Captain America: Brave New World Trailer, My Thoughts

The Mighty Marvel Cinematic Universe marches on, and we're not entering a Brave New World! That's right! After Sam Wilson fully took up the mantle of Captain America in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, he;s heading for his latest high-flying adventure! Let's look at the trailer!

Oh God, why is Isaish Brdley in jail?! He wasn't even at that party! Friggin' cops!

(seriously)

God, I'd rather have Thaddeus Ross as President right now. He'd be a lot better than...what is coming next.

(shudder)

Yeah, it's pretty clear that Isaiah was brainwashed. Or a certain Miss Harkness was in the mood to be a jerk...

I wouldn't have called the Chitauri invasion a war, per se. Unless Ross was referring to Afghanistan. 

Sam Wilson may not be Steve Rogers, but he is Captain America.

(salute)

Oh ho, superhero landing! That ruled!

(thumbs up)

Weaponizing the shockwave! That was awesome!

(woo-hoo)

I love that dual-shot of Ross and Cap. 

I think we just saw the Leader. 

Oh my God, Tiamat from Eternals! 

You know, in the comics, Sidewinder (who Giancarlo Esposito is playing in this movie), has a teleporting cloak. Basically, the cloak has gadgetry in it that allows him to teleport anything he wraps in it away. I wish they let him have that here. That would rule. Maybe they can make it into a coat here. A stylish coat. Even give it the high collar like in the comics.

That's what happens when Ross doesn't get his coffee. Or when someone asks Harrison Ford about Star Wars lore.

DUDE, HE JUST CUT THROUGH THE CAR WITH HIS WINGS! THAT WAS AWESOME! 

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Final Trailer, My Thoughts

It's almost here! That's right! The Disney+ miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is almost here! The show will be premiering on March 19. In fact, that's this upcoming Friday! So, in order to build some last minute hype, Marvel Studios has released one last trailer for it! Let's take a look!

Ooh, I would not want to be that tree.

It's cool to see Sam practice his shield-slinging. Every Cap worth their salt has mastered the fine art of shield-slinging. He's even flipping like Steve!

It appears one of the arcs of this mini-series is Sam struggling with the mantle he's been asked to take up. It's understandable why. Steve left some very big shoes to fill, and it can feel like you're in over your head if you're asked to be the next Captain America. But I don't think Steve would have chosen Sam if he didn't believe Sam could handle it.

Wise words from Sam here.

Ah, it looks like we're getting some elements from Mark Gruenwald's run on Cap in the 80s here. That's great! That run is fantastic and deserves a lot more love.

Ah, we see the clip of John Walker as Cap again. 

That clip seems to imply that our little miss Flag-Smasher may be driven by some kind of personal tragedy. The original Flag-Smasher, Karl Morgenthau, was Swiss in the comics. Maybe this version is Sokovian?

It's great that we'll finally see Zemo wearing the purple mask from the comics. 

Man, do not mess with Bucky Barnes. You will eat wall.

I get the impression here that Sam and Karli's facing-off is a tragic one. Maybe Karli feels the Flag-Smashers are the only way to get...whatever she wants.

I hope Sharon Carter gets plenty of spotlight here. It was a shame she didn't get to shine much in the previous movies.

Bucky and Sam are going to be best friends after this. Bet on it.

Well, I liked this trailer. And I am pretty hyped about the upcoming series. You can bet I will be watching it on the day it drops! Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, get vaccinated, and wear a mask! See you next time!

Falcon and the Winter Soldier Full Trailer, My Thoughts

 Back in December of last year, I gave my thoughts on the first look at the upcoming Disney+ series Falcon and the Winter Soldier. In the series, set after the events of Avengers: Endgame, Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes embark on an epic globetrotting adventure as they battle a group known as the Flag-Smashers. Meanwhile, the United States government has plans to introduce their own Captain America in the wake of Steve Rogers's...retirement. Yup, our two heroes have a lot on their hands to deal with. Let's look at the trailer!

Ooh, I think that psychiatrist is going to be hitting the bottle after the session with these two.

But in all seriousness, I wonder if this is how the series will actually go down, Bucky and Sam talking to the psychiatrist about how everything went down.

Falcon: "Plan? I'm the Falcon! I don't do plans!" 

I've heard that this city might be Madripoor.

It makes sense that Baron Zemo would be the villain here. If he learned that the Avengers had managed to reunite to stop Thanos, I can imagine he would...not take it well.

Yeah, kinda like that, only a LOT more shaking. I can imagine that Zemo's rage about this has twisted him quite a bit and made him into more of a straight-up monster.

You know, that young lady there has been given a bit of focus in these trailers, and I have heard a theory that she may be the MCU's version of Synthia Schmidt. But in actuality, she is playing Karli Morgenthau. In the comics, the original Flag-Smasher was a Swiss man named Karl Morgenthau. Nice little nod there. Also, she's the same actress who played Enfyn Nest in Solo. Yeah, Erin Kellyman. I enjoyed Solo.

Could Rhodey be among those men in uniform there? I mean, he did fight alongside Bucky and Sam in that big final battle in Endgame as well as in the Battle of Wakanda during Infinity War. We also know he's getting a Disney+ miniseries in the future, so maybe it will spin-off from here? 

