Winter Soldier, Vol. 4: The Electric Ghost (2014)

While this is the last volume of Winter Soldier, it isn’t exactly the conclusion to what came before it.  It does allude to the events of the previous volume, but it’s a new story – by a new writer, in fact.  As such, it doesn’t really satisfy anything I’d been hoping for after volume 3, but it’s still a good story with interesting characters and strong emotional content.

Bucky is reeling after the events of the last volume.  Nick Fury, trying to get him working again, tempts Bucky with the prospect of a new case with ties back to his old Winter Soldier days.  Sent to extract Linus Tarasova, a prickly long-time spy embedded in Hydra, Bucky soon discovers a mysterious connection between Linus and a nigh-unstoppable hacker known as the Electric Ghost.

Like I said, I’m still disappointed that the story from the first three volumes is mostly dropped.  No matter what, this volume would’ve been different, since the Novokov stuff definitely ended in volume 3, but I would’ve liked to see the characters dealing with the fallout more.  However, I don’t suppose the title knew it would be ending soon when it started this new arc, so everyone probably figured there’d be time to unpack it later.  As it is, we’re fortunate that the new arc introduced in this volume concludes in a good spot – I wouldn’t exactly call it decisively over, but it still ends at a reasonable point.

As for the new story, I like it.  Linus is an excellent character, a world-weary spy who’s become harder to manage in the years since his work cost him the ones who matter most to him.  Similarly, the Electric Ghost is a great semi-villain, someone who’s definitely at odds with “our” characters but who is still sympathetic and not entirely malevolent.  The issue in which we dig more into her background is really well done.

As with Novokov, the Electric Ghost taps into Bucky’s past, albeit in a different way.  It’s one of the things I like most about this title – it’s a chance to really explore the complexity inherent in the Winter Soldier.  Even though the things that Bucky did during his decades as a brainwashed Russian asset aren’t his fault – there was no way he could’ve stopped himself from following those orders – actions then continue to ripple through his life now.  And even though it would’ve been impossible for him to overcome his programming, that doesn’t stop him from feeling guilty about or responsible for what’s happened.

Also, the art is pretty great.  There’s a new artist to go along with the new author, and the artwork is evocative, stylish, and action-oriented.  It has kind of a cinematic feel to it at points, and certain parts of the story really lend themselves well to impressive visuals.

Winter Soldier, Vol. 3: Black Widow Hunt (2013)

I think I’d rank volume 3 of Winter Soldier somewhere between volumes 1 and 2.  It’s a little plottier than the last volume, but it gets into the emotional content as well, with the effects that Novokov’s machinations are having on Bucky.  Things are definitely heating up, though, building to the climax that will presumably come in the next and final volume of the series.

The plot is very much ongoing, but in the interest of avoiding spoilers, I’ll speak as generally as I can.  Novokov’s plans have taken a deadlier, more devastating turn, and Natasha is still tangled up in the thick of it.  More heroes are brought in to help Bucky stop Novokov, including Cap, Hawkeye, and Wolverine.  Bucky is at the end of his rope, and in his desperation, he makes a particularly reckless decision.

First up, I’m getting better with the cross-hero appearances in comic books, although I suppose it helps that Bucky and Natasha are both such a part of the larger MCU that I’m used to seeing them with other heroes; this volume features a Daredevil appearance as well, and he seems to fit in well enough.  The one that still feels jarring to me is Wolverine, but with the X-Men rights officially coming home to Marvel, I suppose it’s only a matter of time before it’ll feel normal to see Avengers interacting with X-Men.

As far as the plot goes, I like seeing how desperate and unhinged Bucky gets.  He funnels it all into working tirelessly to thwart Novokov, but his inner monologue makes no illusions about how badly this situation is messing him up.  I like that his emotions are driving him to do ill-advised things, with his friends trying to reel him back.  On the flip side, though, Natasha is used less as a character than a plot device here, and the volume’s conclusion doesn’t have me overly sanguine that that will change too much in the final volume.  Given how much I like the little bit this comic has shown us of Bucky and Natasha as partners, that feels like a waste.

It is a gripping plot, though.  While Novokov is a bit of a typical Machiavellian mastermind, always one step ahead of our heroes, he definitely knows exactly where to twist the knife.  Some of the cuts here are particularly cruel, and I’m interested to see where the last volume takes us.

Warnings

Violence, language, sexual references, drinking/smoking, and thematic elements.

Winter Soldier, Vol. 2: Broken Arrow (2012)

No News Satire Roundup today - I’m away for a wedding and have only had a chance to see about half of this week’s Daily Shows.  Expect that post later next week.

If the first volume of Winter Soldier started off a little removed for my tastes, this one kicks it up several notches.  It’s not without its issues, but I’m a lot deeper into this story now and ready to read more (light spoilers.)

Following on from the events of the last volume, Bucky is on the trail of a ghost from his past, a sleeper agent that he trained back in his Soviet days.  Leo Novokov has woken from deep freeze and is slowly grappling with the world in which he now finds himself.  Flung into the present but steeped into the past, he sets in motion a plan to torment his old trainer Bucky (as well as his old Red Room cohort Natasha.)

I like this volume way better than the first one.  While I’d still say I prefer the overall tone of comics like Ms. Marvel or Jughead, what really makes this volume work for me is the personal stakes.  Even though the sleeper agents plot was introduced in the first volume and obviously tied into Bucky’s past as the Winter Soldier, it mostly felt like a job that Bucky and Natasha were uniquely qualified to address.  Here, though, with Novokov’s vendetta against Bucky, it’s so much more personal.  This is a guy looking to hit Bucky where it hurts, and Bucky has a hard time maintaining his composure in the wake of this onslaught.

Another thing I love is the scenes of Bucky and Natasha working together.  I love watching kickass couples fighting alongside each other in an equal partnership, and I feel like this volume delivers on how I’d imagined Bucky/Natasha since I’d first heard that they were a pairing in the comics.  Moving in tandem, implicitly trusting one another, able to see individually to different parts of a task in the mutual assurance that both can handle themselves.  It’s truly a pleasure to see.

Unfortunately, that’s where I do run into a complaint with the volume; there’s not enough of that.  Novokov’s plans for Bucky involve Natasha, and while I wouldn’t say she’s damseled – it’s more complicated than that – the second half of the volume focuses more on Bucky and other guys banding together against Novokov on Natasha’s behalf, rather than Bucky and Natasha against Novokov.  Even though the specific way Natasha is involved in the plot is interesting (and certainly designed for maximum impact,) it bugs me that she’s made into a piece on Novokov’s chessboard instead of continuing on in her capacity as Bucky’s partner.  It’s not enough to make me dislike the story, but I do hope volume 3 brings that aspect of the comic back where it ought to be.