Falcon And The Winter Soldier officially kicked off today, so it’s time to give you character profiles for Sam and Bucky!

Name: Sam Wilson

Superhero Name: Falcon, Captain America

Created By: Stan Lee and Gene Colan

Played By: Anthony Mackie

Powers: Tactician and strategist, flight (via suit), martial artist, telepathic and empathetic link to birds

Mini Bio: Sam has had a very interesting past – he was born in Harlem to Paul and Darlene Wilson, where he trained pigeons and discovered he had an affinity with birds. In his teens, he lost his father in a neighbourhood fight, and his mother in a mugging. He was consumed by grief and moved to LA, changing his name to ‘Snap Wilson’ where he became a professional criminal and gang leader.

While on the way to Rio De Janeiro, Sam’s plane crashed on Exile Island, which had been taken over by villains who had collaborated with the Red Skull in World War II. They had been betrayed and had been forced to stay on the island, where they enslaved the natives.

When Captain America tried to help, the Red Skull used the Cosmic Cube to alter reality. In this reality, Sam was an upstanding citizen who went to Exile Island to help free the natives, the event also left him with a mental link to a falcon called Redwing, which would eventually grow into a mental link with all birds.

While helping Captain America free the natives, Sam took on the name Falcon and became close friends with Steve Rogers. Black Panther provided him with his wings, so he could fly, and Sam joined the Avengers.

Over the years, Sam has also taken on the mantel of Captain America, mainly when Steve Rogers is aged into an old man. There, he experienced a lot of racist abuse, and several attempts to discredit him as a hero.

Eventually, Steve was de-aged and Sam decided to give the shield and title of Captain America back to him, returning to the name of Falcon.

First Comic Appearance: Captain America number 117 (September 1969)

Most Common Team Ups: Avengers, Heroes For Hire, Mighty Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D.

Comic Recommendations: All New Captain America by Rick Rememender, Captain America And The Falcon by Christopher Priest, Falcon And The Winter Soldier by Derek Landy