I like that shot of Sam with the big poster of Captain America. Gives the idea that he's still looming over the MCU. Also, on his left. Ha.

"We're fightin' in the club, and we don't know why!" 

Fly, Falcon! Fly to freedom!

Hey, Sharon Carter! I always thought it was a bit of a shame that she never really got to shine much in the Captain America movies. That's what I love about these Disney+ miniseries. They give the lesser-known characters in the MCU a chance to shine like Jimmy Woo and Darcy Lewis in WandaVision. I ma kind of hoping they bring back Justin Hammer in Ironheart and/or Armor Wars. 

Sharon Carter layin' a smackdown! ...she should pick up that baton. You never know if you need it again.

Gotta give John Walker credit. Man can make an entrance.

Falcon forming his wings into a bulletproof shield is pretty cool.

You can see a bit of buddy comedy influence in Sam and Bucky's interactions here. I like it.

You know that song keeps asking us if we're ready. Yes. We're ready!

I bet that poor psychiatrist was thinking "How did Rogers put up with you two idiots?"

I liked this trailer! I didn't reveal a whole lot, but that's okay. It teased us perfectly. And the music got me hyped. I want to see this! I can't wait for it to finally arrive! I do hope they release the six episodes like they have been doing for WandaVision, once per week. It would allow the show to stick in people's heads for a long time. The song in the trailer has asked me if I'm ready. Well, I am ready. I am so ready for this show!

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves, and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, and wear a mask! See you next time! 

Falcon and the Winter Soldier Trailer, My Thoughts

When the Avengers reached their endgame, it marked the end of an era for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We said goodbye to some of our heroes, but we also saw a legacy get passed on, particularly the legacy of Captain America. And now two men close to Steve Rogers are going on an adventure of their own.

Yes, back in September 2018, it was announced that Marvel Studios was working on some miniseries set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to be streamed on Disney's streaming service, Disney+. These miniseries would focus on characters in the MCU that never got starring roles in their own films. Among them was The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, a six-episode series that would see Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan reprise their roles as Sam Wilson and James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes as they face off against a group known as the Flag-Smashers. Let's look at the trailer!

Sam, if you think the legacy of Captain America is complicated here, you should look at the comics!

Trust me, a lot of people wielded the shield in the comics. 

Looks like Sam and Bucky are going on a roadtrip! Whoo-hoo!

I do think it makes a ton of sense that these guys are fighting a group called the Flag-Smashers. In the comics, the Flag-Smasher (especially the original Karl Morgenthau incarnation) was a man who believed in a world without borders, without nations. What better foil for a pair of characters who were connected to a man who was seen as a symbol of a nation?

Love Sam's fancy briefcase there. I'm betting he keeps his Falcon suit in it. Tony Stark's influence remains after he's gone...

Bucky's statement about people needing someone to get behind kind of reminds me of Phil Coulson's conversation with Captain America in the first movie. 

And yes, Daniel Bruhl is back as Helmut Zemo! Is that Bucky's hand? The hand certainly looks robotic.

I'm guessing that halftime-looking show is for introducing the new Captain America. I'm assuming that it's John Walker, played by Wyatt Russell. If you want to learn more about him, I suggest you read my reviews of  here and here.

Bucky has never quite the hang of clubbing.

That highfive has to be a nod to Predator.

Awesome knife flip!

Loving Falcon's new suit. It looks real snazzy.

Come on, Bucky! You can't tell me you aren't used to this madness by now!

OH MAN, THAT FLYING SEQUENCE WAS EPIC!

Ah, that banter between them was glorious. I always enjoyed their banter.

I have to admit, I am quite excited for this. I think the Captain America MCU trilogy is one of the best trilogies in film. As such, I was very excited for this series. I cannot wait for this mini-series! Let's go!

Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, and wear a mask! See you next time!

Infinity War Trailer, My Thoughts

Next year, we will be celebrating the tenth birthday of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In 2008, the Golden Avenger, Iron Man, made his live-action film debut, to massive critical and fan praise. In a post-credits scene, Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury uttered two sentences that drove fans into a shocked frenzy.

"Mr. Stark, you have become part of a bigger universe." "I'd like to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative."

Like many comic fans at the time, when I heard that, my jaw dropped. I remember seeing this scene in a drive-in with my dad, and I was shocked. They had bigger plans. MUCH bigger plans. They were not just hoping to do a sequel to Iron Man, they wanted to use this movie to launch what many people would have thought was insane: A cinematic universe. A series of films that were interconnected, that had one goal: To bring Earth's Mightiest Heroes together in live-action film for the first time.

Fast-forward four years. The Avengers made their feature film debut, becoming the biggest-grossing film of 2012, grossing one and a half billion dollars at the box office. In a mid-credits scene, we see The Other tell a figure that to fight the Avengers was to court death. And the figure's response? Thanos grins. This was big. Phase One of the MCU was over. This was the beginning of Phase Two. It's goal...an epic battle with Thanos, the Mad Titan himself.

Over the next six years, the MCU would continue to grow. The Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, the Winter Soldier, Spider-Man, and on the way, The Wasp, and the Carol Danvers Captain Marvel will be making their film debuts, alongside Black Panther's solo movie. The Cinematic Universe would grow to television, focusing on SHIELD, the Inhuman Royal Family, Cloak and Dagger, the Runaways, and the Defenders.

