Bucky Barnes and Black Widow going on a secret mission presented by Ed Brubaker, Butch Guice and Bettie Breitweiser. What more could we ask for?
The Good
Holy crap! Another issue of WINTER SOLDIER in one month? Issue #1 came out just two weeks ago. Marvel is spoiling us by doing this and I'm not complaining. If you read my review for issue #1, you know I loved it. Since Brubaker re-introduced Bucky Barnes to the Marvel Universe, he became more than a costumed hero. With all the ordeal he went through, he was jacked up into a tougher and cooler character. With a covert mission to hunt down and capture sleeper agents that he trained (while brainwashed), we get to see parts of the Marvel Universe we don't often see. WINTER SOLDIER is a long ways away from the typical New York City locale seen in most Marvel Comics.
We find out a little more about the sleeper agents, in particular the name of the three that are 'out there' somewhere. We don't get a complete rundown of their history but the tiny bits Bucky recalls/reveals sets up what we could expect when they eventually clash. From the solicit you can gather that someone is out to try to kill Doctor Doom. The thought of a sleeper-Winter Soldier type assassin going after Doom seems a little insane. But insane enough to make you want to see more. And if someone trying to assassinate Doctor Doom wasn't enough, how about a big gorilla with a machine gun shooting at Bucky and Black Widow?
The art/color team of Butch Guice and Bettie Breitweiser is the perfect combination for this book. I don't do it every time I read a comic but there are times I wonder, "what if this comic was drawn by someone else?" There's no doubting that Brubaker has a great direction planned for this series but the art and colors complement Brubaker's script so well. I cringe at the thought of another creative team on this title. Often when snowy scenes are drawn, the attempt can become a distraction. That isn't the case here. There are also scenes with Bucky and Natasha in action in costumes and undercover. The variety of locations they go makes the story feel that much bigger.
The Bad
When Black Widow does the splits, it freaks me out a little. She must be so incredibly flexible that it becomes a little distracting. Is it possible for a person to bend this way?
Doctor Doom's appearance here brings up questions of continuity. He's been spending a lot of time with the Future Foundation and has been wearing a white outfit. That isn't the case here. We also get a slight feeling of the action jumping around. Bucky and Natasha are going all over the place. That's how it should be when they're on the trail of the sleeper agents and those involved in activating them but we're not seeing how they're getting from place to place or how long it takes. Obviously this is a minor concern as we wouldn't want to see them standing in the security line at the airport.
The Verdict
People buy comics for different reasons. If you dig Bucky and Black Widow, you need to get this issue. If you follow creators and love Brubaker's writing, Butch Guice's art or Bettie Breitweiser's colored art, you need to get this issue. If you love stories with an element of espionage mixed with superheroes, you need to get this issue. Bottom line, if you enjoy quality comics filled with fun and excitement, you're going to find that WINTER SOLDIER will easily rise to the top of your reading list. This is the story that Brubaker's been setting up for years. We've seen the seeds of the hidden sleeper agents back in the pages of CAPTAIN AMERICA and now Bucky (and Black Widow) are on the trail. Bucky feels responsible for having helped train them (while he was brainwashed) plus the safety of the world is at stake. If you haven't already, track down the first issue (it was on sale two weeks ago). WINTER SOLDIER is the perfect meshing of the superhero and spy genre.