Falcon #3
Faith!
The Falcon comes to the aid of fire crews who are trying to put out a tenement fire. He rescues the people trapped inside the building. The last person he saves is the owner of Brown’s Bag Grocery, who is foolishly trying to carry as much of his inventory as he can carry. He refuses to leave anything behind because his store is all he has left. Sam has not time for any of this and carries the man out just moments before the store explodes into flame.
Sam deduces that this fire was an act of arson and wonders who is responsible. That’s when he notices members of the Legion gang among the gathered crowd and wonders if they might be responsible.
Watching from an apartment window across the street a man watches the fire down below. He thinks Falcon’s suspicious glare is at him and that he has been made. Believing that his cover has been blown, this man decides that the Falcon must die.
When Sam Wilson returns to his apartment, he finds his friend Sargent Michael Tork watching television inside. Tork reveals that he caught two members of the Legion gang attempting to vandalize Sam’s apartment and had them tied up in the apartment. This in retaliation for how Falcon failed to inform police of the gang’s solidarity march which later erupted in violence. As Sam and Tork argue over what to do with the two youths, they suddenly break free from their bonds and make a run for it. Falcon and Tork catch up with the kids on the street. Michael wants to run them in, but Sam tries to plead their case. Unfortunately, the two cannot come to an agreement and Tork takes the two kids in.
At the 131st precinct, things are chaotic as the city prepares for the arrival of the President of the United States, who wants to see how life in Harlem is first hand. With the FBI taking control of things, Sam Wilson’s presence is not welcomed and the head of the operation tells him to get lost.
Sam changes into the Falcon and decides to pay a visit to the owner of Brown’s grocery at the hospital. When he arrives he finds that Brown’s hospital room is empty. Going outside, Sam finds Brown out on a ledge trying to find the nerve to jump. Brown explains that his store was all he had and without insurance or a family he has nothing left to live for. Sam empathizes with Brown, and explains how he wasn’t always a hero. He tells Brown about how devastating his father’s death was and how it steered him to a life of crime. That was until his life was all changed thanks to the Cosmic Cube, which made him the hero he is now. However, he admits that sometimes he doesn’t know who he really is.[1] Despite this though, Sam continues to press onward because giving up is never an option. This impassioned speech convinces Bronw to come back inside. As Sam leads Brown back inside, the people watching on the street all cheer. Among them is the same man from earlier — Maxwell Dillon — who decides that seeing Falcon twice is not a coincidence and that the hero needs to die.
Later, the Presidential motorcade is passing through Harlem when it is suddenly ambushed by the Legion gang. Under the cover of some smoke bombs, they manage to kidnap the President. The Falcon arrives just in time to see them escape down into the sewers. However, before he can go after them, Sam is ambushed by Electro. Not needing to be distracted by yet another super-villain, Falcon flees the scene.
Meanwhile, Sgt. Tork is trying to get information about where the Legion gang took the President. He threatens to throw them down the stairs to get the information. The two gang members spill everything and Tork is disturbed to learn that the Legion gang is going to kill the President.
At that same moment, the Falcon goes to the Legion’s hideout and demands to know where their leader, Xeon, is hiding out. Before he can get any information, he is attacked by Electro again. The increasingly paranoid villain manages to jolt Falcon into unconsciousness. Surprised that he finally won a battle, Electro faints.
Back at the police station, Sgt. Tork is getting ready to go after the President when Captain America shows up because his partner is in trouble and wants to get involved.
Recurring Characters
Falcon, Electro, Captain America, Michael Tork, Legion Gang, Redwing
Continuity Notes
Sam Wilson’s past criminal background as “Snap” Wilson is somewhat complicated. The details:
In his first appearance, in Captain America #118, Sam Wilson was an law abiding falconer that Captain America trained to be his sidekick in order to foil one of the Red Skull’s schemes.
In Captain America #186, the Red Skull claimed that Sam Wilson was a street hustler named “Snap” Wilson, and that he used the Cosmic Cube to change Sam’s personality and make him into the ideal candidate as Captain America’s crime-fighting partner, in effect making him the Skull’s sleeper agent.
Sam even stood trail for his past crimes in Captain America #191 and was released on probation in Captain America’s custody.
In Captain America #276-278, the pressure of a political run caused Sam’s “Snap” personality to start coming back. During this time, Sam’s sister explained how the death of their parents is what pushed Sam into a life of crime.
Years later, in All-New Captain America #3, the Red Skull’s daughter revealed to Sam that “Snap” Wilson was the fake personality and that this was all a deception to make Sam constantly doubt himself. This revelation doesn’t explain how other people remember his criminal career or that there is evidence of his past crimes. As of this writing (March, 2022) Marvel has yet to explain this. My theory is that the Skull didn’t just alter Sam’s mind, but reality itself.
Topical References
In this story, Harlem is referred to as both a ghetto and a slum. This should be considered a topical reference as the neighborhood has undergone a lot of urban renewal and gentrification in recent years. While its still home to lower class families, it is not nearly as bad as it was when this story was first written.
The owner of Brown’s Bag Grocery tries to save boxes of Shake-n-Bake from his burning store. This should be considered topical as this is a real world product.
Sam Wilson is depicted have a CRT television in his apartment that picks up signals with an antennae. This should be considered topical as this technology is obsolete.
Tork is also wearing a Late Night with David Letterman jacket. This late night talk show was at the height of its popularity at the time this story was written. This should be considered topical as this talk show ended its run in 1992.
The President of the United States is identified as Ronald Reagan in this story. This should be considered a topical reference as Reagan’s term as president ended in 1989 and he died in 2004.
