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“Winter Soldier” #1

By | December 7th, 2018
Posted in Reviews | % Comments

In recent history, Bucky Barnes has become one of Marvel’s most popular characters. He isn’t just a favorite among comic book readers, he’s got mainstream recognition. It’s kind of insane, considering that he was six feet under for forty-one years. Dead. ‘Regular’ dead too, not the ‘Jean Grey’ kind. Today, he’s a Marvel mainstay and it makes perfect sense to give him his own title. Let’s find out how his first issue shakes out.

Cover by Rod Reis

Written by Kyle Higgins
Illustrated by Rod Reis
Lettered by VC’s Clayton Cowles

Bucky Barnes believes in second chances. Having escaped death, the loss of identity, and a life of murder, the man known as the Winter Soldier has worked hard to atone for his sins. But now…he’s going to go one step further. What do you do when you’ve found redemption? You help others do the same. From KYLE HIGGINS (Nightwing, Power Rangers, C.O.W.L.) and ROD REIS (SECRET EMPIRE, DOCTOR STRANGE: DAMNATION, C.O.W.L.) comes the next chapter in the saga of the Winter Soldier. He’s becoming a “fixer,” working to help others leave behind lives of crime. It’s Bucky’s way of channeling his own pain in a productive, personal way…by helping others find the redemption that he found. However, as Bucky is going to learn, not all paths are the same…and not everyone can be “saved.”

In “Winter Soldier” #1, Bucky is in a healthy place, which is refreshing to see. Comic books can be so static, the status quo often being reset again and again. Any character growth, big or small, is welcome. Barnes has moved back to his hometown of Shelbyville, Indiana. He meditates in his free time. He’s not being a complete loner and is working with others. He’s reading self-help books. He’s friendly with neighbors and has a cat. Most importantly, the Winter Soldier has a new mission.

Bucky has decided that he is going to help give people second chances. At the start of the issue, he helps a police officer get out from under the thumb of some crooked cops, providing the man with a new identity and a fresh start. This is a fitting direction for Winter Soldier. He gets to put his very specific skills in espionage and covert operations to good use, for one thing. Since the character was resurrected by Ed Brubaker, he’s been haunted by his past. He did horrible things while controlled and that tragedy will always be a part of him, like fellow brooding loners Wolverine and Batman. It’s cool that he would take his life’s lemons and try to turn it into lemonade.

Higgins adds another wrinkle to Winter Soldier’s past and extra motivation for him to carry out this new mission. Apparently, someone once tried to help him escape and was killed by a controlled Bucky for his trouble. Also, it turns out that all of the ‘fresh starts’ that Bucky facilitates don’t always go so smoothly. Terry, an ex-HYDRA agent, is coming undone by his mundane, solitary, new life in Wisconsin. When it comes up that he’s been having contact with his girlfriend (A big no-no for those in witness protection), Bucky knows they’ve been compromised. Moments later, Terry’s killed and Bucky ends up at the mercy of an assassin claiming to be his biggest fan.

While this is a solid start to the “Winter Soldier” series, it is a bit tame. The book is devoid of a major antagonist until the very end. One might expect more action from a Winter Soldier comic, but this issue is pretty light on it. There’s the opening tussle with the crooked cops and the assassination at the very end, but that’s all. This is in stark contrast to Bucky’s portrayal in Captain America: Winter Soldier when he let his actions speak for him. There’s no doubt that the MCU version was trained as one of the deadliest assassins in the world. This Bucky has trouble with two officers he should be able to take easy.

Rod Reis’s art is very strong though, a major plus for “Winter Soldier” #1. He has a very distinctive style and handles all art duties in this issue. He makes creative choices throughout the entire issue, it is never boring to look at. When Bucky flashes back to him killing the would-be good Samaritan, the man’s face is only seen when he is murdered, the whole background is foggy and the panels are jagged. This all helps evoke more emotion and makes the memory that much darker. While comic book readers may usually be bored during a rehash of a character’s secret origin, Reis beautifully colors the pages in red, white and blue. He often uses the color red to signify danger. The panel is red when the officer Bucky helps is threatened with violence and during that fight. The moment Bucky kills is colored red as is Terry’s death. The ending is particularly sinister because Reis leaves everything in black and white save for the blood of a murdered bar patron.

RJ, the enemy at the very end, isn’t developed in this issue (completely understandable, he only shows up at the end), but it is an intriguing idea that Higgins has decided on. Bucky was in such a dark place when he was saved, it will be interesting to see how he deals with another supposedly lost cause when he is so determined to help. This characterization of Bucky Barnes was good to see and even though it isn’t the most explosive Winter Soldier tale, the issue does right by it’s titular character.

Final Verdict: 7.0 – It’s good to see the Winter Soldier do his very best to save lives instead of taking them.


Michael Govan

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