Out of Time
In expectation of the upcoming Captain America: The Winter Soldier movie, I went back and reread the movie's primary source of inspiration - the original 13-issue arc by Ed Brubaker, Steve Epting, & Michael Lark. It was basically a way of hyping myself up for the movie, and a chance to go through one of my favorite Cap stories, and look back to where it all started. Without this book here, we wouldn't have such an awesome MCU movie today, and the Marvel U would be poorer without the resurrection of Bucky Barnes.
I also took it as an opportunity to look at the story arc one last time, before the new movie comes out and changes everyone's expectations. Because let's be honest, once Cap 2 hits North America, and once the character of the Winter Soldier hits the 'mainstream'....there'll be changes. Now I've already seen the movie myself, but below are just some of my thoughts on this classic Cap story, that I wrote a couple of weeks back.
Enjoy.
Steve’s Personality
One of the first things I noticed when I first read this story arc was that this was a very different Steve then we’re used to. This isn’t the friendly, confident leader slash inspiring role model of the Avengers. As Red Skull puts it in #1 – this is Cap at his lowest point. Throughout the Winter Soldier arc, we hardly ever see Steve crack a smile or make a joke.
The Avengers have disbanded, Aleksander Lukin is constantly manipulating Cap’s emotions, and his oldest friend is now a brainwashed killer. We’re dealing with a very grim and furious Captain America here. Steve is basically at his breaking point, and I feel like his mood fits the darker tone of the arc to a tee. While Steve’s definitely still in-character, it’s a refreshing change to see a more human side of the usually-infallible icon.
Tone
And speaking of the darker tone…one of the best aspects of the Winter Soldier arc was definitely the more grounded approach that it took to Captain America. A lot of fans describe Brubaker’s run as being ‘political’ or ‘espionage’, and while those terms are accurate to an extent (though probably more fitting for say…Rucka’s Checkmate), I don’t think they paint quite the right picture.
Basically, what Brubaker did for Cap was what Fraction and JMS did for Iron Man/Thor. Remade the Captain America title’s identity with a more modern sensibility. Brubaker’s handling of Cap is very similar to his work on Gotham Central: he doesn’t neglect the more fantastical aspects of the superhero world, but he grounds it with a more real-world approach.
That’s why the Red Skull’s master plan isn’t treated like some insane supervillain scheme, but an urban terrorism plot. That’s why Cap is going up against bombs and assassins, instead of fighting Armadillo or Batroc. That’s why the Skull wears a suit, why Crossbones wears a vest, and why the AIM grunts carry rifles instead of sci-fi lasers.
The tone that the arc had was actually so consistent that I was jarred out of the story for a second when I saw the flying car in #3. Brubaker and co. don’t ignore or try to whitewash the goofier parts of the MU – in fact they even embrace it at points, like the giant mecha in #13. But they’re smart enough to maintain a tonal quality that both fits the story’s content, and gives the title its own unique setting.
Color of Cap’s Costume
Did anyone else notice that the coloring for the blue parts of Cap’s costume changed after about four issues? Cap’s uniform started out with a darker navy blue, but over time, the colorist began using a lighter shade that would remain for the rest of Brubaker’s run. The shift is subtle, and I didn’t notice it at first, but I have to say I actually far prefer the darker blue. It was a stronger hue that simply made Cap stand out more on the page. The navy blue gave off a more visually-striking impression of the character. Just read the train fight from #1, then compare it to the later issues, and you’ll see what I mean.
Red Skull
Outside of Steve Rogers, the next character that I think Brubaker has the most impressive grasp of is the Red Skull. Seriously, I feel like Brubaker’s depiction of Johann Schmidt is easily one of the best portrayals of a modern comic villain. This is how you write a hero-villain relationship, and this is how the Red Skull should be written.
Throughout the entire 13-issue arc, the Skull is just a complete asshole with his plan. He has a long-term goal to accomplish, sure; but every move he makes is just one more opportunity to mess with Cap. From unlocking Steve’s memories, to making him relive the day Bucky died, to vandalizing those graves…he knows his archenemy so intimately that he can push every single one of Steve’s buttons. He knows how to make Cap angry, how to make him lose his edge and fall for every trap.
