Continuing their tour of television shows, Marvel has made a stop at The Colbert Report. Tonight, Colbert (referencing the now infamous issue #21) not only caught America up on what’s up with Captain America, but also had an announcement with the help of Joe Quesada…. after some prompting from the audience that Colbert should take over the role.

Quesada, and Colbert actually talked comics for a bit, a great change from some other television appearances, and handled it with humor, and lots of entertainment.

And the big announcement is……

The next Captain America is Sam Wilson, The Falcon! We also got a first look at Wilson as the new Captain America.

But, with that, there’s a void, and a new Falcon is needed. Quesada felt Colbert could fill the role and did up Colbert as the Falcon courtesy of artist Kristafer Anka (who cryptically hinted about the art last night on Twitter).

This isn’t the first African-American Captain America. Isaiah Bradley was introduced into the Marvel universe in 2003 in Truth: Red, White, & Black, in which a Tuskegee like program was created in an attempt to recreate the super serum that turned Steve Rogers into Captain America.

And here’s a look at the new Cap and Colbert as The Falcon!

It looks like Wilson’s new uniform will mix Cap’s and his current Falcon one. It does look like wings still in the arm.

Update: Here’s Marvel’s official release:

Marvel is excited to announce that beginning in November 2014, the title of Captain America will be passed to Sam Wilson, The Falcon, in the pages of All-New Captain America #1 by series writer Rick Remender (Captain America, Uncanny Avengers) and series artist Stuart Immonen (All-New X-Men).

 

Announced on “The Colbert Report” by Joe Quesada, “Sam Wilson…The Falcon, is the new Captain America.”

 

Addressing how Sam Wilson will follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Steve Rogers, Remender says, “Sam wants to lead by example. To help people see their own selfishness and to turn it around. To build better communities, to never forget the little guy.”  Remender continues, “Sam follows his heart and his belief in what the American dream means and how it belongs to everyone.”

 

The question remains: what happens with the original Captain America, Steve Rogers? Executive Editor Tom Brevoort says, “Steve’s spirit is as willing as ever, but his body is no longer up to the task of being Captain America. So he’ll employ his skills as the new Cap’s remote strategic advisor, running Cap’s missions from his headquarters in Avengers Mansion and providing Sam with technical support and field information from a distance. He’ll also tutor Sam in how to throw the shield, a skill that’s deceptively difficult for the new Cap to master. So Steve will continue to be a vital part of the series moving ahead.”