Winter Soldier #2
Brian Arbizo
Recap
Bucky Barnes Aka The Winter Soldier has set up a program with the help of Sharon Charter that helps criminals get a second chance. That sounds great and all, until Bucky's ex-girlfriend manages to get the list of Bucky's clients. Did we mention Bucky's ex still works for Hydra? Bucky was checking up on a client that had gone radio silent. As the two caught up, a kid show's up in what appears to be Bucky's old outfit killing his client and shooting the bar.
New Jersey two years ago at the Pancake Shack. A tall slender man sits with what appears to be a teenager, Only the man eats, RJ (the teenage boy) does not. Mr. Colt is to help train Rj to kill. RJ is handed a hunting knife and order to kill the two men in the back booth. RJ asks what they did (showing some sort of conscience). Rj does not get a response but a blank stare, at that moment he knows what he has to do.
After the job is done, RJ comes back and sits with Mr. Colt as he picks at the mounts of food is in front of him. Mr. Colt looks at RJ (who is covered in blood), yells saying he is sloppy. If RJ wants to eat, he has to get on his hands and knees and eat off the floor.
Presently RJ is hovering over Bucky with a machete promising Bucky's death will be clean. Bucky doesn't lay down and take it, a fight breaks out, windows are smashed. The fight goes back and forth. The Machete that RJ has is made of vibranium, which cuts through Bucky's mechanical arm. The fight continues a while longer until Bucky is able to take RJ out. Bucky ties RJ to his bike riding off, RJ has a tracker in his teeth, activating the tracker, as they continue to have a conversation.
Not too far ahead, Mr. Colt lays tire tracks down blowing out the tires of Bucky's bike. As the bike goes down, the riders fly, the bike burst into flames. Mr. Colt begins beating Bucky with nunchucks. Colt is not happy with RJ, stating this job was supposed to be clean. This gives enough time for Bucky to recover and points the gun at Colt. Colt facial expression is flat. RJ stands in between Colt and Bucky shielding the view of Bucky. Colt shoots RJ through the chest while the bullet travels shoot Bucky in the leg.
The bullet grazes Bucky's leg allowing the fight between colt and bucky to rage on. Bucky beats colt into a bloody mess. RJ with his hands around his bullet wound, tells Bucky not to stop. RJ appears scared that Colt will be able to come after RJ.
Review
This series reminds me a lot of a Jason Bourne movie, with social outreach attached to it. Colt flat expressions in the book are chilling. He makes an amazing bad guy. How old RJ is, is hard to tell, in the “2 years ago” at the start of the book, he looks maybe 12 or 13, as the pages go on he seems to have a serious case of Benjamin Button, he looks maybe 10?
Rod does an awesome unique job at drawing motion with lines. He did it a couple of times when Bucky was taking RJ out of the window, again when they were on the bike. The detail is simply stunning.
You can kind of see where this story is going, but you are not a 100 percent sure where it will end. Higgin’s does an awesome job at keeping the writer guessing and engaged in the story.
I am used to Marvel being more kid-friendly books or age conscientious books. Which is fine because of the movies, and owned by Disney. However, one of my favorite things about this series thus far is the violence the darker tones of the book, the scary bad guy. It’s awesome.
Final Thoughts
Winter Soldier kicked 2019 off right. The story is engaging, the art risk-taking that hits every time. When I say risk-taking I mean it's different and it's amazing. Every panel is consistent. I reached out to Rod and begged him to never stop, I am in love with his art. Winter Soldier is the must-read of 2019 already.
Winter Soldier # 2 It Needs to be Clean
- Writing - 10/1010/10
- Storyline - 10/1010/10
- Art - 10/1010/10
- Color - 10/1010/10
- Cover Art - 10/1010/10
I’ve never really cared much about Bucky Barnes before, but this review…I might actually have to check this book out.
Amit, I think you would enjoy it a lot. I read one of his other solo series, it was fine, but this is just great. Highly recommend it. Plus it’s a mini. Can’t go wrong there :).