Hello, Fellow Questers!!
Thank you for joining me once more as we go on a trip in our favorite comics rocket ship, and I get to lay out a little dazzle-dazzle as I share with you some comics history and, of course, show off a bit of my humble collection!!
Today on TEX'S COMIC QUEST, we embark upon the the 5th episode in our CBCS REVEAL adventures, in which I showcase the results of my first foray into having comics slabbed with CBCS!! Today on our QUEST, let's fly high with...
THE FALCON!!!
Sam Wilson and Cap met in Captain America Vol 1, #117, when The Red Skull used the Cosmic Cube to switch bodies with Captain America, and trapped Cap on Exile Island where The Red Skull expected that his underlings would end Cap once and for all. When Cap is saved by a strange trained falcon, Cap meets, befriends, and ultimately trains its owner, Sam Wilson, of Harlem, NYC - a job-seeker who decided to come to the aid of the island-dwellers against the threat of the Red Skull and his minions. Sam Wilson becomes The Falcon, Captain America's partner of longest tenure, and one heck of a superhero in his own right. Eventually, it was revealed that Sam has a telepathic connection with all birds, especially Redwing, his mighty falcon. Besides being Cap's partner, protege, and friend, Sam has been an Avenger, a S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, and much more - he even once led the S.H.I.E.L.D. Super-Agents! However, Sam's greatest honor was being hand-chosen by Steve Rogers to become Captain America when Steve was deprived of the Super Soldier serum, and lost his youth, and most of his strength and agility.
RETCON ALERT: Sam's story has been changed a dew times times, allowing for the creation of "Snap" Wilson - the retconned criminal version of Sam which the Red Skull, with the aid of the Cosmic Cube, changes into good, clean, and wholesome "Sam," to use to destroy Captain America on the Island of Exiles. The Skull also gives him his telepathic ability to communicate with birds. Luckily, Cap is able to free Sam of The Skull's influence and takes Sam under his wing as his partner and friend.
Oh, it gets deeper.
With the exciting events of Secret Empire, it has been revealed that the Captain America that Sam Wilson knew and loved as his brother was never really on his side due to Kobik's (sentient Cosmic Cube) influence. Kobik, under the influence of The Red Skull, rewrote history to put Steve Rogers on Hydra's side. But through all this - Steve's death, resurrection, and betrayal, and a portion of America's populace not accepting him as Captain America, Sam Wilson has remained firmly on the side of the angels, doing his best to do his borough, his city, and his nation proud as both The Falcon and Captain America. His current series, The Falcon, vol 2, is absolutely stellar. In the last few years, Sam has truly stepped outside of Cap's shadow to become one heck of an A-List superhero...And one of my faves!
On, to the CBCS REVEAL:
It's my copy of Captain America #117, printed in September of 1969! It features the first appearance of The Falcon, Captain America's most enduring partner, and a man who would one day be Captain America himself!! It also features the 1st appearance of Redwing, the falcon. The Falcon is the first mainstream African-American superhero in comics. Anthony Mackie does a great job of portraying Sam in the Marvel Cinematic Universe:
I had this book grade at a 6.0, but CBCS graded it at a solid 5.0 - I'll take it. Comicspriceguide puts the value of this book at $206; however, eBay calls it at anywhere between $115 to $160, with highest asking price at $175.
Thanks for reading!!
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