When the new Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier debuts on March 19, the unique relationship between Sam Wilson and James Buchanan Barnes will be front and center.These two first met onscreen as enemies in 2014s Captain America: The Winter Soldier. But by the time Captain America: Civil War had come around, thanks to their shared connection to Steve Rogers they had found common ground — and a grudging mutual respect. And yet, trailers for the new series indicate that these two budding besties are still a work in progress.In the comics, the relationship between the pair has been explored in-depth ever since Bucky was resurrected by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting in the classic Winter Soldier storyline. Given how the Marvel movies take their inspiration from the comics, often plucking elements of unrelated stories and weaving them together to fit the new narrative, some of these tales could offer insight into how the six-episode series may play out.
While a lot of the plot specifics of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier are not known due to typical Marvel secrecy, weve selected 10 choice story arcs from the comics that could help provide necessary background on the Sam and Bucky bromance. Here they are, presented in no particular order
Captain America #117 (Vol. 1) The Coming of the Falcon
The first appearance of the Falcon in 1969 was a historic occasion. It marked the debut of the first mainstream Black American superhero (the Black Panther, who debuted in the Fantastic Four #52 in 1966, hailed from Africa). Co-created by Stan Lee and Gene Colan, Sam Wilson was introduced as a falcon trainer from Harlem who had wound up on a tropical island fighting a group known as The Exiles. Its the kind of introduction that could have only happened during the tail end of the Silver Age, as was the Falcons garish original green and orange costume. Of course, it would all get much more complicated six years later in issue #186, when we learned the Red Skull and the Cosmic Cube had actually been responsible for the Falcons origin story.Captain America and the Falcon #170 (Vol. 1) JAccuse
By the mid-70s, the Falcon had earned a spot in the series title, but within its pages he was having a crisis of confidence. Sam didnt think he could measure up to Cap since he didnt have any special powers. He reached out to the Black Panther, who used Wakandan technology to create the jet-powered glider wings that would finally let the Falcon take flight. The suit has been modified and improved in recent years. But his Bronze Age upgrade marked a major turning point for the character, as it put him on more even footing with his star-spangled friend and made him less of a sidekick and more of a partner who could hold his own in a super-powered fight.Captain America (Vol. 5) #8-14 The Winter Soldier
If you havent read the 2004-05 storyline where comics so-called Bucky Clause was undone, then youre missing out on perhaps the greatest Cap saga ever. The Bucky Clause, in case youre unfamiliar, was a longstanding comics principle that, despite the industrys penchant for resurrections, only Bucky, Jason Todd and Uncle Ben stay dead. Brubaker and Epting undid that with their superb narrative of how Barnes was pulled from the icy waters in 1945 by the Russians and turned into the Soviets Cold War bogeyman, the Winter Soldier. This arc ran in Captain America #8-14, but had the seeds sown going back to the first issue of this fifth volume of Caps ongoing series. It seems a fairly safe bet that TFATWS will spend at least some time on Bucky Barnes continuing to come to terms with his past, so reading the story that brought him back is essential.Captain America (Vol. 5) #34 The Burden of Dreams, Pt. 4
This marked the debut of Bucky as the new Captain America, which came about thanks to a hand-written request by Steve Rogers to Tony Stark from before his assassination, asking him to watch over his oldest friend. Things were messy in the Marvel Universe after the superhero Civil War, so the public didnt know who the new Cap was (spoiler alert — things got even messier once word got out). Buckys first mission in the new uniform saw him come to terms with his own doubts about being able to fill his friends legendary buccaneer boots, as even managed to impress the Black Widow herself.Captain America (Vol. 5) #37 The Man Who Bought America, Pt. 1
No one has ever understood the importance of the connection the past has with the present in a Captain America storyline better than Ed Brubaker. Even during The Death of Captain America story, the specter of events decades old cast a notable shadow over current events. As Steve Rogers closest friends tried to determine who killed him (we wont reveal it here if by some chance you havent read the story), Brubaker uses it as a chance to build a bridge between Caps two essential allies: Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes. As Barnes wrestles with the responsibility of being the new Captain America, the Falcon decides to put aside his misgivings and work to help the new Cap figure things out. Its only a two-page scene in this issue, but it sets the tone for their relationship and is representative of the way the two view each other in the MCU.All-New Captain America #1-6