And the best part is the reveal: you don’t even know that it’s been the Red Skull doing all these things all along until the last page! This arc (and the Death of Captain America) really exemplifies why the Red Skull is one of the most devious and dangerous plotters in the Marvel U.
Train Fight
Brubaker himself once said that the opening train fight in #1 was one of his favorites. And as far as first fights for first issues go – it doesn’t get any better than this one. I think this opening sequence really sets the tone for Captain America, and sells the book to the reader in a way. Right off the bat: we see that Cap isn’t going up against supervillains – he’s fighting a domestic terrorist cell.
One might say that the battle is too mundane or not flashy enough to draw a reader in, but I think that’s what makes it work. Cap fighting terrorists on a speeding train is like an action scene straight out of Die Hard, and you instantly get the sense of the kind of tone that this book is going for. Epting’s choreography is beautiful and perfectly-executed: from the opening panoramic shot, to that one panel of Cap’s gritted teeth…this is sequential storytelling at its finest. Every page flows so smoothly, and even with minimal speed-lines, Epting’s able to portray the dynamism of Cap. This is how Cap should be drawn: like a force of nature.
WWII Flashbacks
Every good Cap story has one of these. Now I know some might argue that tying Cap to this same war has become redundant at this point, but personally, I dig a good flashback to Cap’s time in the war. It probably helps that I have a bit of a historical interest in this time period, but really, it’s a fundamental part of the character. With Cap saving the world from the likes of Thanos and the Builders these days, it’s nice to get a reminder of Steve’s roots. This was where Rogers really became the icon that he is today – in the fires of the most important war in human history.
Michael Lark’s awesome artwork certainly helps too. And Brubaker is able to seamlessly tie these flashbacks into the larger story; he uses them to expand on the villains’ motivations, or to drop little Cap factoids to help newer readers along. Look at the brief flashback in #2, which instantly tells the reader what Cap’s relationship to the Skull is. Or the one in #4 where Brubaker fills us in on obscure Golden Age characters like the Patriot & Spirit of ’76.
But the best flashback sequence is definitely the one that fills up all of #5; which not only gives us the backstory on Vasily Karpov and Aleksander Lukin, but also marks the debut of Brubaker’s reinvention of Bucky as a trained killer. This definitely set the stage for what would later come in the Winter Soldier.
Brubaker’s Writing
At first glance, Brubaker’s writing doesn’t immediately strike you as being the most impressive. He doesn’t have the witty dialogue of Fraction, or the technobabble of Ellis. Or the summer-action moments of Millar, the prose-like detail of JMS, or the high-concept ideas of Morrison. I’ll admit, on my first read-through of Winter Soldier, I didn’t really understand all the acclaim that the writer was getting.
But as I read the same story arc over and over again, and pieced the entire picture together – I finally understood what Brubaker’s strengths were. Yeah, his dialogue is often blunt and to the point, and his characters tend to lack a certain comic-book panache. But where Brubaker really excels is in telling a focused story. Narrative is where Brubaker truly hits his stride.
Epting’s Covers
There are artists that can do great interiors, but are generally more underwhelming when it comes to covers (see: Bryan Hitch). And on the flipside, there are also artists with fantastic cover renditions, while their actual pages are lackluster (see: Don Figueroa). But damn if Steve Epting isn’t the best of both worlds. You could not have picked a better artist for Brubaker’s revamping of Cap – Epting’s pencils and chalk-like inks just have this fantastic air of verisimilitude that fit the tone to a tee. He’s certainly come a long way since his Avengers days.
But it’s his covers in this story arc that really stand out for me. Epting’s Winter Soldier covers are easily some of the most well-designed and eye-catching pinups for a superhero book. Look at the cover for #11 – a simple yet effective image of the Winter Soldier with a collage of old Bucky comics in the background. Or the two-cover combo of #6, where one cover has Cap while a variant has a mirror reflection of the same cover with Bucky.
