question/discussion: Sam Wilson aka, Falcon

[stalkerbunny.livejournal.com]

It seemed to me this post is withing acceptable guidelines, b-but still a bit nervous. Hello, fellow community members. I'm currently writing an alternate universe Steve/Tony fic in which Sam Wilson/Falcon is a prominent supporting character, but unfortunately I haven't read enough canon he appears in.

So, if anyone has thoughts/characterization tips (or even recs for comics he appears in, though I can't vouch being able to find them if they aren't online somewhere) regarding Sam, I'd be very grateful if you could share them. Since it's an AU (set in medieval times) I'm especially interested in his personality, as that's not something I can read about on wiki very much. :')

Comments

[valtyr]

Mod says this is totally on-topic. :)

For Sam characterisation, consider looking at gloss's fic; she doesn't write Steve/Tony, but she writes a fair bit of Sam and I really like it. (Obviously it's always best to go straight to canon for your characterisation, but if it's not available I think her fic is the next best thing!)

[muccamukk]

Other mod, who is not really here, also says it's on topic.

Other mod really likes Sam.

Okay, here's the problem with Sam. He can be an awesome character, but in the '70s he got a RetCon Of Doom, and was made less awesome, canon since the '70s has dealt with that to vary degrees of success.

Personally, I really enjoy his original origin story in the early days of Captain America and the Falcon, the Stan Lee issues. Avoid Englehart for Sam (Or Peggy, or Sharon). I also liked him in the Mad Bomb/Roller Derby issues (Cap #193-214). It still had a bit of the evil retcon, but he and Steve had a nice snarky vibe going. I've enjoyed Brubaker's Sam, though I find he's a little too... supportive I guess. Like I tend to like him better when he's more directly challenging Steve, not antagonistic really, but not just there to provide hugs when needed. Sam and Bucky had a hilarious dynamic too. So I'd rec the Brubaker stuff for Sam, even though Sharon is terrible in it.

That's all I can think of for now. Hope it helps

[perpet-fic.livejournal.com]

I really liked him when he was working with Bucky during Bucky's run as Cap. He was a mentor and also a friend. It was a nice balance. I don't have the exact issue numbers, but the Bucky-as-Cap era is fairly short, so he's easy to find (it also has bonus Natasha, which is never a bad thing).

Sam Wilson (part 1)

[jazzypom.livejournal.com]

If you can get the early trades of Captain America (after Steve comes out of the ice), Sam is pretty hard core. In that, he speaks truth to power, and has some pretty harsh things to say about his country, but he likes his country enough to keep on trucking. Sam is a proud man, like, not cutting off his nose to spite his face proud, but proud enough. For instance, when he was offered a place on the Avengers to join their team, he turned it down because he didn't know if it was due to his own merits, or because of Affirmative Action (because the Avengers team was rather white, iirc, and they were trying to make it not so much so).

In addition, even though he knows that the world sees him as an appendage to Steve, Sam takes great pains to point out that he's his own person in the Civil War series, Sam was all, "I am not his sidekick!"

Relationship wise, Sam and Steve are pretty close. Sam speaks truth to power, and just like Tony, he isn't cowed by the August presence that is Steve₁. Steve seems to like Sam in that Sam is plain speaking.

Sam gets on with Steve, Bucky and was a source of comfort to Sharon when Steve died. Sam and Steve are close, as evidenced during the Civil War (sorry, mainlined that series over the weekend, so it's fresh in my mind), when Sam was the only one who knew where Steve's secret meeting place was. Sam and Tony don't like each other, and rarely share the same page, but Sam and Steve are very close.

I did a bit of meta here (http://jazzypom.livejournal.com/56915.html#cutid1). I do like Ultimates Sam over 616 Sam, true, but I think their personalities are similar enough in the comics, although their origins are different. Sam in all forms is a pretty intense guy, I feel.


₁ ^{In that, Steve Rogers and Captain America are so interlinked people tend to be awed by the man/legend and default to him more than they should do, at times}