The films spent the last six years building up to a big brawl with Thanos. And now, in 2018, the Infinity War will arrive. And here's the trailer.

The trailer begins with a call-back to the first Avengers movie, Nick Fury's explanation for why he formed the Avengers. It's uttered by various characters.

I wonder whose hand Tony is holding there?

And we see Bruce Banner back on Earth...with Doctor Strange and Wong meeting him. Hmm, I wonder...did at some point between Thor: Ragnarok and this movie, Bruce Banner and Hulk come to some kind of concession regarding their shared existence? I bet Strange is thinking the universe is going on a massive bender right now.

Hey, I like the Vision's new more human appearance. I hope he uses the alias "Victor Shade". He used that name for a while in the comics. Thor on his spaceship. And Natasha Romanoff is a blonde now. That makes sense she'd change her hair, she has been living in exile since the events of Captain America: Civil War.

Peter Parker is heading to school, and his arm hairs stand on end. This must be the MCU's take on his Spider-Sense. He sees a big metal ring. Yup, New York is going to get invaded again. Hopefully, they learned from last time and got some good evacuation plans set in.

Loki's got the Tessaract! He also appears to be stepping over bodies, maybe the ship he and the other Asgardians got attacked? Would make sense, considering Thor: Ragnarok. I hope Korg, Miek, and Valkyrie don't die.

Here's Thanos! He forgot his hat, he was probably coming by to see if anyone has seen it.

Really liking Spider-Man's armor there. Also like that it pays homage to Ben Reilly's Spider-Man costume.

Black Panther calling for an evacuation. Yeah, considering how advanced Wakanda is, I would not be surprised if they have procedures in place for alien invasion. Bearded Cap.

Big brawl in Wakanda, folks! Step right up! See the Battle of the Century! Black Panther's Pulverizers vs. a Child of Thanos!

Oh my God, Thanos is going Homer Simpson on Spidey!

Ouch, Vision is going to be in for a world of hurt. Not surprising, since he has an Infinity Stone in his head.

Tony Stark just got punched so hard that I was surprised he wasn't knocked back to 1955.

Oh MAN, that scene of the heroes charging in Wakanda was awesome! And I liked the appearance by Danai Gurira as Okoye. I just realized something. Black Panther is going to be set after Infinity War. It makes sense. The trailers made no mention of the Avengers hiding out in Wakanda during that movie, so we can assume that Black Panther's solo comes afterwards so they don't have to explain what happened to them because this film will.

THOR MESTS THE GUARDIANS! I like that Mantis gave Thor a little wave. That's adorable.

I LOVED this trailer! I saw it several times today. Ten years ago, nobody thought something like this would happen. Now, it's become a reality. Although, I can't help but wonder. After Thanos...what's next?

Captain America and the Falcon #175 (July 1974)

In the 1970s, America was in a bit of upheaval. Particularly, the Watergate scandal, which would lead to the downfall of the presidency of Richard Nixon. As creative types, were wont to do, they drew inspiration from the scandal. Steve Englehart was no different. He was writing Captain America at the time, and as he said himself, he was writing a character who believed in America's ideals when the President was a crook. As such, this story came about. So, let's take a look at the climactic issue of Captain America's original battle with the Secret Empire.

The cover is pretty decent. The top is a bit busy with the masthead that has the title logos and images of the characters. The cover image is really cool, with Cap brawling with Moonstone and Number Two in front of the White House. However, Number Two's helmet doesn't match the actual comic.

"...Before the Dawn!"
Writer: Steve Englehart
Artist: Sal Buscema
Inker: Vince Colletta
Letterer: Artie Simek
Colorist: Petra Goldberg
Editor: Roy Thomas

The issue begins with Number One, the head of the Empire, gloating over the supposedly dead Captain America, Falcon, and the X-Men's Professor X, Cyclops, and Marvel Girl.

Yeah, during the storyline, the Secret Empire kidnapped a whole bunch of mutants, and Cap teamed up with the still-free X-Men members to rescue them.

Also, during that time, the X-Men actually didn't have their own book. Their book had been cancelled, and they were reduced to guest stars in other books. Yup, there was a time in the MU when the X-Men didn't hog all the spotlight and have nearly ten books focused on teams and solo members. Number One's cronies take their bodies and unceremoniously dump them in a basement.

However, Cap wakes up, and sees two of Number One's said cronies. He leaps up to throw some American punches, but they stop him, explaining they're friends. They unmask to prove it.

It's Gabe Jones and Peggy Carter! The former Howling Commando and resistance fighter have infiltrated the Secret Empire for SHIELD to gather info so they can be brought down. Jones tricked Number One by setting the gun so it would stun Cap and his allies.

Jones explains that the Secret Empire, much like Advanced Idea Mechanics, were one part of HYDRA, but they decided to pull a WWWF on the National Wrestling Alliance (Pro wrestling historians will get that joke), and go solo and do their own thing. Jones then recounts their battles with the Hulk (Tales to Astonish #81-82), and Namor (Tales to Astonish #83-84), which led to the original Number One blowing himself up. With that, and Gabe Jones's efforts, the Secret Empire collapsed.

