Captain America #117: Review

Sep 1969

Stan Lee, Gene Colan

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Story Name:

The Coming of…the Falcon!

Review & Comments

Rating:

Captain America #117 Review by Peter Silvestro (February 15, 2010)

First appearance of Sam Wilson/the Falcon (though his real name isn’t given until the next issue). Fourth of a six-part story.

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Synopsis / Summary / Plot

Captain America #117 Synopsis by Peter Silvestro

Captain America, trapped in the Red Skull’s body, is miraculously teleported to the isle of the Exiles by the power of the Cosmic Cube. From a hiding place in the woods, Cap overhears the Exiles plotting vengeance against their former leader for betraying them and realizes the Skull’s purpose in sending him there. The Red Skull causes Cap to fall from his hiding place in full view of the enemy. The Exiles attack the “Red Skull” but in the nick of time a falcon flies into the faces of his foes, allowing Cap the chance to get away. In the forest, Cap remembers that the Skull face is just a mask and he removes it, using clay to disguise his features in case the Exiles have seen the Red Skull’s real face. Back in New York, the Red Skull in Captain America’s body swaggers into a hotel, allowing the public to fawn over him, as part of a scheme to ruin Cap’s reputation as well.

Elsewhere MODOK has learned that the Red Skull has recovered the Cosmic Cube and sets his A.I.M. minions to finding a means of destroying it. Back on the island, Cap meets the falcon’s owner, Sam Wilson, a Harlem bird trainer, who was hired by the Exiles to teach them falconry, and only then discovered the true nature of his employers and has since been in hiding with Redwing, attempting to organize the natives into a resistance. He and Cap make common cause against the enemy and Cap suggests that Sam adopt a costumed identity to serve as a symbol to the natives… the Falcon!

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