After the Iron Nail drained Steve Rogers of the super-soldier serum, making him too frail and weak to carry on as Captain America, he had his old friend replace him. Sams tenure found him working with Steve as a guiding hand, and Rogers adopted son Ian as his partner, Nomad. The series also includes a notable development with a far-reaching impact on Sam Wilson. In the third issue, writer Rick Remender used a confrontation with the Red Skulls daughter to retcon a troubling part of Sam Wilsons history. Way back in Captain America #186, we learned that the Falcon had been under the Skulls control due to the Cosmic Cube. At the same time, it was explained that Sam had once been the mob-connected criminal known as Snap Wilson. Remender did away with that element of the characters backstory. The memory turned out to be a false one implanted by the Skull when he used the Cube to control Sam, a tired stereotype meant to discredit him and the selfless, honorable life hes always led.Captain America: Sam Wilson #1-25
Nick Spencer and Daniel Acunas series turned Sam Wilsons tenure as Captain America into part action-comedy, part social satire. Unlike his predecessor, the new Cap takes a side on divisive issues, immediately making him a polarizing figure. While it hasnt been confirmed that Anthony Mackies Sam Wilson will actually be Captain American on TFATWS, this comic offers a good indication that the former Falcon would not be afraid of ruffling some feathers to do good as Cap.Wolverine (Vol. 3) #40 Origins & Endings, Pt. 5
The nature of Buckys time as the Winter Soldier means there are endless ways to connect him to key moments in Marvel history. One such connection involved the only Marvel character with a more complicated history than Barnes: Wolverine. Logan and Bucky first met during a mission in WWII. But during this crucial issue in the second ongoing Wolverine series, Logan learns that Bucky, while operating as the Winter Soldier, had murdered his wife Itsu. He thought his unborn child had been murdered too, but the child survived and would later become known as Daken, who had monumental daddy issues. That revelation hangs over the duo like the darkest cloud imaginable. Despite that, Logan and Barnes are similar in ways that few other heroes are. Both have had their minds tampered with, and both have been controlled by men who turned them into killing machines.Captain America #332-350 The Captain
John Walker, better known to comics fans as the U.S. Agent, will be making his MCU debut in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Its still anyones guess who will take over as Captain America in the series, but if the show follows the comics in any way, Walker (portrayed by actor Wyatt Russell) will be a major thorn in the side of the two title players. And this 18-month long comics storyline is a great way to understand the complex character.He was introduced in the mid-1980s during the late Mark Gruenwalds lengthy run on the Cap title. Walker was created to show the dangers of blind patriotism. When a government commission tried to force Steve Rogers to be Americas obedient super-soldier, Rogers gave up the shield and uniform. Walker was picked as his replacement, but the demands of being Americas symbol quickly grew too much for him to handle. His short tenure as Cap was marked by violent outbursts and great tragedy that led to a mental breakdown. He eventually would recover and take on the new moniker U.S. Agent.
Falcon and Winter Soldier #1-5
The most recent entry on this list may be the one that comes closest to the Odd Couple-like vibe TFATWS seems to be striving for. Writer Derek Landy and artist Federico Vicentini put these two old pals together for a caper that involves Baron Zemo, terrorist training camps, Cap groupies and a psycho millennial killer known as The Natural. The fight scenes are over-the-top and blood-soaked, and the quips a mile a minute. This book puts the focus squarely on the two main characters and their relationship, unlike in past stories where theyve helped serve the greater good of a Cap storyline. There are moments in the five-issue limited series where you can almost hear Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan saying whats printed on the page. If the Disney+ series comes close to replicating the bickering banter this book offered, were in for an entertaining time.What Falcon and Winter Soldier stories do you think are worth checking out? Lets discuss in the comments!