But my favorite Winter Soldier cover is without a doubt, #4. I mean, just look at that. A dramatic shot of Cap standing over an Arlington grave, with his shield in hand and rows of graves for fallen soldiers stretching out to the distance. This cover is easily one of the most iconic Cap images; even to the point that it seems to have been the inspiration for a The First Avenger poster. Epting also goes on to do more top-notch covers for the rest of Brubaker’s run. Highlights include #16-17 with Crossbones & Sin, as well as the great three-page combo from #43-45.
Cap & France
I guess special mention should be given to the moment in #3, where Cap and Sharon have a night off in Paris, and he tells her about his time in France during WWII. The dialogue in question is when Cap talks about how it really galls him whenever his fellow Americans dismiss the French as being cowards. As even though their government capitulated, the French people and the Resistance movement never stopped resisting the Third Reich.
I always enjoy the integration of real-world history into comics. As long as the subject in question is treated with the appropriate respect; it’s a good way to drop some gems on readers, and also gives the comic a little more gravitas.
But I suppose what makes this moment so notable is the fact that it’s probably a direct response to the infamous ‘A for France’ moment from The Ultimates. Though this issue was released about a year after Ultimates #13, I think it was definitely a great way for Brubaker to illustrate the difference between 1610-Cap and 616-Cap. Ultimate Cap’s a soldier, but 616-Cap is an icon. Mainstream Steve is the hero you look up to, and a worldly man of many experiences. He’s a little more thoughtful, and perhaps more mature than his alternate-U counterpart as well.
James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes
And I guess there's no Winter Soldier review that's complete without a mention of the star himself - Bucky Barnes. I've always felt that Buck was the real protagonist of Captain AmericaVol. 5. Steve is only around for the first 20 or so issues, but from the start to the end of the volume, it was Bucky who was the constant centerpiece of each story arc. Brubaker's run began with the resurrection of Captain America's sidekick as the Winter Soldier, and came full-circle when Buck inherited his mentor's title.
To date, Bucky's resurrection is probably my favorite of all the death retcons in comic-book history. There used to be a saying that there were only three characters in mainstream superhero books that would never be resurrected - Uncle Ben, Buck, Jason Todd....so far, only Uncle Ben's still in the grave haha. But unlike Todd's comeback in Under the Red Hood, Bucky's resurrection fit in seamlessly into Brubaker's run, and he was really fleshed out as a character of his own overtime. It probably helps that not much was done with him in the Golden Age up until the 2000s, so there was a blank canvas for Brubaker to reinvent here.
Brubaker rewrote Buck's history, gave him an identity and a personality, and came up with a plausible reason for Buck to exist in modern times. Brubaker said that he nearly got cold feet at some points, and almost made Buck a robot instead, but I'm glad they stuck through with it. This was an idea that could've gone horribly awry. Dead sidekicks brought back as evil antiheroes have rarely been successful, and that Cable-esque arm could've backfired in a cheesy 90s way. But Brubaker and co. definitely pulled it off, and transformed Buck from just another part of Cap's origin tale into a hero in his own right.
Oh, and Bucky as Cap was a lot better than Dick as Batman :P
The Perfect Cap Arc
One thing I loved about Winter Soldier was that every issue built on an element of Captain America. It must have been awesome for a Cap fan to read in the monthly format; and it felt like Brubaker had a checklist of Cap tropes to tick off for the whole arc. You’ve got the classic WWII flashback issue, the SHIELD assault issue, and even the mandatory team-up between Cap and his two best buds: Falcon and Iron Man.
I’ve read that Brubaker has read every major issue of Cap in existence, and his knowledge of the character certainly shows with the entire story. You’ve got cameos from past Cap cast members like Union Jack, the Invaders, & Jack Monroe. And what Cap arc is complete without a flashback to the moment of his ‘death’ in WWII? To boot, we know that some of the best Cap stories always have two iconic elements: The Cosmic Cube & the Red Skull.
On a whole, it’s easy to see why Winter Soldier is often high on the recommendations list for new Cap readers.
Conclusion
Well I hope this blog post has inspired some of you out there to reread (or pick up) Brubaker's run in anticipation of the upcoming movie. Feel free to share your own thoughts as well, and if you agree or disagree with my points. Thanks for reading.
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