Honestly, fuck Marvel and their super “edgy” let’s make Steve Rogers a nazi for shock value bullshit. So until they inevitably fix it, let’s talk about actual Captain America and all around amazing hero, Sam Wilson! Formerly the Falcon, Sam has picked up the shield and the moniker to lead the Avengers team as Captain America. Not only that, but his solo book tackles complicated issues of race, poverty, and social inequality in a way that’s endlessly satisfying. He is the Captain America we need right now and I’m here to help you start reading his stories! Click to start reading.
Please make sure to look through the rest of the BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO MARVEL COMICS series for more info on events, characters, and how to start reading Marvel comics.
What you need to know: Sam Wilson was the very first African-American hero in Marvel. He’s been an icon from the very beginning and closely tied with Steve Roger’s story as a partner and best friend. Thankfully, he’s been able to develop on his own as a hero, both in the MCU and in the comics. He originally helped Steve fight off Nazi Hydra members in his native Harlem, and took on the name Falcon to become a real hero. His past is a bit muddled and has been retconned quite a bit including being a social worker, being a stereotypical criminal who was turned good by the cosmic cube, and being a mutant (which was later rewritten to never happen). When Steve Roger’s super soldier serum finally stopped working and Steve aged rapidly, Sam became the new Captain America. Now that Steve’s back to his young self, Sam is still the real Captain America and the defacto leader of the Avengers.
Powers: In addition to his peak human strength and his technological wings that let him fly, comic Sam is telepathically linked to his falcon companion Redwing and can both communicate and control other birds.
Captain America vol 5 #1-50 (2005) – Although this focuses more on Steve, Ed Brubaker’s run on Captain America takes you through Civil War, the return of Bucky Barnes as the Winter Soldier, and Steve’s death. It’s a cornerstone of the Captain America story in Marvel and Sam plays an important role throughout the series. This is a good start for new readers.
CIVIL WAR miniseries #1-7 (2005) – The Civil War event. Sam plays a significant role in the story as Steve’s most trusted ally. He even leads the Secret Avengers against the Registration Act when Steve’s wounded. This event takes place in the middle of the Captain America series above.
Heroes for Hire vol 4 #1-12 (2011) – After the events of Shadowland where Daredevil became violently unstable, Sam joins the Heroes for Hire to tackle street level criminals in Hell’s Kitchen.
Avengers vol 5 #1-44 (2012) andCaptain America vol 7 #1-22 – During Marvel NOW!, Sam rejoined the Avengers and made cameo appearances in Captain America. This takes his story up through Secret Wars and the rapid aging of Steve Rogers when Sam steps in and becomes the new Captain America. They’re not Steve-centric books, but they can give you some background if you’re interested in reading about what’s happening in the Marvel U. If you just want to pick up a Captain America book right away, skip to the next two series.
Captain America: Sam Wilson #1-9 (2016-CURRENT) – The ongoing Captain America series where Sam leads the charge and tackles real issues of poverty, racism, and inequality. This is a great series, bolstered by my favorite Marvel superheroine, Misty Knight. Pick this up, it’s great for new readers, and keep buying it. If you want the real Captain America, this is the series.
All-New All-Different Avengers #1-9 (2016-CURRENT)– The main Avengers title and the team lead by Sam Wilson as Captain America. It features some of my favorite heroes including Nova/Sam Alexander, Ms. Marvel/Kamala Kahn, Spider-Man/Miles Morales, Thor, Iron Man, and Vision. It’s set post-Secret Wars and is the most recent Avengers team series. Please buy this!
“Well, now that we’ve drummed up publicity with Nazism, while actual Nazis are out there stabbing and killing people, let’s go back to wholesome heroism stories! Yay! Right?”
My big issue here is that Marvel thought this was an ok thing to do in the first place; it also lets me know the only reason they’re walking this back is because of fan response, and not because, well, “Hey let’s trivialize genocidal murderers it’ll be awesome”.
One of my ALL TIME favorite Captain America comics is “Man Out of Time” – a fantastically written miniseries by Mark Waid and GORGEOUSLY illustrated by Jorge Molina that retells the story of Cap coming out of the ice. It deals with the weight of loss of his removal from his own time, greiving over Bucky’s loss (and remembering him after the Brubaker soft retcon of being about 20 when he “died”).
One of the most striking moments to me is at one point in a flashback, Cap is talking to Bucky about what they want to do after the war is over. Bucky says that he always wanted to visit the Grand Canyon – he never saw it – and it is a part/represents of what they’re fighting the war for.
At the end of the comic, as Cap has some time to himself, he travels to the Grand Canyon for Bucky, as a way to deal with his loss, and this moment happens:
And, well, this moment always gets me. Steve going there, drawing Bucky, and “showing him” the Grand Canyon in the only way he can. It’s his way to try to start to move forward.
It was always a dream of mine to see an epilogue, of Steve being actually able to take him there in person after he finds out he’s still alive. This weekend, I was able to make that a reality.
I had the distinct privilege to be able to commission Jorge Molina himself (the original artist of Man out of Time), at Wizard World New Orleans for just that scene, and here it is:
I am BLOWN AWAY by the work he did – this is a traditional media piece, done in inks and copic markers, and the values he worked in, the expressions, the dynamic pose that conveys the awe of the location, and yet still have it be a tender, quiet moment between the two of them. in the Grand Canyon, Steve with the sketchbook, hand squeezing Bucky’s shoulder, both masks off and taking in the natural majesty of the canyon.
And God, to see Bucky looking honest-to-god /HAPPY/.
;__________;
Thank you SO much, Jorge, this is everything I could have wanted and more.
Maybe I’ll be able to (ditigally) color this some day 🙂
Tumblr Exodus 