Spider-Man Teams With Black Panther and the Falcon

Spidey has met plenty of Avengers over the years, but some of them, he met when they were not part of the team.

Spider-Man met Black Panther when he was away from the Avengers for a time, and Falcon when he was just working with Captain America, before he joined the Avengers.

Let's take a look at these high-flying team-ups!

With Practice

How do dinosaurs end up on Broadway?  Well, that question is answered in Marvel Team-Up #20 (April, 1974) with "Dinosaurs On Broadway" by writer Len Wein, penciller Sal Buscema and inkers Frank Giacoia and Mike Esposito.

Picking up from the previous issue, where Spider-Man and Ka-Zar fought the new villain, Stergon the Dinosaur Man, Spidey hitched a ride from the Savage Land aboard Stergon's flying ship full of dinosaurs!  Black Panther gets involved thanks to the Avengers' butler, Jarvis, and has to help Spidey with this new menace to Manhattan.  Interesting that Marvel Team-Up could have stories over multiple issues, but not carry the guest star over (but Ka-Zar had his own new mag to get back to, with Shanna the She-Devil!).  Even more interesting is how Spider-Man and Black Panther handled all these dinosaurs on their own (and then T'Challa could spend his time in his book, Jungle Action!). 

Elements Change

"All That Glitters Is Not Gold" is the lesson of Marvel Team-Up #30 (February, 1975) by writer Gerry Conway, penciller Jim Mooney and inker Vince Colletta, with Spidey coming to the rescue of fellow Daily Bugle worker, Glory Grant, and her cousin, who has now joined a gang (but seems to be under mind control).  Spidey checks it out, while Glory calls on Sam Wilson (Falcon's alter ego) for help (Falcon had a little free time, as his usual partner, Steve Rogers, had briefly given up being Captain America and was in action as Nomad at this time).


The two heroes end up meeting, and then facing the menace of the man called Midas (it says so right on the cover blurb!).  Spider-Man and the Falcon were able to uncover his identity and put an end to his drug trafficking....

People Wither

Falcon comes to help Captain America when he calls, only to find his partner dying from a poison orchid in "Deathgarden" in Marvel Team-Up #71 (July, 1978) by writer Bill Kunkel, penciller Al Wenzel and inker Dan Green.  Nick Fury and the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. were able to take Cap to a S.H.I.E.L.D. medical facility, but Falcon takes the lead to track down the poison and save Captain America!  Spider-Man happens to be stopping a robbery at a government facility that Falcon is checking out, and the two heroes end up battling for a bit, then team up, finding out that if it was a plant that was killing Cap, the likely villain behind it was the Plant-Man!


Falcon and Spider-Man work together to stop the villain (with Falcon using new moves like using his wings as a shield), and bring the cure to save Captain America (though Falcon and Captain America would soon give up their regular partnership, though Falcon meets up with the Defenders soon after this, then briefly joins the Avengers soon after that), with Nick Fury privately thanking Spidey for his help in this case.

Friends Change

Peter Parker is on assignment for the Daily Bugle, covering businessman Thomas Agar's preliminary hearing (for his company taking over half a million from the country of Wakanda), when Black Panther attacks in Marvel Team-Up #87 (November, 1979) in "The Razor's Edge!" by writer Steven Grant, penciller Gene Colan and inker Frank Springer.


Very quickly it is discovered that it wasn't Black Panther on the rampage, but a villain called Hellrazor, all a part of a plot to make T'Challa look evil and get access to the Wakandan vibranium (a special metal that is only found in the African country that Black Panther rules) for the evil Roxxon Corporation.  Spidey and Black Panther team-up to defeat Hellrazor, never quite getting a full hint of Roxxon's involvement in this case, with Spidey going back to his normal life, and Black Panther enjoying his visit with the Avengers after being reunited with them thanks to the Collector's plans to thwart Korvac.

It All Comes Together

Spidey tries to enjoy some time off as Peter Parker, but Aunt May ends up a victim of crime, pulled off by the Young Watchers, a vigilante group that supposedly protects people in Marvel Team-Up #114 (February, 1982) in "The Heat In Harlem!" by writer J.M. DeMatteis, penciller (and co-plotter) Herb Trimpe, and inker Mike Esposito.

Falcon had recently quit the Avengers, and was only occasionally working with Captain America at this point,  so this was a rare chance to see Falcon in action.  This time around, Spidey and Falcon faced off against Stone-Face, a foe Spidey, Cap and Falcon faced in Harlem (see Captain America issues in the mid-130s), then Falcon and Black Panther faced him again in Captain America #170 and #171.  Spidey and Falcon take care of business yet again here, with Falcon getting his own mini-series soon after!

That concludes our business of looking at Spider-Man's team-ups with these two Avengers, but there are more to come!

Captain America: Winter Soldier Reads

With any luck, you've gone and seen Captain America: Winter Soldier at your local movie house.

But, now that you have, you might be wondering...hey, what comics should I read dealing with Captain America that would help me appreciate that movie and find out about the man behind the mask.

Well, here's a few collections for you to check out to help you appreciate the movie!

Captain America's Tales of Suspense

Captain America returned from World War II into modern times with Avengers #4 (March, 1964), but his solo tales in the present started with Tales of Suspense #59 (November, 1964, by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...and Captain America was also in the previous issue, but that was in a battle with Iron Man in Iron Man's feature).

All of Cap's solo Tales of Suspense issues (#59-99)  are gathered in the first Captain America Omnibus, along with Captain America #100-113.

