Who is The Winter Soldier?

Recently the title for the upcoming sequel to the 2011 film, "Captain America," was revealed alongside its release date...but, what exactly does the title suggest to fans and movie-goers?  A hardcore comic book fan might have some notion as to what the film title suggests, but to those who are avid movie-goers but lack the knowledge of the source might have difficulties piecing together the reference.  

No matter which camp you belong to (or even if you reside in the center of the geek Venn Diagram) here is some basic knowledge to help you plunder your way through the rich and diverse Captain America, Bucky, and Winter Solider fictional history:

Before the character Winter Soldier existed, there was James 'Bucky' Barnes, a soldier in the U.S Army and close friend of Steve Rogers.  Eventually Bucky ascertained that Captain Rogers was in fact Captain America.  At this juncture they began their joint battle along side one other throughout the bulk of World War II.  However, during the close of the second Great War, Bucky was supposedly killed in action and Captain America frozen for many decades.

Much later it is discovered that Bucky is alive--by a stroke of luck he had been found by a crew of Russian patrolmen.  He had suffered massive brain damage (which resulted in his amnesia) and lost an arm due to the explosion.  Russian scientists built him a mechanical arm and brainwashed him to be a become a Soviet, Cold War Agent.  He was then bequeathed the codename: Winter Soldier.

As a Soviet Agent he was sent on missions usually involving political assassinations and espionage, which resulted in crossovers with such characters as Wolverine and Black Widow.  when not on the aforementioned assassinations he was kept in a cryogenic stasis missions resulting in a sort of longevity.

Eventually he was found by Captain America and his memories were restored using the reality-altering Cosmic Cube, and having gained back his memories, he was forced to carry the burden of his past as...The Winter Soldier.

Recommended Readings:

"Captain America: Winter Soldier Ultimate Collection"

Trade paperback includes: "Captain America #1-9" and "#11-14." 

"Winter Soldier, Vol. 1: The Longest Winter"

Trade paperback includes:  "Fear Itself: Captain America: #7.1" and the first issues to the current ongoing series, "Winter Soldier #1-5."

You can also check out a review of "Winter Soldier #1" here.

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Review: Winter Soldier #1

Bucky Barnes has had quite an enigmatic career—fromCaptain America’s sidekick during the most tumultuous periods of the second Word War to a brainwashed Cold War super spy to the second man to take up the shield as Captain America.

During Marvel’s 2011 summer event, Fear Itself, Bucky Barnes wore the mantle of Cap proudly; however, during the course of the invasion he was killed publicly and bloodily bySin, the daughter of the Red Skull, in her Skadi form.  Steve Rogers once again took up the name of Captain America and fought back the God of Fear and the Worthy alongside theAvengers, but in the end it was his sidekick, best friend, and supporter, Bucky Barnes who was dead—or, so he thought.

In the aftermath of Fear Itself several loose ends were tied up in three point issues dubbed Fear Itself 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3.  These issues specifically centered around Captain America,Thor, and Iron Man.  Within the pages of Captain America 7.1 it is revealed that Bucky Barnes did not die, and was in fact cured of his grievous injuries by Nick Fury who gave him his last dosage of the Infinity Formula.  In the last panels of the issue Steve Rogers finally becomes privy to this knowledge and agrees to hide the fact that Bucky is alive and well, so that James ‘Bucky’ Barnes can resume his old alias of Winter Soldier and right the wrongs of his past.

Winter Solider #1, which just released this past Wednesday (2.1.2012), is an extension of Fear Itself 7.2 and focuses onNatasha Romanova, aka Black Widow, and Winter Soldierdoing what they do best—playing spy games.  The two are excellently paired and their on again off again romance and long history come alive on the pages almost as well as the 60’s noir art that just seems to beckon ‘cool.’  The art is gritty and reminds me of a Sean Connery 007 film poster, and in the context of the book it fits wonderfully.  Bucky is using his old Cold War alias, of Winter Soldier, in an effort to clean up the mistakes of his past under the guise of his death.  Ex-KGB agents, Russian casino mob ties, Cold War sleeper cells, and relics abound making the noir artwork not only relevant, but absolutely imperative.  It would be a mockery not to include these elements.  Several panels remind me ofJ.H. William III’s Batwoman.  Winter Soldier’s penciler, Butch Guice, doesn’t quite have the finesse or the same full page spreads as J.H. Williams, but there are specific panels, especially those of Black Widow that give you that hauntingly beautiful look that is so difficult to capture.  Also, as an aside I am particularly fond of Lee Bermejo’s cover art.  I think they’re absolutely phenomenal and have included two of them in the slideshow attached to this article.

Ed Brubaker’s plot immediately kicks into high gear with action, romance, and Cold War mysterious that strike out in reckless abandon.  They work in synch and it feels as if you are visiting an old friend.  Natasha and Bucky work famously together as they try to uncover the buyer to a Soviet sleeper agent that has not been unthawed since the heart of the Cold War.   The two are a step behind on their first mission, but after a little relaxation and subsequent mission briefing the villains are quickly revealed during the midst of their second mission; the issue climaxes at the perfect moment with an assassination attempt of none other than—Dr. Victor Von Doom.

Overall, this was a bang up first issue and I was instantly thrown into the fray and I fully enjoyed it.  I love the noir aura of the series and tromping through Bucky’s past and digging through the dark closet of the fallen Soviet Union sounds highly intriguing, because it is!

Give this issue a go and pick it up at your local comic book shop, Merlyn’s Sci-fi and Fantasy Store on 19 W. Main Street in downtown Spokane.  They are open 10am to 9m everyday, so don’t miss out on a sterling first issue.

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Comic Book of the Week (2.1.2012)

Winter Soldier #1

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