Now that Sam Wilson is back bearing the Falcon who served as Sam's sidekick to make his own return. A look into Sam's future with the shield hints at a return of his former partner: an avian/human hybrid with a touch of vampirism.
Joaquin Torres previously ed Sam Wilson the last time he served as Captain America. Torres was presented as a caring soul who assisted families attempting to cross the border into the United States by leaving them provisions such as food and medicine. The young man wound up kidnapped by the Sons of the Serpent and sent to Karl Malus to be experimented on. Sam rescued Joaquin, but not until he had been genetically spliced with Sam's bird sidekick, Redwing. On top of the experimentation, Torres also became vampiric due to Redwing sharing the same trait. Despite the cards handed to him, the young man fought by his savior's side as the new Falcon.
At the end of the exciting first chapter in Captain America #0 by Tochi Onyebuchi, Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing and Mattia De Iulis, a preview is shown for Sam Wilson's adventure in Captain America: Symbol of Truth by Onyebuchi and R.B. Silva. The image shows Sam and Redwing on a mission with Joaquin along for the ride. A few details were provided on the first issue, which will involve Sam stopping a hijacking of a seemingly empty train. The new Falcon appears to be taking in info for Cap as they face a barrage of explosions from down the track. Whatever's going on, it's apparently connected to Captain America's legacy, so it's a good thing the new Cap has Falcon by his side to help him.
It's been quite some time since Torres has had the chance to fight side-by-side with Sam. After Wilson returned to his old identity, the new Falcon's adventures began getting a bit more sparse. He did have a few team-ups while both he and Sam shared the name and Joaquin would later associate with the young hero team, the Champions. But his sporadic appearances speak to how underutilized the character has been since he was first introduced. Captain America: Symbol of Truth is a fantastic opportunity for Torres to get the spotlight he truly deserves.
Just because Sam is retaining his wings as Captain America, doesn't mean Falcon's presence will be redundant. Joaquin's vampirism gives him regenerative powers, something that may come in handy with the dangerous work he and Sam are about to take on. Joaquin's past as a human rights champion will serve him well alongside Wilson, who's about to find himself thrust on the international stage as a public-facing hero. Sam's next chapter as Captain America is sure to be an undertaking, but it may be alright with Falcon by his side. Captain America: Symbol of Truth #1 will be available May 11.