These stories are all written by Stan Lee, with art in most issues by Jack Kirby (Captain America #110-113 were drawn by Jim Steranko).

These tales include basic retellings of Cap's origin (as well as the origin of the Red Skull), as well as the first appearances of Batroc (Cap's savate fighting foe), Agent 13 (Sharon Carter), the Sleepers (robotic agents of the Red Skull working in the here and now), some flashback tales to World War II with Cap's partner, Bucky and the evil Baron Zemo (who created the rocket that sent Cap into the ice and Bucky plunging to his apparent death), working in the here and now with Nick Fury and the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and even facing Madame Hydra (who would later be known as the Viper) and her Hydra agents (and quite a bit more not mentioned here!)...this takes us almost to the introduction of Captain America's friend...the Falcon!

Captain America's High Flying Friend...the Falcon!

Sam Wilson first met Steve Rogers while he was in exile, and fighting the Red Skull, but Steve and Sam became fast friends (starting with the tale in Captain America #117, September, 1969 by Stan Lee and Gene Colan).

Sam even got a costume out of the deal (though a rather nasty green and orange one)...becoming the Falcon (who, along with his bird, Redwing) joined Captain America for many adventures (and even sharing cover billing starting with Captain America #134 through Captain America #222, getting his more familiar red and white costume in Captain America #144, December, 1971).

Falcon even had a few solo adventures, and if you want to read those (his first solo, from Marvel Premiere #49 (August, 1979 by Mark Evanier and Sal Buscema) as well as his first mini-series, Falcon #1-4 (1983-1984), where Sam faces a Sentinel from X-Men and Electro, who is Spider-Man's foe...being a one man Marvel melting pot...tying together plots from Amazing Spider-Man 2 and X-Men: Days of Future Past...well, if those franchises were part of the connected Marvel movie universe....)....then you would want the Avengers: Falcon book (which also tells a little of Cap's history with Falcon, and stories from Captain America #117-119, #220 and #276-278).

Captain America's Spy Support....the Black Widow

Natasha Romanova started her career as a spy for the KGB, and faced Iron Man (starting with Tales of Suspense #52, April, 1964 by Stan Lee and Don Heck) and even recruited new hero Hawkeye to help her against the armored one...

Hey, what does this have to do with Captain America?

Well, from Avengers #43-44 (August-September 1967, by Roy Thomas and John Buscema), Black Widow (along with Captain America, Hawkeye and a few other Avengers like Goliath, Wasp, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch) have to deal with that past and the Red Guardian (a Russian version of Captain America).

You can find these tales in Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Volume #5...where Hercules joins the Avengers (and you find a little history of Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch, which will help you get ready for the next Avengers movie, Avengers: the Age of Ultron as well as many Avengers villains you haven't seen on screen yet!).

Black Widow didn't spend much time in Captain America titles in the 1960 or 1970s, instead pairing with Daredevil after a short run of 8 issues in Amazing Adventures didn't work out...(and sporting her more familiar jumpsuit gotten in Amazing Spider-Man #86, July, 1970 , and she finally joined the Avengers at this time with Avengers #111, May, 1973, while battling Magneto!).  Find her first appearance, the Amazing Spider-Man issue, all 8 of her Amazing Adventures issues and Daredevil #81 in Black Widow: The Sting of the Widow as well (but Cap is not to be seen there...)

Captain America At His Best

A great run of Captain America stories by writer Roger Stern and artist John Byrne is gathered in Captain America: War and Remembrance.

Collecting the stories from Captain America #247-255 (July, 1980 to March, 1981), these stories fix a few problems that have cropped up over Cap's (and Marvel's) long history.

Many things happen...

having Captain America in an adventure with Dum Dum Dugan (an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as a former Howling Commando) against the Machinesmith (and old Daredevil foe, as well as Magneto and Baron Strucker?), a fight with Batroc (and another old Cap, Daredevil and Thor foe...Mr. Hyde), a little work in England against Nazi vampire Baron Blood and helping Union Jack (a friend of Cap's from his days in the Invaders....a group of World War II heroes, that included the Sub-Mariner, Bucky and the original android Human Torch), as well as one of the more comprehensive retellings of Cap's origin (and even a possible run for president for Steve Rogers?).

About the only thing missing was the Red Skull (but his presence was felt...oh, and one more thing was missing....).

Captain America: Winter Soldier

All these issues...and still nothing about the Winter Soldier?

Well, they do tell that tale...kind of.  But, you need to read the two volumes of Captain America: Winter Soldier, collecting Captain America #1-14 from January, 2005 to April, 2006) by writer Ed Brubaker and artists Steve Epting and (Michael Lark and Alex Schomburg for flashbacks).  These stories tie a good deal of what has gone before together...while also introducing the Winter Soldier (and who he is rocks the very Marvel Universe to its very core, taking an event that people thought was...and making it into something more!).

Reading all those previous stories give you a better understanding of current events (and why who the Winter Soldier was was such a shock to poor Steve Rogers....as, in the comics, it had been quite some time before he had to deal with that issue!).

Still, there are many more tales around (times when Steve wasn't Captain America...

...being instead the Nomad or the Captain), his fight against Deathlok, his battles against Hydra, the Secret Empire, the Serpent Society, adventures with S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury, dealing with the legacy of others who took over as Captain America, and oh so many fights with the Red Skull...but, hopefully, after reading these tales you'll want to search the others out...as they are all connected and winter is here and Captain America soldiers on!