However, the Empire pulled a Force Awakens and made a comeback under a brand new Number One. As such, SHIELD asked Gabe Jones to reinfiltrate them. Gabe was able to worm his way deep enough he was able to bring in Peggy Carter as backup.

They have to move, as the Empire now has the Electro-Gyro, a gadget that would allow the Empire to achieve its goal. Elsewhere, the Empire are placing a disk with captive mutants attached to it on to a saucer craft.

The Electro-Gyro has been installed, allowing the Empire to steer the craft. So what are the mutants for? Well, they're the batteries for the saucer. According to Number Three, the saucer will be powered by "X-Waves", energies mined from the mutants' brains by special machines. Huh. So, evidently, according to this comic, mutants' brains can generate a special energy.

That's...kinda weird. Thing is, the human body does use electrical signals to make the muscles work and do things, including making the heart beat. Is that what the basis for this here? That for mutants, this "Bioelectricity" is somehow different? This is a headscratching thing right here. The Secret Empire's nameless...or should I say, numberless mooks, board the craft and take off, ready to use it to conquer the USA.

In Washington DC, the Lloyd Bloch Moonstone and Quentin Harderman, the man who used his advertising skills to turn people against Captain America (long story), watch the saucer land, gloating over how no one can stop them now.

The press and the military gather around the saucer, prepared to cover the story and defend the nation. The saucer's door opens.

Credit where credit is due, Number One knows what he wants. The Army says "nuts" to his demand for surrender, and fire on the saucer. Their weapons have no effect, thanks to the saucer's powerful forcefield, again somehow generated by mutants. Moonstone then flies in, and puts on the whole "No one is mightier than America and I will stop you" act. The saucer sends out Number Two, a costumed warrior in a big metal helmet.

I wonder how he moves his head in that helmet. The Empire's act continues, with Number Two claiming that his helmet gives him the same powers his ship does, and Moonstone's all "Bring it on, mothertrucker!" The two fight, and Number Two seemingly defeats Moonstone and frog-marches him into the ship. Inside, the two chuckle about their deception. Moonstone leaves the ship, saying that they cannot beat the invaders, and America must surrender to the Secret Empire. Number One re-emerges, announcing that atomic devices are being placed in various places across the country, and if the nation does not surrender in a half-hour, they will be detonated.

Inside the ship, some subterfuge is going down. Gabe Jones and Peggy Carter open a hatch, revealing Captain America, Falcon, Cyclops, and Jean Grey. Evidently, the SHIELD agents managed to somehow sneak the superheroes on board. One question I have is...where's Charles Xavier? Did they just leave him behind? The heroes sneak their way to the saucer's control room. and they charge in.

They make quick work of the guards, and shut down the saucer. Intereestingly, Cyclops remarks that Xavier couldn't join the fight. Where did he go, then? Is he back at the Secret Empire's base? The heroes couldn't have taken him home, they didn't have the time. Anyway, with the saucer disabled, the two X-Men can now rescue the other mutants. Cap tells Falcon to go with them and help them clean out the place and find out where the atomic devices are, while he heads outside.

Number One is unaware of what's going on, as he is gloating. He gets ambushed by Captain America. Falcon and the X-Men leave the saucer, having found the devices' locations. Moonstone runs his mouth, and Cap gives him an EPIC TACKLE.

The two fight, while the narration talks about how Cap defeats Moonstone because the Sentinel of Liberty has more determination and spirit. However, I also like to think that Captain America is helped by the fact that he is a trained hand-to-hand combatant with a nearly indestructible shield. Moonstone may have superpowers, but that doesn't mean he has the best training in how to use them wisely in combat.

Anyway, Cap hands Moonstone a can of American whupping. Quentin Harderman tries to throw Moonstone under the bus, claiming the superhuman duped him. However, Moonstone is all like, "Oh, no! I am not going down alone for this, man!", basically saying Harderman not just was in on it, but was the mastermind. Because the media cameras are still there, they pick up Moonstone's confession, exposing the entire scheme to discredit Cap and conquer America.

Number One attempts to make his escape, but Cap spots him and gives chase. He pursues the mysterious mastermind into the White House. You'd think the Secret Service would be trying to stop Number One from trying to get into the White House considering that's where the President lives and works. Maybe considering the original plan for this story...

Cap manages to catch Number One in the Oval Office, and rip off his hood.

Yeah, Number One was intended to be President Nixon. I am not kidding. This story was inspired by Watergate, so appropriately, the President in the Marvel Universe would end up being a sort of  supervillain, the head of a conspiracy to conquer a country. According to Englehart himself, he made the choice to deliberately keep vague the identity of Number One because he was uncertain if Marvel would let him do it.

Interestingly, Cap from around this point in time would be one of the characters in Avengers Forever, and Wasp remarked that it was some nameless high government official in this story.

Back to his, Number One states that the power in his position was not enough for him, and he wanted more. Much more. Thus, the official gambled on the Secret Empire to cause a coup to get the power he craved. Since the gamble failed, he's going to cash in his chips.

With a bullet. Cap then dejectedly walks out of the White House. He's in a funk. He knew his country had faults and flaws, but he always believed that in the end, people in the government worked to make things better. Yeah, sure. Dirty tricks and corrupt politicians didn't exist in the 1940s. Sure.

