Citizen V

Citizen V is the codename of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Citizen V
Helmut Zemo as Citizen V. Art by Mark Bagley.
Publication information
Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Daring Mystery Comics (January 1942)
Created by	Ben Thompson
In-story information
Alter ego	John Watkins
Species	Human
Team affiliations	V-Battalion Thunderbolts
Abilities	Master hand-to-hand combatant, martial artist, swordsman, and marksman Master tactician and strategist

Publication history

The original incarnation (John Watkins) first appeared in Daring Mystery Comics (Jan 1942), during the Golden Age of Comic Books.^[1] However, the identity was revived in the modern day via Thunderbolts. The various incarnations have usually been affiliated with the V-Battalion organization.

The "V" in the character's and group's name is the letter "V" - as opposed to the Roman numeral 5 - and is derived from the World War II-era slogan "V for Victory".

Fictional character biography

John Watkins

The original version of Citizen V was John Watkins, an Englishman who assisted the resistance in Nazi-occupied France.^[2] He led a group of freedom fighters called the V-Battalion.^[3] He had a relationship with Paulette Brazee, and assisted Captain America against Baron Heinrich Zemo.^[4] He was killed in action by Zemo.^[5]

Paulette Brazee

The second version of Citizen V was Paulette Brazee (also known as the She-Wolf), the French lover of John Watkins and mother of JJ Watkins. During the war, she was a spy sent to romance Baron Zemo who she betrayed and eventually discovered she was pregnant. When John and the majority of the V-Battalion were slaughtered by Zemo, the remaining survivors had Paulette smuggled to England. There Paulette met a red-headed soldier whom she married.

After the V-Battalion was reconstituted in 1951, Paulette was given the Citizen V role. The V-Battalion began hunting down Nazi war criminals and was allowed to place their secret headquarters Castle Masada in Symkaria.

In 1953, Paulette was sent on a mission to Argentina to find Nazi scientist Johann Weimer and bring the scientist to the V-Battalion so they could use the Nazi's skills for them. Weimer was murdered by one of the Everlasting, a group of gods who had frequent run-ins with the V-Battalion.^[6]

John Watkins Jr.

The third version of Citizen V is John "JJ" Watkins Jr., the alleged son of John Watkins Sr. and Paulette Brazee^[7] (although an affair between Paulette and Baron Zemo had been implied). In 1953, he was nine years old so he was presumably born in 1944. Since his father died before he was born and his mother was often away on missions as Citizen V during his childhood, JJ was primarily raised by nannies employed by the V-Battalion. In 1971, JJ asked the Shadow King for help in researching the Everlasting. JJ died when his own son was two years old.^[8]

Helmut Zemo

Main article: Helmut Zemo

Helmut Zemo took the Citizen V name for his imposture as a superhero leader of the Thunderbolts.^[9][10]

Dallas Riordan

Main article: Dallas Riordan

Dallas Riordan worked with the V-Battalion and utilized the Citizen V costume.^[11]

John Watkins III

John Watkins III was raised to be a version of Citizen V. He presumably served as a field agent for the V-Battalion before he actually took the Citizen V title and was left comatose for five years. When Helmut Zemo's mind was placed in his body, John was remarkably healthy for someone who had been in a bed for five years. When Helmut was no longer in his body, John decided to change costumes and stayed on as Citizen V. He soon found himself fighting the Everlasting. He installed ULTIMATUM as the leader of the country Rumekistan, a decision which later came back to haunt him. Under the holographic guise of Nenad Petrovic, Watkins orchestrated events to make Cable as Rumekistan's leader.

There is a mention in Citizen V (vol. 2) that he's the seventh version of Citizen V.

Roberto da Costa

Main article: Sunspot (comics)

Roberto da Costa began to lead the U.S.Avengers under the Citizen V alias.^[12]

Valentina Allegra de Fontaine

Main article: Valentina Allegra de Fontaine

Valentina Allegra de Fontaine is the new Citizen V.^[13]

Other versions

Ultimate Marvel

The Ultimate Marvel version of Citizen V (John Watkins) is depicted as a normal GI in a special uniform who rallied his men in the face of a Japanese onslaught in 1942. He was shot and killed with his blood staining the American flag. A photograph of this image was released around the world to which President Franklin Roosevelt demands a true super-soldier rather than a normal one.^[14]