Anyone who knows anything about The Ultimates knows the famed Marvel anthology isn’t one to pull punches or to be apologetic and, as such, there were zero indications Deniz Camp, writer of Ultimates and Ultimate Incursion, would let that Universe end with anything other than a bang. Never afraid to put a fresh spin on a character, it’s none other than the Falcon who could get that treatment next.
Sam Wilson, the superhero formerly known as Falcon but now known as Captain America, the events of Avengers: Endgame and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier beginning and then solidifying that arc before it was nailed home with Captain America: Brave New World, could potentially be short for Samantha Wilson — according to some new artwork.
One look at new artistry from The Ultimates #21 reveals imagery of a female version of Falcon, hailing from Marvel’s 6160 Ultimate Universe. There are obvious similarities to Sam Wilson’s Falcon, the most noticeable being the mechanical wings and goggles, though her wings look far more natural. The glaring difference is that while Sam Wilson is a man, Samantha Wilson is a woman, and that’s an intriguing story to tell.
via Marvel Comics
In Ultimates #21, when the original tease quietly entered the universe, Camp and Juan Friger (artist) showed only Falcon’s suit, but not the person set to don the mantle. Camp and Friger have quite the legendary, or polarizing, depending on who you ask, trend of taking established characters and presenting them in exciting, bold new ways; and so it should come as no surprise they’re open to doing the same with Falcon, Captain America’s other bestie that isn’t James Buchanan (Bucky) a.k.a. the Winter Soldier. Additionally, this raises a striking question in particular regarding the potential for an idea that could spill over into one of Marvel’s blockbuster events on the horizon.
Samantha Exists In the Spider-Verse
via Marvel Comics
Despite Marvel ending The Ultimates, something Camp made sure to clear every molecule of air around him over, amidst rampant speculation, they may need to thank him for reincarnating the idea of Samantha Wilson. The Alabama-born Avenger had previously appeared in Spider-Gwen’s Earth-65 Universe, where she was that world’s first super soldier, Captain America — with the help of Peggy Carter — that later helped to bring up a Falcon of her own.
Hmm … Spider-Gwen (Gwendolyn Stacy)… the love interest of Miles Morales in the Spider-Verse franchise. If Marvel truly wants to capitalize on the legacy of what Camp has helped create and to make the upcoming Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (2027) film even more mind-blowing than it’s shaping up to be, one could surmise there’s a possibility Samantha Wilson, be it as Cap or Falcon, plays some sort of role in what happens in that multiverse.
Wishful thinking, for now, and especially considering the MCU has already passed the moniker to Joaquin Torres, but while everything MCU is Marvel, not everything Marvel is MCU. The bottom line is, in the present, it’s all about enjoying what Camp and Co. are giving us with the re-imagining of Avengers in ways that have either never happened, or are a long time removed from the minds and memories of the Marvel faithful so … on your left.
Remaining Ultimate issues are available for pre-order now at comic bookshops.
Director
Julius Onah
Writers
Dalan Musson, Malcolm Spellman