This issue was...pretty decent to pretty good. It does continue a tradition Cap does in his stories, and that's reflect the times they were printed in. Only appropriate that Cap tell a story inspired by the biggest American political scandal of the 1970s. The dialogue can be a bit...hammy at times, but it comes with the territory of comics made in this time. Cap's disillusionment is a bit...sudden, though. However, it works for the story. Sal Buscema puts in some really good art. Some of the panels have a bit of a Jack Kirby vibe to them, which is really neat.

Next time, we return to Earth-712, where we continue our look at the downfall of the Squadron Supreme...

Falcon #4 (February 1984)

Ahh, finally! Finally we are going to finish looking at the 1980s Falcon miniseries. I had originally intended to review this miniseries in honor of Black History Month back in February and because Falcon was a character in the then-upcoming Captain America: Civil War. However, life and laziness got in the way, and it resulted in the mini taking a LOT longer to review than I thought.

For the sake of catching up, here are the links for the previous issue: Issue 1, Issue 2, Issue 3. I suggest you read those first before this one.

Caught up? Good! Then let's begin our look at Falcon #4!

The cover of the issue is one that I think is really nice. We see Electro grabbing a beaten Captain America, bragging and running his mouth about how tough he is and how no one con stop him. However, someone is tapping his shoulder, and it's the Falcon. It's a pretty neat cover, and it shows that basically Electro is going o have his happy little lightning-throwing butt handed to him. Let's get to the story itself!

"Resurrection"
Writer: Jim Owsley
Pencils: Mark Bright
Inks: Mike Gustovich
Colorist: Stephen Mellor
Letterer: Clem Robins
Editor: Larry Hama

The story begins with Electro on a rampage, blasting into the Legion's headquarters, demanding the President.

The Legion decide to be idiots here and get all "We ain't gonna tell you squat, man!". Surely you'd think that in the Marvel Universe, street gangs would be aware of who Electro is. I'm sure he was on the news in full costume at this point. He's one of Spider-Man's regular punching bags. Geez. Electro is none too happy with the Legion's mockery, and zaps one of the members to make his point.

"Do I LOOK like a cosplayer to you?"

Meanwhile, Tork and Captain America are getting ready to raid a garage, that was meant to be a trap for Falcon. Tork comes off as an arrogant moron in this moment. He seems to have NO IDEA who Captain America is, and acts like he's just some wannabe in a clown costume. This is CAPTAIN AMERICA, Tork! What's wrong with you?! Or maybe he's trying to come off as "too cool to hang around Cap". Either way, he's a moron here.

Tork and Cap manage to beat the ambush, simply because they're punks and he's Cap.

"Boys, I've fought tougher than you! Ever met Doughboy?!"

They move on. Falcon finally wakes up himself, and asks the gang members Electro attacked. Still angry at Sam over the march disaster, the Legion tells him nothing. Luckily, Redwing had tailed Electro, so Sam is still able to find him. Electro finds his way to the garage that Cap and Tork are rampaging through, needing a recharge. The battle with Falcon drained much of his electrical power supply, so he needs some juice. He rips a wire and absorbs the power.

"By the power of Grayskull, I HAVE THE POWERRRRRRR!"

Cap and Tork notice the lights dimming, and get surrounded by the Legion. Cap easily dispatches the Legion, to find one Legionnaire holding a gun to the President's head, the President tied up to a chair and a bag over his head. Hope that thing is at least thin enough to let him BREATHE through. Electro manages to get recharged, then melts his way through the garage roof, ambushes Cap and takes him out, and then turns towards the President. I can't help but wonder what Electro's plan here is. He wants the give the Falcon some payback for the last time they fought, but what does he want with the President? Huh. Anyway, Falcon flies in and wallops Electro real good.

"Here I come to save the dayyyyyy!"

Electro is furious, and zaps Tork, who has him at shotgun point. He then pursues Sam to a parking garage, where he continues trying to fry our avian-themed hero. Electro then stumbles on an idea, hearing the machinery of Falcon's wings. He realizes that Falcon's wings are mechanical (The flight harness he was using at the time was created by Black Panther for him), and he can control the electricity making the harness work. Fun fact, readers: Before he became the villainous Electro, Maxwell Dillon was an electrical engineer and a lineman. I actually liked this part, as it showed that Electro is smarter than he often gets credit for, and even though he is a villain, he still would find a use for his knowledge.

Thanks to this, Falcon is forced to ditch his wings, and use his acrobatic skills to evade Electro. Redwing distracts Electro by using his talons to slice his back. This allows Falcon to blast him with a water hose, shorting out his powers.

"Hey Electro! Have a drink on me!"

Despite his loss of powers, Electro still thinks he can take Sam on. Throughout their encounters, Electro has constantly called Falcon an "amateur". However, Sam fixes that perception.

"Hope you like my knuckle sandwich! Special family recipe!"

Sam carries off a tied-up Electro (presumably tied up with the fire hose), encountering a recovering Cap and Tork. Cap reveals he was up for a bit, and Tork is coming around. Sam wonders why Cap didn't help him, and Cap explains that he didn't think Sam needed his help. Thanks, Steve.

