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............... SAM WILSON, AND THE AMERICAN IDEAL
(Part Two)
Perhaps the severest testing of Sam Wilson's faith and spirit occurred during the "Captain America of the '50's" saga; the story arc believed by many (this observer included) to hold unquestioned claim to the title of "best CAPTAIN AMERICA story ever written."
As ably penned by 70's Marvel scripter emeritus Steve Englehart, the four-issue arc (#153-156) concerned the brief (and violent) arrival upon the then-present day scene of "the Captain America and Bucky of the 1950's" -- vicious, small-minded men who had, for a time (after the real Captain America's sudden and involuntary "disappearance," at the tail-end of WWII), assumed the costumed identities of America's Greatest Heroes [see pictures, below].
The two were pluperfect products of their time, re: their mind-sets towards "internationalism" and "racial separation." And it was the Falcon, in the main, who both divined their ultimate intent (i.e., to assassinate the real Captain; whom they, incidentally, assumed was simply another "wannabe," like themselves) and initiated the requisite counter-offensive. These four issues -- as much as any in the CAPTAIN AMERICA canon -- serve as storytelling exemplars, and are well worth seeking out by the discriminating reader.
One of the more interesting new foemen to be introduced within the title's pages, at this juncture, was ex-Madison Avenue huckster "the Viper": an unctuous and duplicitous villain whose soulless and dehumanized view of all other men was merely as "members of a particular demographic segment," and whose glib, ad copy-style banter masked a seething contempt for the human race, entire. [See cover reproduction, below]
These issues -- as well as showcasing fine and intelligent
scripting by the aforementioned Mr. Englehart -- also boasted of some
particularly effective artwork by journeyman Marvel penciler Sal Buscema.
These, too, are worth the extra effort it might take to track them down.
There came a time, however -- specifically, after the good Captain had benefited (through means too tortuous to relate, here) from an accidental boosting of his own physical strength to near-superhuman levels -- that Sam Wilson began to feel somewhat... overshadowed by his more famous partner.
In the hands of a lesser writer (and there were -- and remain, still -- an incalculable number of lesser writers than the innovative Mr. Englehart), this sort of "wounded sparrow" bathos might have occasioned a sundering of the relationship between the two men, complete with forced, out-of-character dialogue and an obligatory "fight scene." This, however, was -- thankfully -- not Mr. Englehart's "way," as it so happened.
After confiding openly with his erstwhile partner (a characteristic trait, by the way, of their relationship throughout its long duration), the Falcon soon found himself being whisked off to the far-off nation of Wakanda; there to consult with said country's reigning monarch (and technological savant), the Black Panther. [See pictures, below]
This happy little jungle jaunt resulted in the Falcon gaining altitude (rather than attitude), via the incorporation of working, solar-powered wings [see picture, below].
Not only was this a perspicacious decision on writer Englehart's part, re: the Falcon's already established motif; it was also well-considered in that it once again placed Sam Wilson on an equal footing (combat effectiveness-wise) with the Star-Spangled Sentinel. Unaided flight not being a part of the good Captain's repertoire... the Falcon's contribution to the team was -- now and forever -- a non-duplicable one.
(The fact that all of the foregoing also provides Your Narrator with
a golden, ready-made opportunity to reproduce one of his all-time favorite Sal
Buscema-drawn comics pages is just one of those... whaddyacallem... "lucky coincidences,"
like. Honest to God. That's my story, and I'm sticking with
it. Use the rubber hose as you like. Cowards.) )
Naturally, of course... it was all too perfect to last.
In the course of his last major, extended story arc for the CAPTAIN AMERICA series -- a nigh-apocalyptic shoving match versus all-time great Cap nemesis, "the Red Skull" [see cover, below] -- writer Englehart quite literally up-ended every last preconceived notion and belief the readership had, re: the high-flying Falcon, when he revealed that the estimable "Sam Wilson"... was actually a creation of the Red Skull, himself!
I know... I know. But just try to imagine
how we all felt about it, at the time
It seemed that the "Sam Wilson" persona -- the man with whom Captain America had fought alongside for more than half a decade; trading confidences, and training in competence -- was merely a personality "overlay," if you will (compliments of the aforementioned "Cosmic Cube"), masking the "core" identity of one "Snap" Wilson: a flashy, two-bit street hustler.
As per this new "origin": the verminous Skull had intentionally set this long, looooonnnnnng-range scheme in motion years earlier, against the possible (probable) eventuality of Captain America managing, somehow, to thwart his prior, Cube-augmented mechanations.
(In the Skull's own poisonous words: "After so many years, I knew you well, Captain America! I knew exactly what kind of man would most appeal to your sniveling liberalism: an upright, cheerful Negro, with a love for the same 'brotherhood' you cherish!"
(I can think of few other passages in all of the comics medium -- then or now -- which so clearly illuminate the coarse, innermost workings of any super-villain than do these. What they tell us about the frothing sewer of the Skull's own vitae is very nearly as startling as the shocking revelation of the Falcon's "true identity," itself.)
It's difficult to imagine, really, just how the clever and conscientious Mr. Englehart thought how (or even why) such an everything-you-know-is-wrong bombshell might best serve to make Sam Wilson either more identifiable (to the readership) or integral (to the CAPTAIN AMERICA series), as presented here. The sad fact of the matter, however, is: later writers -- shortly thereafter -- quietly excised the Falcon's name from atop the book's masthead... and the series became, simply, CAPTAIN AMERICA once more.
Sam Wilson still hovers about at the periphery of the Marvel Universe, to this day... but: a bewildering of hastily-attempted continuity and lifestyle "patches" ("He's a social worker! No, no... a senatorial aspirant! NO, by golly: a full-time SUPER-HERO --!!!") have only served, instead, to let more critically-needed storytelling "air" out of the character "tire."
Still: for all of the mileage (and rough usage) this particular "vehicle" has seen... he still ought to be good for several thousand storytelling "miles," yet...
... provided, that is, that the next driver doesn't attempt yet ANOTHER
"kamikaze" run like that last one, anyway. )
The
Silver Age CAPTAIN AMERICA
PAGE ONE
PAGE TWO
PAGE THREE
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