Warning: SPOILERS for Captain America: Symbol of Truth #9!While Sam Wilson is currently fighting crime as Captain America, he was once the high-flying Falcon - a title based not just on his powerful wings, but on his psychic connection to avian life. While the MCU stripped Sam of this unique power and bird sidekick Redwing in favor of a drone, the comics just brought it back in full force, showing that in Marvel's main continuity, Sam Wilson still possesses this surprisingly epic power.
In Captain America: Symbol of Truth #9 by Tochi Onyebuchi and R.B. Silva, Captain America and Nomad are on a mission to stop the White Wolf on his home turf. It has essentially become a war zone as rebels in the country team up with the superheroes to fight back. When the White Wolf calls in some interdimensional cavalry, Captain America responds with cavalry of his own in the form of a mass army of the country's birds.
Marvel Is Done Hiding Sam Wilson's Bird Control
Sam Wilson is on an international crusade right now to stop the villain known as the White Wolf. Sam has been following a shipment of vibranium that passed through Latveria. He even ventured into Wakanda illegally to find the White Wolf's trail. Meanwhile, his partner Joaquín Torres, the new Falcon, has been handling the White Wolf's human smuggling operation along the Mexico border. This tension came to a head when the White Wolf assassinated a politician that was speaking out against him, and who Captain America was tasked with protecting, resulting in their face-off.
Sam Wilson Commands A Bird Army
Sam Wilson is a much more versatile Captain America than Steve Rogers. In addition to utilizing the shield, Sam's wings also give him an aerial advantage. However, a forgotten superpower of Sam's is that he can communicate with birds, which uses to talk with his trademark partner, Redwing. In this instance, Sam uses it to rally a bunch of birds to his side when needed. At first, it might seem like a useless ability as there are far more mundane birds like pigeons than there are vicious birds. However, in great numbers, such as in this scene, they can be a true force to be reckoned with - especially because Sam can share their senses, using them as eyes in the air.
Sam Wilson's avian telepathy is part of what makes him unique as a hero, so it's great to see Marvel making a showcase of this ability. Many heroes have been altered over the years to more closely resemble the versions fans know from the MCU, so it would make sense for the comics to downplay this power. Instead, it's an awesome moment as Captain America "rallies the troops" to keep an invading army busy and save lives. Sam Wilson brings his powers and years of experience as Falcon to the Captain America mantle, and seeing him summon a bird army is the perfect symbol of how his past continues to be important to the present.
Captain America: Symbol of Truth #8 is now available from Marvel Comics