r/SamWilson

Captain America: Brave New World is a modern 90’s political action throwback featuring Sam Wilson. BNW also plays more like a phase 1 Marvel movie but with better action and updated storylines. Phase 1 is an underrated phase that I actually miss because of their more grounded characters and stories with the exception of The Avengers.

This issue of Marvel Age was released on July 12, 1983

CREATING A NEW LIMITED SERIES
The FALCON
by Jim Owsley [Christopher Priest]

In the ghetto
You're on your own
Dying is easy
Nobody cares, and
No one will save you...
...but him.

Dick Gregory, a well-known black comedian and political activist, once said he'd gone to dine at a racist restaurant in the south. When the waiter brought him his meal, a roast chicken, Dick found himself surrounded by several local citizens of the redneck persuasion. These gentlemen told Dick that whatever he did to that chicken on his plate, they would in turn do to him. He said. "You gentlemen mean to tell me that whatever I do to this chicken," I'm paraphrasing here, "no matter what it is, you'll do the same to me?" The redneck gentlemen reaffirmed their statement. Well, this presented Dick with a unique opportunity; one that doesn't present itself very often. Here was a solid opportunity for Dick to make a bold statement and leave a solid impression on these people. Without another word, Dick picked up the succulent bird in both hands, and kissed it.

The Falcon has long been a mainstay of the Marvel Universe. Created in 1969 by Stan Lee and Gene Colan, the Falcon made a name for himself within the pages of CAPTAIN AMERICA. For nine years, the Falcon teamed with Cap against the likes of the Red Skull, Dr. Faustus, Batroc the Leaper, and even Spider-Man. For over a hundred issues (CAPTAIN AMERICA #117-222) the Falcon shared in Cap's many adventures, until Cap left Falcon in charge of a fledgling group of super heroes, and took off to explore his past. Aside from short stints in both the Defenders and the Avengers, the Falcon has almost retired from the Marvel Universe. That is, of course, until now.

The Falcon's real name is Sam Wilson. Sam is a social worker who lives and works in the Harlem district of Manhattan, N.Y. To me, there's a whole world of possibilities presented within just those two sentences. Harlem is full of life and energy. It's not the den of iniquity cum
enter-if-you-dare-kill-whitey type of place some people seem to think it is. Likewise, black people (especially black women) aren't nearly as loud, rude, angry, and/or violent as some people may think. I've been to Harlem, and I know more than my fair share of black people, so take it from me. I look at this series as my chance, my unique opportunity to try to explode a few of the many ridiculous stereotypes some people have placed on entire segments of our society. This is an opportunity that doesn't often present itself: a chance to take Marvel readers into the Falcon's world.

There's obviously more to the man than meets the eye. The truth is, the Falcon is a social worker in costume as well as out of it. He cares. That's the entire key to the Falcon's character; he cares. He cares about his friends, his neighbors, kids in trouble; anybody who needs help. The street people are his people. The young kids strung out on booze or drugs or running with gangs those whom society would prefer to just ignore or wish away are his prime concern. Sam Wilson is a well-educated man. He doesn't have to be a social worker, and he doesn't have to live in a poor neighborhood. But he stays. He stays because he's chosen to.

Living in the ghetto means always wanting to get out. Ask anyone who lives in a ghetto what their long range plans are. Nobody likes living in a ghetto. Living in a ghetto usually means your parents were poor and you were born poor. You grow up poor, live poor, and will probably die poor. Blacks in particular struggle on in this kind of environment almost like a society within a society. Unemployment in the U.S. may be officially listed at 10%, but the figures for blacks read more like 28%. The unemployment rate for black teenagers is an incredible 49%. Each summer schools in poor neighborhoods turn a mass of teenaged youths out onto the streets who have nothing to do. All day, all night. Nothing to do. Just waiting. I know about this first hand; I lived through it. This sort of living can give you an intense feeling of hopelessness and despair. A lot of these kids feel the need for some kind of escape. Some turn to crime. Some turn to drugs. Some try suicide.