The three then walk into the room where Xeon, the Legion's leader, has the President at gunpoint. Sam convinces Cap to let him talk to him. Sam convinces Xeon to simply talk to the President and tell him about the issues of the streets. He removes the hood, revealing Ronald Reagan, who was President at the time.

"Son, The Viper will turn me into a snake man and I will fight Cap in a future comic. You don't scare me."

Don't laugh. That really happened. That comic exists. Captain America #344, look it up.

Xeon tells the President about some of his fellow Legionnaires and how they had to struggle in the streets of New York City, and how Falcon has helped them out. The cops burst in, and Reagan tells the cops he's in a conference. Thing is, Xeon may have been able to get an audience with the President, but he kidnapped him and put a gun to his head. Unless Reagan pardons him and the Legion, I think their future is going to be mighty bleak.

We then end this on Cap, Falcon, and Tork watching TV, Reagan saying he promises to sponsor sone new legislation presumably inspired by his talking with the Legion. Hopefully, he also plans to issue a pardon for them, too. Cap leaves, and Falcon gets a visitor: Rachel, the woman he saved in Issue 2.

"Thought I'd just be forgotten, huh?"

In a funny moment, Tork is left pouting as Sam and Rachel go out.

"Bah! Screw Sam and Steve! I still have my TV!"

Sam then invites Tork, and the three leave to probably have some laughs.

This issue wasn't bad. It tied up all the loose ends, and the end with Sam and Tork was funny.

I felt this mini-series had two big flaws. One was that the mini didn't have an over-arcing story. It just felt like three stories were slapped together and passed off as a mini. The other was a lack of a consistent artist for all four issues. Don't get me wrong, the mini did have some good artists on it, but the changing artists did hurt the mini's consistency. If you do find the Falcon trade, pick it up. It also includes the Falcon's origin story and some backup tales. It also has a really good cover by Frank Miller, believe it or not. Don't worry, it was from when he was still good.

You know, I had a thought. Spider-Man is in the MCU. So is Falcon. If Marvel Studios and Sony were able to make a deal to bring Spidey into the MCU, that means Marvel may also get to use his villains...including Electro. It could be possible to see Falcon and Electro duke it out in the MCU. They could use this mini-series as a basis for a Falcon solo film, with Electro as the main villain. I'd love to see that.

Falcon #3 (January 1984)

Hello, and we're back to reviewing the Falcon's 1980s mini-series. I have previously reviewed issues one and two, and now we're going to look at issue three! So far, the mini-series has been pretty good. The first issue was merely okay, but the second was a more fun read. Hopefully, the third issue is a real charm.

The cover is an interesting one, if a bit generic. It's a close-up of the Falcon's face, with Redwing on his shoulder. It's well-drawn, and it's an attention getter.

"Faith!"
Writer: Jim Owsley
Pencils: Mark Bright
Inks: Mike Gustovich
Letters: Rick Parker
Colors: Stephen Mellor
Editor: Larry Hama
Editor-In-Chief: Jim Shooter

The issue starts out with an awesome full page-spread of the Falcon and Redwing flying through a city in flames.

"I've heard of a hot time in the city, but this is ridiculous!"

The city is in flames, and Sam has been working hard to help how he can. He thinks the fires may have been started by The Legion, the gang whose march turned into a riot thanks to a dumb cop. Sam is getting people out of burning buildings, and hears that there is an old man who is trying to save the items from his store as it is burning.

Sam bursts in and saves the old man, and in true action film style, the store blows up.

"I wish I could think up a cool store-related pun right now."

Meanwhile, a mysterious tenant is watching Sam and thinks the avian-themed hero has discovered he is in the area. It's revealed to be Max Dillon, aka Electro, one of Spider-Man's Rogues Gallery.

"Curse you, Falcon! Even though I gave you no indication I was here!"

He was laying low waiting to make his big comeback, but the paranoid elctrokinetic thinks Falcon may be somehow on to him...even though he has done nothing to get Sam's attention.

Sam finally returns home after a long day, only to find Sgt. Tork waiting for him and a pair of tied-up Legionnaires.

"Tork, you are into some weird stuff, man."

Tork explains he caught them about to graffiti Sam's home, and suggests giving them a beating. Sam refuses and unties the kids, saying that he has never been unfair with the kids, but the Legionnaires kick Sam and Tork and flee. However, Sam suits up and catches up with them, saying he wants to talk. Tork also catches up...with a shotgun, enraged that the kids hit them.

Sam implores Tork to back off. However, Tork pushes a button, saying that Falcon is so forgiving towards others because he never forgave himself for his days as drug dealer "Snap" Wilson. He then tells Sam he himself has a job to do, too.

"One day, Rick Remender will retcon all this 'Snap' stuff away..."

The next day, it's revealed that the President is coming to Harlem for a "fact-finding" mission. One person snidely remarks it's a "vote-finding" mission. Ha! Meanwhile, Falcon is visiting the storeowner he rescued, wanting to cheer him up a bit after losing everything. He finds that the storeowner, Mr. Brown, has fled his room, and is on the ledge outside.

Sam takes off his wings and joins him. Mr. Brown explains that he literally has nothing left thanks to the fires destroying his store. Sam sympathizes, talking about how he went bad and became "Snap" after his parents died, and his encounter with the Cosmic Cube that changed him. He tells him that he sometimes doesn't know who he is, but he continues his life on, because he can't give up. The pep talk helps, and Mr. Brown goes back inside.

