Steve Rogers is Sam Wilson's best friend. As such, there's not much Sam wouldn't do for Steve, including assuming the mantle of Captain America. Taking over the identity of the most inspiring and respected hero in the Marvel Universe is no easy feat under the best of circumstances, and Sam had it especially hard considering his friend had secretly been transformed into a Hydra deep cover agent thanks to the reality-altering power of a sentient Cosmic Cube named Kobe.

Sam rose to the occasion, and helped bring Marvel's Secret Empire event to a close by uniting the heroes of the Marvel Universe against Hydra. Along the way, he also restored his best friend to his original, heroic self. As a result, Sam was rewarded for his efforts by Kobik who gave him the chance to live an entire lifetime's worth of experiences and get to know Steve Rogers in his his early days as Cap.

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Now that Steve is back, however, Sam feels it's time to return to his roots. This October he'll do just that, as writer Rodney Barnes and artist Joshua Cassara launch an all-new Falcon series, which finds Sam partnering with a new young hero known as Patriot. CBR spoke with Barnes about the series, his sense of Sam, Sam's dynamic with Patriot, and the series initial arc which pits his characters against the supernatural menace of the demon prince, Blackheart.

CBR: Rodney, you're picking up Sam Wilson in the wake of two huge moments for him as a character: helping save the day in Secret Empire and then in the Generations Captain Americas special, he got to live another life and inspire Steve Rogers. What's your sense of how that's effected Sam? What kind of headspace is he in when you pick up with him in Falcon #1?

Falcon
EXCLUSIVE: Art from Falcon #1 by Joshua Cassara and colorist Rachelle Rosenberg

Rodney Barnes: There's a middle ground where Sam is resettling from it all. Yes, the Cosmic Cube played a role in all that was Secret Empire, but it still happened. Were there things that Sam missed that could've prevented it all from happening? Was he so blinded by his friendship and the idea of Captain America that he turned a blind eye to actions that could've prevented death and destruction? So he's wrestling with the demon of self doubt and self reflection.

In this series, Sam will be working with a partner, the new Patriot Rayshaun Lucas. How would you describe their initial relationship? What's it like bouncing Sam and RayShaun off of each other?

Shaun is pulling Sam out of his thoughts. His enthusiasm and desire to be better takes Sam back to his training days and early adventures. There's an obvious generation gap so each looks at the world differently. There's fun to be had in that. But Shaun is good for Sam. And vice versa.

What can you tell us about the initial supporting cast of Falcon? Will we see some of Sam's old acquaintances? Will you introduce any new characters?

Not in the first arc. Doctor Voodoo is the support initially and much due to his abilities with magic and as a doctor. Plus, I always liked him as a character, and he created a nice bridge as Blackheart is a demon which takes him out of Sam's power class. Wouldn't be surprised to see Misty Knight sooner rather than later, though.

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I'm especially excited about the Falcon going up again Blackheart in your initial arc. What made you want to pit Sam against a supernatural foe? And given his family's religious background what's it like for Sam to come up against a demon?

I wanted Blackheart because it wasn't something you typically see heroes like Sam battle. I believe in genre blending so when you hear "Sam's going to try to solve the gang situation in Chicago" you can already guess how it's going to shake out. But when you add the son of Mephisto to the equation there's an eyebrow raised as to how Sam and co. will deal with that. [Laughs] Sometimes when writing I ask myself if it would've been better had I pitched Kingpin instead of Blackheart, but Josh's art has been so great I wouldn't change a thing.

As far as Sam's family, yes, that plays a role as well. (Have you been reading my outlines [Laughs]) As Sam soul searches his role in recent events, he's forced to deal with his past and lessons he learned and held dear. Issue 4 in particular is an incredibly personal one for him.

What's your sense of Blackheart? Ultimately what do you think motivates him?

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EXCLUSIVE: Art from Falcon #1 by Joshua Cassara and colorist Rachelle Rosenberg

Being a second stringer and wanting to be a starter in the Marvel Universe. He lives in the shadow of his father Mephisto and wants to do something to change that reality. He's seen the best of the best and is looking for his place at the table.

What can you tell us about how Falcon and Patriot's battle with Blackheart will unfold?

After Secret Empire, and leading the Avengers, Sam wants to deal with real world problems which are often ignored. No greater issue plagues our cities than gang violence. And the south side of Chicago has become the poster child for this issue, so it made sense that this is where the story would begin. Not being a native of the city Sam is sort of naive as to what he's dealing with. Logic suggests that getting the two largest warring gang factions to make peace will calm things, but the issue is much larger than that. Both in this story and in reality. Sam is aware that force alone won't solve the problem. And Doctor Voodoo being a psychologist will help with breaking some of that down, but in the end to solve this fantasy version of a real world issue, Sam will have to use his heart to reach folks who have been ignored and maligned.

Falcon
EXCLUSIVE: Art from Falcon #1 by Joshua Cassara and colorist Rachelle Rosenberg

Falcon is your first full length Marvel comic and it also allows you to further develop the character of Patriot who you established in Secret Empire: Brave New World #2. How does it feel to be given the chance to do both of those things?

Let's see...there's a blend of being grateful, anxious, honored, terrified, etc, etc. I come from the world of TV and film so it's been an adjustment writing comics. But I'm blessed to have the greatest editors in the world; Tom Brevoort, Alanna Smith, and Charles Beacham have walked me through this process and shared their expertise in this realm such to the degree that I can almost sleep at night. Almost.

I hope the fans enjoy Falcon. It's been a blast writing it and the fans that have reached out to me and shared their feelings in regards to Sam have moved me greatly. Their sentiments are with me as I write and I hope to add a quality chapter to a character that has had many glorious chapters.