These are the people the Falcon is out to save. Ever the idealist, Falcon refuses to admit there's no hope and likewise refuses to allow his young contemporaries to do so. Don't give up. Both as Sam Wilson and as the Falcon, our hero works within this atmosphere every day, trying to keep these kids straight. Falc's identity is public record, thanks to a much-publicized trial, so he's accessible to these people 24 hours a day. If they're not jamming his office at the US Department of Social Services, then they're waiting for him on his fire escape at home. The Falcon has played a broad, no-holds-barred role in gaining the confidence and trust of the local residents, especially the kids. He's paid some heavy dues to win this trust.

In this series, you'll see just how heavy those dues were. Through no fault of his own, Falc fails to keep a promise to one of the local youth gangs and, as a result, one of their members is killed. The bond is broken. The trust is gone. Gang hostilities towards the police and local citizens escalate to the point where the president of the United States becomes involved. Touring Harlem on a "fact-finding" mission, the president is kidnapped by the street gang who call themselves The Legion. The Falcon is then placed in the no-win situation of having to not only rescue the president, but regain the Legion’s trust amidst a sea of federal agents all looking to have these kids’ collective head on a platter. Pressure like this would most certainly do in a half-baked writer like me but the Falcon… Well, let's just say that he doesn't believe in no-win situations.

I'm real happy about this issue. I'm really happy Paul Smith penciled the first issue. Paul is a remarkably talented guy who imbued the first issue with tons of atmosphere and characters who literally lept off the page, grabbed by pen, and wrote their own lines. And all this from an L.A. fair-haired beach bum, no less. When Paul could no longer find time in his schedule to continue penciling this series (he'd signed on to do the X-Men), I found lightning does strike twice.

Mark Bright wandered into Jim Shooter's office with a proposal for a Falcon Limited Series, and Shooter quickly hustled him down the hall to me. The rest is magic. Mark and I really had a lot of fun putting this series together. I'm confident that Mark is going to be a very hot property in the comics business in a very short time. Mark's already made a name for himself among science fiction paperback book publishers for his stunning cover paintings. He has a keen sense of storytelling with a flair for the dramatic. He adds little "bits" to my plot outlines (I love artists who make me look good), gives me grief about artistic detail, and generally puts about 900% into this series.

This, then, is my golden opportunity. That once in a lifetime chance to make a bold statement and leave a solid impression on your peers. Like Dick Gregory's chicken. I can only hope that my performance was as admirable in its own way as his. Cluck. Cluck.

How does everyone feel about this because I put my opinion about it on tiktok and they are making me the bad person about how I said I didn't want Yelena to say it since Sam has the shield. Like bro I'm not trying to be rude about it, but people on there say I am and calling me ungrateful

•Strange Academy: Established in New Orleans

•Remi LaBeau (Gambit): New Orleans native, lovingly called a 'swamp rat' by his love, Rogue (Anna Marie)

•Anna Marie (Rogue): Mississippi native, has operated an Uncanny X-Men team out of New Orleans

•Captain America (Sam Wilson): Born & raised in Delacroix, Louisiana - Assists his sister in getting finances together there in TF&TWS

•Monica & Maria Rambeau's farmland, where Carol and the Khan family now reside after The Marvels, is somewhere outside New Orleans & Baton Rouge

Did I miss anyone?

I think Sam’s fighting ability should be on full display, almost in a Batman/Black Widow/Jason Bourne kinda way. Like, I didn’t hate Brave New World, but I think Sam and Mackie deserve better, and I think a way to help with that would be to emphasize Sam’s strengths, one of them being his ability to fight. Sam is a Symbol as Captain America, and while I love his message of empathy and trying to do better, I also think, since he’s not a super soldier, even though he deserves to be, that means you lean into him like Batman- he’s a human with the gumption and determination to stand next to and challenge Gods. Like, all he had was his skill and wits when he started out, and while he’s got plenty more now, I don’t think it would hurt to see that “Man of Action” vibe more and more, least imo.

Story by Jim Owsley!

Pencils by Paul Smith in issue #1 and Mark Bright for the remainder of the series!

The Falcon must prevent a gang war from destroying the city!

Along the way, he encounters a Sentinel, Electro, and the kidnapped President of the US!

Also, Captain America guest stars!

IMO, not Owsley's best work, but the art is superb throughout!

Local comic store had this.....300 dollars for Sam's first appearance. Captain America 117