Max Dillon watches this, and is convinced Falcon and SHIELD set it up in an attempt to draw him out. He vows to take the Flacon out next time they cross paths. Electro needs to calm his butt down.

Meanwhile, the President's little "fact-finding" tour is in full swing...in the form of his being driven through town in the Presidential limo. The signal is given, and the Legion attacks.

"It's Michael Bay time!"

The Legion attack, and in the confusion, they manage to kidnap the President. Yeah. A street gang managed to get past the Secret Service. Yup. Not surprising, this is the same people that couldn't catch a couple gatecrashers at a Presidential party. Falcon flies in, and figures the Legion managed to escape through the sewers...even though they could've used the alleys to escape, considering we can assume the Legion knows the neighborhood like the back of their hands. Falcon gets blasted, and Electro reveals himself.

"I know how to make a SHOCKING entrance!"

You know, I LOVE Electro's classic costume.  I do get it would look silly in live-action, but I would love to see this suit back in cartoons and comics. They fight, but Falcon realizes that as long as he stays in the air, Electro's blasts can't hurt him because he's not grounded. Yeah, I don't think that's how it works.

Falcon realizes he has n time to fight Electro and flies off...you'd think that he'd just knock the guy out first before leaving, but luckily a Secret Service agent is there. Did Falcon know that guy was there? Falcon flies to an old dead factory which the Legion uses as a stronghold.

Back at the Precinct, Tork realizes something isn't quite right. He goes up to a couple of young gang members who look like much older men due to the art, and realizes that they were not at Sam's apartment to steal his TV, but to give Sam info to set him up for a hit. Wait, Tork caught them graffiting Sam's home. Why is saying they were after his TV? The gang members defiantly remind Tork that they are underage, as such, they don't have to talk to him.

Tork decides to take a page from Dirty Harry. He tears up the boys' arrest reports and "suggests" that they "accidentally" fall down some stairs and break their legs. They spill the beans, and Tork realizes that the Legion intend to kill Sam. Back at the factory, Sam tries to talk to the Legion, but they're more interested in trying to shoot him. Electro also shows up, and they fight. You'd think that the Legion would want to still try and shoot Falcon while he's distracted, but I'm assuming they can't get a bead on him because of how he's moving.

"Falcon PAWNCH!"

Electro is able to beat Falcon, but he feels the effects of Falcon's punches and goes down himself.

"I won! I won...I go nappy time now..."

The issue ends with a man visiting Sgt. Tork. Who is that man? Why, it's the Star-Spangled Man With A Plan, the Sentinel of Liberty, Captain America!

"I'm here to deliver some FREEDOM and JUSTICE!"

This issue was...not that bad. I loved the idea of Falcon battling Electro. I also liked the scene with Falcon comforting Mr. Brown and convincing him not to take his own life. I thought that also helped show what kind of man Sam Wilson is, he isn't someone who just punches criminals, he wants to bring a little hope to people in an area this is depicted as needing some. It thought that was a nice scene. Captain America's appearance in the end was a nice surprise, but I wonder how he knew Falcon needed some help. Wait, did he hear about the riots on the news? Maybe the next issue will reveal that.

I thought the story itself was...okay. It wasn't bad, and I honestly can't think of much else to say about it, really. Mark Bright's pencils are pretty good. The battle with Electro was good, but I feel somewhat the he was thrown in a little bit to bring some superhero action into the mini, even though we already got some with Falcon fighting the messed up Sentinel.

My one major complaint with this story is something that I've had an issue with this entire mini so far: There's no over-arcing story. If Electro was the main villain of the mini, then his appearance would have a point. But still the issue wasn't ruined for me. It's a good issue with good artwork, and it's cool seeing Captain America make an appearance, considering his connections to Falcon. I hope the final issue makes one fun team-up!

Falcon #2 (December 1983)

Hello, and welcome once again to Classic Comic Showcase! This time, we are going to continue our look at the Falcon's 1980s miniseries because, well...why not? If you want to read my review of the first issue, it can be found right here.

The Falcon miniseries started off kind of...meh. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't the greatest, either. It did do its job in establishing the solo Falcon's status quo, though. Hopefully, this issue will be a bit more fun as we get to see Falcon fight a Sentinel.

"Legion"
Writer: Jim Owsley
Pencils: Mark Bright
Inks: Mike Gustovich
Letters: Rick Parker
Colors: Christie Scheele
Editor: Larry Hama

The cover is pretty cool, I love it! It's got a Sentinel front and center holding up a beaten Falcon. It really does give a sense of menace and the idea that ol' Sam Wilson is in deep, deep trouble. The cover also shows a brand-new masthead logo. I do like it, but it does seem a bit inconsistent. The last issue had a graffiti-style logo, so I was hoping they'd stick with it. Ah, well.

The comic starts with Falcon taking a nice, relaxing flight. If I had his wings, I'd fly everywhere, too.

"Top of the world, Ma!"

Falcon is so busy enjoying himself, he accidentally causes a skydiver's parachute to spill, and he rescues her.

"Falcon, I told you! File a flight plan with the FAA! You'll get grounded again!"

