Comic Book Questions Answered – where I answer whatever questions you folks might have about comic books (feel free to e-mail questions to me at brianc@cbr.com).

Today, we answer a question from reader Frank about Falcon's costume.

The other day, I wrote about how Captain America and Falcon stopped being partners. Reader Frank wrote in to ask, "In your most recent column about Captain America and Falcon, Falcon initially sported a green costume. Who designed the new red costume that showed up in issue 170(ish)?"

I figured I'd show who designed the costumes in the comic itself as well as the artist outside the comic.

In Captain America #117 (by Gene Colan, Stan Lee and Joe Sinnott), Captain America (who is stuck in the Red Skull's body at this point in time), convinces Sam Wilson to team up with him. He also convinces Sam that Sam needs to take on a costumed persona - the Falcon!

This original costume was designed by Gene Colan (Romita cleaned up the cover, but I don't know if that means he cleaned up any of the design at all).

Then, in Captain America #144, in a back-up by Gary Friedrich and Gray Morrow, Falcon decides to go solo and he creates a new costume to commemorate the occasion...

John Romita designed this red costume...

In Captain America #169 (by Mike Friedrich, Sal Buscema and Frank McLaughlin), Falcon bemoans how weak he feels next to Cap (who had recently gained super strength)...

He decides to go to Black Panther to get him to give him a power upgrade....

And in the next issue (by Friedrich, Buscema and Vince Colletta, from a Steve Englehart story idea), Falcon gets his wings...

Sal Buscema designed the new, winged costume. Buscema later noted to Jim Amash that this was probably the most popular costume design he ever did (Buscema noted, "Creating characters and costumes was not one of my strong suits").

There ya go, Frank!

Thanks for the question!

If anyone else has a comic book related question, just drop me a line at brianc@cbr.com!