Brubaker at his finest.
What They Say:
Winter Soldier Versus Doctor Doom. ‘Nuff Said! Brought To You By Eisner Award Winner Ed Brubaker And Superstar Artist Butch Guice
Creators:
Writer: Ed Brubaker
Artist: Butch Guice
The Review:
James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes was Captain America’s sidekick during the Second World War. Presumed dead in the same tragedy that put Cap in suspended animation for nearly thirty years, Bucky was actually rescued by the Russians. He was brainwashed and used as the Soviet Union’s most feared assassin: The Winter Soldier, so call because they put him in cryogenic stasis between missions so he wouldn’t age. Captain America eventually found out and freed Bucky from the brainwashing. When Cap was seemingly killed after the events of Civil War, Bucky took over as the new Captain America for a time, only to be seriously injured in the Serpent’s attack in Fear Itself. Presumed dead, Bucky has taken back the name Winter Soldier and with the help of his lover Natasha Romanova, the Black Widow, he’s hunting down Russian sleeper agents in the United States that he once trained.
It was on the trail of one of these sleeper agents that Bucky and Black Widow uncovered a plot to frame Doctor Doom. The former prime minister of Latveria, Lucia Von Bardas plans to use a robotic double called a Doombot to instigate an international war between Doom and the other nations of the world. In order to stop this, Bucky must get the help of the most dangerous man in the Marvel Universe: Doctor Doom.
As much as I love Brubaker’s work on Captain America, I think his real passion is with this character. Not only did he do the impossible and bring back Bucky in a way that was intelligent and exciting, but he’s made the character a major player in the Marvel U. It may seem like a regression for him to go back to being the Winter Soldier, but we all knew that Steve Rogers wouldn’t be dead for long, and honestly this feels like a better fit. Bucky and Natasha are beyond super spies, and these type of cloak and dagger stories feel more natural.
Really, this should be called Winter Soldier and Black Widow because the two are equally important. They’re like Marvel’s version of John Steed and Emma Peel. They complement each other well, as highlighted by Butch Guice’s art. In the first two issues, the colors and brushwork were too heavy and it was sometimes difficult to discern what was happening on page, but Guice seems to be finding his groove here. It’s dark, dirty, gritty, and absolutely perfect for the type of story being told. He especially does a great job of highlighting the differences between Bucky and Natasha. Bucky is a brute, able to be stealthy when he wants, but he moves with a certain heaviness. Black Widow, on the other hand, is the embodiment of grace. She soars through the panels, light and airy, almost dancing around her enemies. It’s a great contrast that highlights their differences as characters.
I also appreciate that Guice doesn’t make Widow especially top heavy, as most artists tend to do, and he doesn’t have her uniform open practically to her navel. I know that artists do that because it’s titillating, and I won’t pretend it doesn’t work on me, but it never made sense from a story standpoint. Unless she’s trying to seduce somebody, there’s no reason for her to be constantly half out of her suit. There’s no way her breasts aren’t popping out whenever she’s doing acrobatics. Not to mention there’s no protection should she be shot.
In Summary:
Winter Soldier is turning into one of my favorite books. It goes to the top of my read pile every month. Ed Brubaker’s writing is top-notch, with great characterization and smart, tight plots, and with Guice’s improved style, the art is becoming a much better fit for the story.
Grade: A+
Readers Rating: [ratings]
