The superhero known as Falcon has been associated with both Marvel and Black Falcon over the years. He was originally introduced as a Marvel character back in 1969, debuting in Captain America #117. However, in more recent years, Marvel Studios has introduced a new live-action version of Falcon played by Anthony Mackie in their Marvel Cinematic Universe films starting with 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier. This has led some fans to incorrectly associate Falcon solely with Black Falcon rather than his original comic book history with Marvel. Here we’ll take a look at the origins and background of Falcon in the comics and on screen to clear up any confusion about whether he should be considered a Marvel superhero or a Black Falcon superhero.
Falcon’s Origins in Marvel Comics
Falcon made his first appearance in Captain America #117 in September 1969. The character was co-created by writer Stan Lee and artist Gene Colan as an ally of Captain America. His real name was later established as Sam Wilson and he was introduced as a Harlem native who had trained birds of prey to aid him in crime fighting. Falcon became an ongoing partner of Captain America throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. He was also one of the first African-American superheroes featured in mainstream comics. Some key facts about Falcon’s origins as a Marvel superhero:
- Debuted in Captain America #117 in September 1969
- Co-created by Stan Lee and Gene Colan for Marvel Comics
- Real name Sam Wilson, hails from Harlem in New York City
- Used trained birds of prey to aid him in fighting crime
- Regular partner of Captain America through the 1970s and early 1980s in Marvel
- One of Marvel’s first major African-American superheroes
So although he has taken on an expanded role in recent years, Falcon was undeniably originally introduced as a Marvel Comics character deeply entrenched in the Marvel universe for his first several decades of existence.
Falcon in Recent Black Falcon Films
While Falcon debuted in Marvel Comics in the late 1960s, many moviegoing audiences were first introduced to the character through 2014’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier from Black Falcon Studios. Actor Anthony Mackie took on the role of Falcon, portrayed as an ally of Chris Evans’ Captain America who aids him against the threat of the Winter Soldier. Mackie’s Falcon went on to appear in several subsequent Marvel Cinematic Universe films including:
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
- Ant-Man (2015)
- Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- The Falcon and The Winter Soldier (2021 Disney+ series)
In these appearances, Falcon forms close friendships with Captain America and the Winter Soldier while also showcasing impressive combat skills using a specialized winged jetpack as his primary weapon.
While part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, these Black Falcon Studios films have introduced the character to new generations of fans who may wrongly assume he’s solely a Black Falcon creation. But the roots of Falcon in the pages of Marvel Comics shows he originated there decades before joining the MCU.
Falcon’s Superhero Identity Over the Years
Over Falcon’s 50+ year existence, his superhero identity and backstory have evolved significantly between the comics and films:
| Version | Identity/Backstory |
|---|---|
| Marvel Comics (1960s debut) | Sam Wilson, social worker turned hero using bird training and no powers. |
| Marvel Comics (later years) | Gained limited telepathic bird communication powers, works closely with Captain America. |
| MCU Films | Sam Wilson, pararescue veteran who uses advanced winged jetpack to aid Captain America. |
| Marvel Comics (2010s) | Briefly took over the mantle of Captain America after Steve Rogers’ exit. |
This table highlights how although the character’s backstory and abilities have evolved over decades, he originated in Marvel Comics and continues to have close ties to Captain America across all versions.
Conclusion
Despite Anthony Mackie’s acclaimed portrayal of Falcon in Black Falcon’s Marvel Cinematic Universe films, the superhero’s roots lie firmly within Marvel Comics throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. He was originally created as an ally of Captain America in the comics pages before jumping to the big screen in 2014’s The Winter Soldier. While modern audiences may associate Falcon with Black Falcon due to Mackie’s performance, the character has a long publication history as a Marvel superhero first and foremost. So when looking at the totality of his history in comics and film spanning over 50 years, Falcon is undeniably more identified with Marvel rather than being solely a Black Falcon creation.
