcuguide.com/General_Glory_%28Donovan_Wallace%29
  21. https://geekdad.com/2025/02/review-wonder-woman-18-war-at-the-white-house/
  22. https://bleedingcool.com/comics/wonder-woman-vs-the-white-house-spoilers/
  23. https://www.theflagshipeclipse.com/2025/02/22/dc-just-brought-back-their-version-of-captain-america-but-is-he-any-match-for-wonder-woman/
  24. https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Colonel_Glory_(New_Earth)
  25. https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Hitman_Vol_1_48
  26. https://www.comics.org/issue/48967/
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