Ever since Sam Wilson took on the mantle of Captain America
Torres has played a role throughout Nick Spencer and Daniel Acuña’s Sam Wilson: Captain America series since it relaunched as part of Marvel’s “All-New, All-Different” lineup, a Latin-American who attempted to help people emigrate to the U.S. before being captured by a gang of racist thugs that people got very angry at Sam for beating up, because America or something
Anyway, long story short, said thugs captured Joaquin during the fight, got him experimented on by Marvel’s resident mad scientist Karl Malus (subtle), and was transformed into a genetically modified mashup of human and Falcon DNA. No wait, sorry, vampiric Falcon DNA, because comic boooooooooks. Ever since, Sam and his partner-in-crime Misty Knight have been trying to look after Joaquin while he deals with the fact that he now has wings and claws for hands and regenerative healing abilities.
But it looks like in next week’s Sam Wilson: Captain America #5, Joaquin is going to evolve from patient to superhero and take on Sam’s former mantle. Marvel have released a preview of the issue, featuring the above cover of Joaquin in a new Falcon suit, and a few pages that delve into his background as a Samaritan, growing up giving aid to people struggling to enter the U.S. and start their lives again:
It’s been obvious that Joaquin would follow in Sam’s footsteps ever since he became a vampire-bird-man-person, but still, it’s interesting to see him come into the role. Even more interesting is that seems like an acknowledgement that Sam will be staying on as Captain America in the comics for the foreseeable future.
With it being Cap’s 75th anniversary year,and with Captain America: Civil War on the way, many expected that at some point Steve Rogers—currently drained of super serum and an old man, because, say it with me, comic booooooks—would return to the role. But if we’re getting a new Falcon now, it seems like Sam will wield the star-spangled-shield for a good while yet.
[Marvel via The Mary Sue]