He learns from the skydiver that the wind blew her off course, as he helps her to the ground. She introduces herself as Rachel, and he tells her his name. Yeah, Sam, tell a stranger your secret identity. He flies off over a community landfill, where something is thinking the word "MUTANT" over and over again.

Later, in an apartment, Tork wakes up Sam by beating a pan, and it's funny.

"Tork, man! I got an alarm clock! I keep telling you! You don't need to do that!"

Sam gets ready to start a day of work, listening to Tork rant about his job and about the Falcon having the "personality of a brick". You'd think considering that Sam and Tork clearly have known each other for some time, and Sam has worked with him as the Falson, Sam would tell him about being the Falcon.

Sam meets with a street gang known as The Legion. TITLE DROP! Sam had manged to reform the gang from a violent bunch of criminals to essentially a Neighborhood Watch/Guardian Angels type of group. The group wants to do a solidarity march, and they want Falcon to convince the authorities to allow it. Falcon agrees to set it up. He walks by a landfill, but then...

...THE SENTINEL.

"WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE A SURVEY ABOUT YOUR DEATH, MUTANT?"

A surprised Falcon is easily caught and gassed unconscious.

Meanwhile, Tork is wondering where Falcon is, and decides to go home. Falcon wakes up in what appears to be a lab, and he quotes Shakespeare as he wakes up.

"Zzzzzz...no, Juliet...I don't want to drink that with you..."

He notices the sun is rising, and he realizes his appointment with Tork and The Legion. He flies out of there, only for he Sentinel to discover him and chase after him. A minor issue I have here is that Falcon seems completely unfamiliar with the Sentinels. These things have rampaged and fought the X-Men in cities before this mini, so it is funny that Falcon would not have been at least been able to recognize them.

The Legion's parade goes on, until Xeon, one of the leaders, is confronted by your stereotypical dumb bigot cop. Dumb Cop tells Xeon he does not believe The Legion are the good guys now, and shoves him aside. Another Legionnaire kicks Dumb Cop, and a rookie cop panics and draws his gun. Tork sees this and tries to stop the rookie, but is too late. The Legionnaire is dead, and Xeon loses it.

"KHAAAAAAAAAN!"

Falcon tries to lose the Sentinel, but it's able to keep up with him. Falcon flies through a forest and towards a conveniently placed US Army artillery range. In an amusing bit, Falcon calls the Sentinel "Gigantor". The artillery's missiles do their job and blast the Sentinel.

"AAAARGH! RIGHT IN THIS UNIT'S BUTT PLATE!"

Falcon flies down and tells the soldiers to keep shooting at it. Back in the city, The Legion's parade has degenerated into a riot, and what does Tork do? Does he try to keep things calm? Nope, he just sits on a ledge.

"You know, that cloud looks like a bunny."

Way to do your job, Tork. Being real helpful there, pal.

Falcon and the Army's missiles managed to damage the Sentinel, but the chase is still on. Sam tries to get the Sentinel to stop as its "war is over". The Sentinel itself explains it is following its programming, as it's programmed to capture and secure mutants to protect humanity. It explains it was one of the same Sentinels that was destroyed by the X-Men in X-Men #98 (April 1976). In that comic, the Sentinels attacked the X-Men in Manhattan while they were celebrating Christmas.

After its destruction, the parts ended up in the landfill. Why couldn't the feds or SHIELD have taken the remains? Anyway, it turned out the Sentinel's brain still worked, and upon detecting the Falcon, it reassembled itself and attacked. Okay, WHY DIDN'T ANYONE CHECK TO SEE IF ANY PARTS OF THE SENTINEL WAS STILL WORKING AFTER CYCLOPS BLASTED IT OFF A 112-STORY BUILDING?!

"Plot convenience assembling powers, activate!"

The Sentinel then tries to crush Falcon, so he psionically summons Redwing the falcon. The bird flies inside the Sentinel and starts ripping out wires, and it manages to shut the Sentinel down.

Back in New York City, the riot is still raging. A woman emerges from a limo (yeah, smart thing, leaving a car during a RIOT), and one of The Legionnaires is a bout to shoot her, but stopped by Falcon. Xeon gets in Falcon's face, blaming him for the riot and the death of his friend. The woman, who turns out to be Rachel, the same skydiver that Falcon saved in the beginning of the issue, asks how he's going to win back the gang's trust. Sam walks away, saying "Slowly."

This issue is...not a bad one. Sam's battle with the Sentinel was fun to watch, especially since we got to see Sam being resourceful and smart in trying to fight a giant robot designed to fight a team of mutants. That was the fun part of this issue. It was also pretty sad to see The Legion's peaceful march degenerate into a riot. Things never go completely right for a superhero, do they? Although I can't help but feel the ball was dropped somewhere and this riot could've been prevented.

My other big complaint is the same as last issue. There's no overarching story. It would've been nice to see Falcon dealing with an over-arcing threat, but no. Another one-shot story.

This issue has a new artist, Mark Bright. He did Iron Man's art before this, and he does spectacular art work for this issue, especially since we see Falcon actually fighting a monsterous robot. I don't have any real complaints about it.

This issue isn't bad at all. It's weak points are overshadowed by basically this: Falcon vs. Giant Evil Mutant-Destroying Robot.