Avengers vol. 3 #64Avengers vol. 3 #64
Title: "Sight Unseen”
Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Ivan Reis
Inker: Oclair Albert
Colors: Chris Sotomayor
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Sam Wilson, the Falcon, flies through the city. He thinks about how his father, the preacher, knew every passage in the Bible, and how his mother and father lived by the Bible. Sam recalls how when he was sixteen years old that he refused to join the church. He recalls thinking that they would have put up more of a fight, but instead they just gave him a dozen books on other religions. They told him to look at them with open eyes. Sam remembers thinking how he found out that the people he thought were living their lives weren’t blind at all, but that he was. Falcon taps into his power to see through the eyes of the birds. He swoops around following Redwing. Sam recalls how his father was killed the next night trying to break up a street fight. He recalls how two years later his mother was shot and killed a block from their apartment. Sam says that he never finished reading the religious books because he regarded them as fairy tales. He says that he did find some words to live by in them though, “An eye for an eye.” Sam says that the words got him into a lot of trouble until the day he met Captain America. Falcon looks down at a man jogging through the park. Falcon says that now he lives by another set of words, “Avengers Assemble!” He says that it means you go in fighting and watch each other’s back.
Falcon flies in closer to the man. The man turns around. Gyrich shouts out, “Are you just going to follow me or did you actually need something?” Gyrich says that he spotted him, but Falcon says that if he was trying to stay out of sight that Gyrich wouldn’t have spotted him. Gyrich starts jogging again. He says that he doesn’t have time for games. He says that he seems to be the only one that works on a schedule and remarks how Wasp and Yellowjacket just left on a moments notice to Las Vegas. Falcon says that they are in love. He asks Gyrich if he has ever been in love with anyone besides himself. Gyrich says that there is unresolved tension between them. Gyrich says that back when he suggested Falcon join the Avengers that he was just doing what he thought was right. Falcon says that he was forcing him to sign up because he was black. Gyrich says that he was doing as he was ordered. He says, “Get over it, boy.” Falcon punches Gyrich to the floor. Falcon says that he doesn’t ask much from people he doesn’t like, but that he won’t tolerate disrespect. Gyrich asks if that is how Cap taught him to deal with his frustrations. Falcon goes silent. Gyrich gets up and says that he didn’t think so. Gyrich says that he has to get back to his apartment. He says that his idiot neighbor and her two girls are keeping him up all night, and that he landlord set a meeting between them to sort it out. Falcon says that he will walk with him.
Gyrich asks Falcon if he understands the pressure he is under. He says that he has to report to the United Nations instead of Washington. He says that he is trying to convince them not to go to war with Asgard, and that the Jack of Hearts situation is under control. Falcon mentions that Captain America said that Gyrich was adapting quite well. Gyrich asks if he really said that. Falcon says that he told Cap that he was wrong. Gyrich asks how Cap reacted that. Falcon says that Cap said he was giving Gyrich a second chance and that he should too. Falcon says that this is it. He tells Gyrich that if there is anything he is involved with that he needs help with that today is the time to speak up. Gyrich waves him off and says that Falcon is one to talk. He asked when everyone forgot his past. Gyrich reminds Falcon that he was recruited by the Red Skull. He says that Red Skull is the one that gave him his power to deal with birds and gave him his wings. Falcon says that Black Panther built him these wings. Gyrich says that his point is that he was designed and brainwashed to kill Captain America. Gyrich says that no one questions him. Falcon says that it is because he proved himself then and there. He says that a villain may have given him his powers, but that his friend made him a hero. Gyrich says that is very noble. Falcon tells Gyrich that he is only there to help him. After a silence Gyrich says, “I… this whole business with transferring your political ties from the United States to the United Nations. It’s…” Falcon asks what he is saying.
