Ed Brubaker

After the Civil War ends, the Winter Soldier finally chooses a side--his own--but the Red Skull and his minions are up to something behind the scenes.

The Death of Captain America

Captain America

Collects Captain America (2004) #1-9, 11-14. Continuing the series of graphic novels handpicked by Marvel Editorial to showcase pivotal story lines written and drawn by some of Marvel’s most acclaimed creators! The instant-classic saga that brought Bucky Barnes back from the dead! The shocking murder of the Red Skull leaves an unfinished Cosmic Cube at large! Adding to the imminent danger, a cadre of the Skull’s followers sets in motion a plan to ignite bombs in the hearts of Paris, London and Manhattan! Racing against the rapidly ticking clock, the Star-Spangled Avenger must not only solve the mystery of his nemesis’ murder, but also find the Cube before it can be used to rewrite reality! But who is the Winter Soldier — a lethal killer with an all-too-familiar face? The questions plaguing Captain America’s dreams are answered in the most brutal way possible, tearing open old wounds and threatening to carve new scars that will never heal!

Winter Soldier Marvel Select

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a.k.b.

Thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, these days we all know who Steve Rogers is. Sure, everyone has heard of Captain America at one point or another, but not so many people really knew Steve prior to his initial outing in the First Avenger. And along those same lines, we’ve all come to know Bucky Barnes largely thanks to his alter ego the Winter Soldier. And for anyone that’s ever been curious to learn more about the comic book counterparts, Captain America: the Winter Soldier is a fantastic first step in the world of Steve Rogers.

The Winter Soldier story arc has been one of the most recognized Captain America stories since it debuted in 2005. And as such, I was excited for this infamous arc to be my first venture into Cap comics. And now that I’ve completed it, I see why the story has remained so strong and significant to Cap’s fans.

The Winter Soldier isn’t some flashy star-spangled superhero story, and Steve Rogers isn’t anything like the righteous all-American that I was anticipating him to be. No, this series is about espionage and mystery, it’s an emotional journey for Steve, and eventually an emotional story for Bucky.

The plot is layered with intricacy - there isn’t only the issue of the Winter Soldier to deal with, but there are additional antagonists at play here, all of which wrap perfectly around the Winter Soldier plot.

The story jumps seamlessly from past to present, from far off places to Brooklyn, from Steve’s journey to Bucky’s. Brubaker has done an excellent job creating a well-developed story, one that highlights just how serious and complex comic books can be.

The greatest surprise of the Winter Soldier is that I knew who the Soldier was practically from the start. And no, that isn’t simply because I’ve been a fan of the film adaptation since it’s release. I went into this comic expecting that the identity of the Winter Soldier would be some big, grand mystery, but in reality, they dropped not-so-subtle hints from the very beginning. Brubaker wasn’t trying to keep it a secret, he wasn’t trying to surprise anyone when it was revealed that Bucky was still alive. The mystery wasn’t so much who the Winter Soldier was, but rather, how he came to be. Admittedly, I wish Bucky’s identity was more of a mystery.

My other major critique regards the finale, in which Captain America confronts the Winter Soldier. This encounter was a little lackluster, especially the moment that Bucky’s memories begin to come back to him. The fight between the two men was dynamic and well built up, but in the moments that followed this climax fell flat. I didn’t feel the emotional impact of Bucky’s memories, nor did I feel the emotional impact this moment had on Steve. For a story arc that was built up over the course of thirteen issues, you’d think it would end on a more significant note.

A final note, that isn’t a critique of the work, just a general observation, is that there were some points at which I was confused. Not because of the story, but rather because of references to other comics that I didn’t understand. This doesn’t take away from the story, and I came to understand it all, but it’s worth mentioning for anyone that is considering jumping into Captain America comics with this book. As a whole, though, the Winter Soldier felt like a good starting point, and it’s a story I’d recommend to anyone, whether you’re a comic book reader or not.

Dennis Jacob Rosenfeld

Dimitris Papastergiou

Captain America & Bucky

Jéssica Canais

Cap is awakened in the dead of the night by agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., who need the kind of help only he can provide. But the corpse he finds on the Heli-carrier brings him face-to-face with the unthinkable, and opens doors to terror and manipulation he never dreamed possible! Who is the Winter Soldier and what is his haunting connection to Cap? Collects Captain America (2004) #1-7.

Winter Soldier Vol. 1

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Robert S.

Ahmed Bakr

Anna

Sharon Carter's dreams are forcing her to relive the death of Steve Rogers - and her time under the control of Dr. Faustus. But will these dreams also reveal hidden secrets about what she saw and did on the day Steve died Collects Captain America #49-50; #600-601.

Captain America The Death of Captain America

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