Bucky Barnes as the Winter Soldier
Exploding from the pages of Captain America comes a third ongoing Cap monthly book. Since Ed Brubaker (Deadenders, Scene of the Crime, Criminal) started writing the star-spangled Avenger, the character has become a major success. Finding himself in the modern world of global terrorism, Captain America faced the threat of the Red Skull in a very new way and a secretive assassin, a relic of the Soviet Empire known only as the Winter Soldier. To Steve Rogers’ (and the reader’s) surprise, the identity of the villain proved to be none other than former side-kick James ‘Bucky’ Barnes!
This struck many as a cheap shot at bringing back a dead hero, but to Brubaker it was overdue justice from a young reader’s perspective. It is accepted now that Bucky died while attempting to stop an explosive-laden drone plane launched by Baron Zemo, this was actually a bit of clever retro-active continuity to explain away the fact that Captain America and Bucky were running about fighting injustice in the 1950’s whereas it was established that Rogers was frozen in deep sleep from the 40’s until the 1960’s.
The new story established that while many believed Bucky had been dead, he was in fact retrieved by the Soviets and turned into an expert assassin sent to perform deadly deeds against the free world. Finally coming face to face with his former mentor, Bucky finally broke his programming and returned to a life of superheroics.
The new series will follow the adventures of Barnes as he operates as a black ops agent in the global theater. Brubaker supplies the words and the astounding artwork comes courtesy of Butch Guice who remains one of the finest delineators in the business. Already hailed as one of the finest new comics of the year (before it has even hit the stands), this one should be a winner.
Make sure to reserve a copy today (do people still do that?) from your local retailer.
The Daily P.O.P. 