Wait…There’s an Orange Avenger?

We all know the Avengers and how they’ve saved the world (and the universe)  Iron Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Hulk, Thor, and Captain America. Among the galaxy-saving elite, one Avenger never got the fame…and probably never will.

Meet Captain Citrus: Florida’s Own Avenger

Captain Citrus is the superhero alias of John Polk, a young Floridian who gains solar-based powers after discovering mysterious solar pods in his family’s citrus grove. With his newfound abilities, he teams up with Marvel’s Avengers to fight villains and, most importantly, to promote healthy habits.

Captain Citrus was created in 2014 by the Florida Department of Citrus in partnership with Marvel Custom Solutions, a special branch of Marvel Comics that handles promotional and licensed content.

Unlike Earth’s Mightiest Heroes from the big screen, Captain Citrus doesn’t belong to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Instead, he resides in the Marvel Comics Multiverse on Earth-14101.

With his sunny powers and bright orange suit, he champions “super smart choices,” especially regarding nutrition.

Limited Edition Hero

The first issue of Avengers Assemble Featuring Captain Citrus was distributed in 2014 to more than 4,000 schools across the United States and was available at the Florida Welcome Center. This limited-edition run was part of a campaign to educate children about the benefits of oranges.

The campaign behind Captain Citrus aimed to do more than just entertain; it was designed to inspire.

According to the Florida Department of Citrus, the initiative was meant to reflect the ideals the Avengers embody: trust, teamwork, and diversity.

Captain Citrus: Extreme Makeover

But this wasn’t Captain Citrus’s first appearance. Originally introduced in 2011, the first version of the character was, quite literally, an orange with a cape. A cartoonish, googly-eyed mascot meant to teach children about vitamin C.

The 2014 Marvel reboot gave him a muscular, modern superhero look, complete with a backstory, solar powers, and the credibility of sharing panels with the Avengers.

A Fruitful Connection: Captain Citrus and Orange Bird

Captain Citrus isn’t the first citrus-powered mascot to represent Florida. Decades before him came Orange Bird, a character created by Disney in the 1970s for the Florida Citrus Commission.

Orange Bird appeared in Magic Kingdom’s Adventureland and Disney marketing campaigns and was a cheerful, silent mascot known for promoting Florida oranges to families and children.

Captain Citrus and Orange Bird were created with the same goal: to promote Florida’s citrus industry’s health benefits and economic importance.

While one communicates through heroic comic-book action and solar blasts, and the other chirps silently while fluttering through theme parks, both have become colorful cultural ambassadors of Florida’s oranges.

Healthy choices have prevailed — Captain Citrus saves the day!

Captain Citrus’ mission is to show kids that, even without superpowers, they can make healthy choices and unlock the hero within themselves.

By promoting smart habits and the power of good nutrition, he proves that everyday actions can make a heroic impact.

So this National Superhero Day, skip the capes and chaos of Hollywood and raise a glass of 100% Florida Orange Juice to one of the sweetest heroes of all: Captain Citrus.