Bird training isn’t often a characteristic associated with comic book heroes but is certainly an asset for the Falcon. Samuel Thomas Wilson was one of the earliest mainstream Africa-American superheroes in comic books and is getting ready to celebrate his 50th anniversary. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Gene Colan, Falcon debuted in Captain America #117 (September 1969).

Sam Wilson was introduced as a Harlem resident who adopted a wild falcon he trained, named Redwing. When a group of men on a tropical island placed an ad for a hunting falcon, Wilson answered the ad but learned that they were former Nazis in league with Red Skull, now calling themselves “Exiles.” He was able to escape from them but stayed on the island to help the villagers to confront the Exiles. Based on his efforts to help, Steve Rogers encouraged Wilson to be a hero, prompting him to become Falcon to inspire the natives.

During most of the 1970s, Falcon and Captain America were a superhero duo in New York City in Captain America and the Falcon. For a brief period, he was a member of superhero teams like the Defenders and the Avengers. He starred in his own four-issue miniseries in 1983, written by Jim Owsley with art by Paul Smith and Mark Bright. After another stint in Captain America in the mid-1990s, Falcon rejoined the Avengers, becoming one of the most important members of the team.

He has appeared in more issues of Captain America, including another short-lived Captain America and the Falcon. Sam took on the job of Captain America in 2014 and starred in the post-Secret Wars relaunch, written by Nick Spencer and Daniel Acuña. He returned to being Falcon in 2017 and appeared in his first solo series in many years.