Warning! Spoilers for Heroes Reborn: Double Action #1 by Marvel Comics below.
Marvel Comics just revealed the death of the Falcon in the Heroes Reborn universe. In a world without the Avengers, Falcon teamed up with Nighthawk as the two became a formidable duo fighting against crime. However, when the Green Goblin remembers his true identity, the first thing he does is attack his enemy in a big way, by killing his sidekick.
The Heroes Reborn universe has changed reality in the Marvel Universe. Thanks to Mephisto (who’s worshipped as a literal God), the Squadron Supreme have replaced the Avengers as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Meanwhile, the iconic Marvel superteam never formed as Iron Man continued on as a weapons dealer, Thor became a drunk, and Spider-Man became a literal spider monster. Only Blade realizes the machinations of Mephisto and is reassembling the Avengers. He’s unthawed Captain America from ice and recently found Black Panther. Together, they’re going to try to restore reality to what it once was.
In Heroes Reborn: Double Action #1 by Tim Seeley, Dan Jurgens, Scott Hanna, Chris Sotomayor, and VC’s Cory Petit, the story remixes the death of Gwen Stacy but instead puts the Falcon in her place. In the comic, Nighthawk – Marvel’s pastiche of Batman – is a U.N. delegate who tries to clamp down on the Squadron Supreme’s power, as he became disheveled after cracking Norman Osborn’s skull open when fighting the Green Goblin. The punch gave Norman amnesia, making him forget he learned about Nighthawk’s real identity as Kyle Richmond. However, when Norman laters remembers he’s the Green Goblin he immediately goes to Nighthawk’s headquarters and attacks the Falcon. After destroying his wings, he ties Nighthawk’s sidekick up and drops him, leaving the hero to freefall into the water below. In an effort to save him, Nighthawk throws his hawkarang around his leg, but inadvertently snaps his neck.
The story is obviously remixing the “The Night Gwen Stacy Died,” by Gerry Conway, Gil Kane, John Romita, Tony Mortellaro, Artie Simek, and David Hunt. The art style by Jurgens is even drawn in a similar style in the comic.
Seeing the Falcon die at the hands of the Green Goblin is a heartbreaking scene. Nighthawk thinks he saved his partner, but when he pulls Falcon up from the bridge, he realizes he isn’t breathing. Nighthawk nearly kills the Green Goblin by impaling him with one of his own missiles, but remembering his speech at the U.N. about justice needing to be in the hands of the people, he turns him over to the police. Thankfully, the Heroes Reborn universe is just a mirage, as Sam Wilson will almost certainly be alive when the original Marvel Comics universe is restored. Still, the Falcon’s death was extremely tragic and nearly broke Nighthawk.