Suddenly, Falcon and Gyrich hear a woman in hysterics. She says that her daughters were taken away in a dirty white pick up truck. She asks what the police are going to do about it. Falcon asks what is happening. One of the police tell Falcon that two girls were kidnapped by a freak dressed up as a scarecrow. He says that they think it is a man named Ebenezer Laughton. He says that he broke out of Hogat Mental Institution, and that he is the kind of sick puppy that will go on a spree without worrying about the consequences. The woman comes to Gyrich. She says that he is with the Avengers and asks them to come out there and help her find her babies. Gyrich apologizes and says that the Avengers don’t handle kidnappers as it is out of their jurisdiction. She says that she knows that they have had their problems, but that she and her girls need his help. Gyrich looks dejected and says, “I… I am sorry.” Falcon says that Gyrich still doesn’t get it. He says that the Avengers don’t overlook anything especially in their neighborhood. Gyrich asks what he is doing. Falcon says that he is always psychically connected to Redwing, but that he has found a new ability. He says that he has been able to tap in with other birds and that now he has over six billion eyes in the United States alone. Falcon uses his power and then flies off into the air. Falcon says that if Gyrich wants to talk to him to meet him at Avengers Embassy at Nine o’clock.
A man lies dead on the ground with a
pitchfork in his chest. Inside the junkyard, Scarecrow asks the
two children if they are afraid. One of the girls says that they
won’t tell anyone. She says that they just want to go home.
He says that they are scared and that it feels so much better
when they are scared. He goes on, “The trembling. The taste
of your tears. We shouldn’t be doing this. My brother
wouldn’t want me to. He’d tell me I was acting strange
again. He always said I needed a new brain. Listen…
I’ll tell you a secret. Would you like to hear a secret? I
get scared too. Do you know what they do to people like me? They
put me in prison. Captain America did. He put me in prison and
then let the other prisoners do what they wanted. He let them
play with the Scarecrow. And no matter how many times I get
out… I always go back in. What they do to people like me.
I’ll show you. I’ll show you what I’m afraid
of.” Suddenly a bird lands on Scarecrow’s truck.
Seconds later, the sky is full of birds. 
Falcon and a
giant flock of birds swoop in on Scarecrow. Falcon punches
Scarecrow. Scarecrow says that he isn’t afraid of birds. He
shoots at Falcon, but Falcon blocks the bullets with his wing.
Scarecrow leaps onto Falcon’s back. Sam thinks to himself
how he has been working with the City of New York’s Urban
Planning. He thinks that building low income housing and
rebuilding Ground Zero is hard work. He says that this is
complete pleasure. Falcon flies into the sky. The birds swarm
around Scarecrow. One of them pulls off his mask. Scarecrow
freaks. He lets go of Falcon and falls onto the hood of a car on
the ground. The police handcuff him. Falcon goes to the two
girls. He says that they are safe now, and that he will be
watching over them. Flacon flies off. Falcon says that he will be
watching everywhere and that his parents and the Avengers will
watch his back.
At Avengers Embassy at 9:13, Falcon looks out the window at the moon. Gyrich walks down the hallway and calls to ‘Mr. Wilson’.
Sometime later, Gyrich meets Mr. Dell Rusk by the water. Rusk says that Gyrich has been putting off this exchange for weeks. Gyrich says that if Rusk threatens his life again that there won’t be another exchange. Gyrich hands Rusk a disc and says that they are Avengers account codes and passwords, technological and security blueprints. Rusk tells Gyrich to cheer up and that he is making good friends with the Secretary of Defense. Gyrich asks why he is having a hard time looking in the mirror. Rusk tells him that instead of looking in the mirror that he just needs to close his eyes. A bird flies over the exchange.
Avengers Files rating: 8 out of 10
You have to hand it to Geoff Johns. Falcon has been around for quite some time, and Geoff managed to find a way for Falcon to actually become formidable. No longer a story about a boy and his bird, Falcon is connected to every bird in the world. It’s also nice that Gyrich’s loyalty has been addressed, which has been hanging there for a while. Ivan Reis does a nice job with a clear, well told penciling gob. 4 out of 5 for both.
Reviews and picture by The Leader