WARNING: The following contains spoilers for United States of Captain America #2, available now from Marvel.
Sam Wilson may have just suited up as Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but his tenure as the Sentinel of Liberty ended several years ago in comics. But in timing that is sure to be anything but accidental, the high-flying Falcon has once again put on his red, white and blue uniform in the United States of Captain America series. In the first issue of the comic, an imposter dressed as Captain America broke into Steve Rogers' home and stole his shield. Now, he and his accomplice have targeted other people dressed as Captain America, and it's up to Steve and Sam to stop the villains.
At the end of the series debut issue, Sam dusted off his old Captain America costume and suited up alongside Steve Rogers. And now, in United States of Captain America #2 by Christopher Cantwell, Dale Eaglesham, Matt Milla and VC's Joe Caramagna, Sam reveals that he even has his very own shield.
After first clashing with the imposter Captain America and meeting the Captain America of the Railways, Steve and Sam continue their adventure across the country in the series' second issue. Now that he has agreed to suit back up as the Sentinel of Liberty, Sam reunites with Steve as they get ready to visit another town where there was a recent Captain America attack. While Sam formerly served as Captain America when Steve Rogers no longer held the mantle, things are now different: both characters are operating as Captain Americas for this particular mission.
While both men are dressed as Captain America, neither has the original shield. Indeed, the imposter Captain America stole the shield from Steve Rogers back in the first issue. And as he races to get back what is his, Steve has armed himself with the holographic shield designed by Tony Stark that the super-soldier has previously wielded on several occasions. But the big surprise here is that Sam also shows up with his own shield.
Back when Sam was the one and only Captain America, he wielded the red, white and blue shield that Steve had passed onto him. Sam eventually gave Steve his shield back but now, he's got one of his own to complete his Captain America look. Sam's new shield is black, with the signature white star right at its center. The design is simple, but it's striking and effective.
When Steve asks who made this shield, Sam tells him that Misty Knight made the shield for him. It's unclear if Misty made this new shield with Vibranium, but given her connection to the Daughters of Liberty, it's certainly possible that she got access to the precious Wakandan metal thanks to Princess Shuri. We have yet to see this shield in action, but Sam will surely wield in combat as United States of Captain America unfolds, which will be the true test of this new shield's properties and how it stacks up against the original.
Whether or not it's just as sturdy as Steve Rogers' shield, it's great to see Sam Wilson finally get his own signature shield. In the MCU, the shield that was given to Sam Wilson was a new creation. While The Falcon and the Winter Soldier didn't dive into the details, it's important to note that the original Captain America shield was hacked to pieces by Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, meaning that the shield Steve gave Sam at the end of the film was a new shield. And now, the comics are following suit by giving Sam his own shield.