The world of comic books is no stranger to dramatic reveals, but few have sent shockwaves quite like the return of Bucky Barnes as the Winter Soldier. Though it is now hard to imagine Marvel Comics or the Marvel Cinematic Universe without Bucky, this pivotal moment, a decade in the making, almost didn't happen due to the very real fears of its creator.

Captain America #6, written by Ed Brubaker with art by Steve Epting, was released on May 25, 2005, and unleashed this monumental twist: the mysterious villain known as the Winter Soldier was none other than Steve Rogers’ presumed-dead partner, Bucky Barnes.

Bucky, once Cap’s plucky young sidekick in the 1940s-1960s, was reinvented as a deadly brainwashed Soviet assassin out for blood. This decision to resurrect such a foundational character in Captain America’s lore was a creative gamble that, in hindsight, paid off handsomely.

The Winter Soldier's Introduction Was A Major Risk

Captain America #6, Written By Ed Brubaker With Art By Steve Epting

Marvel editor Tom Brevoort vividly recalled the apprehension surrounding the Captain America #6 release. Brubaker, plagued by “pre-show jitters,” called Brevoort, genuinely convinced that angry fans were going to “string him up” for daring to tamper with the established canon of Bucky Barnes. The well-known paradigm in comics for decades had always been “no one stays dead except Bucky, Jason Todd, and Uncle Ben.” Ironically, this would prove to be an outdated expression come 2005 thanks to Marvel’s risky move. Writing about the experience on his blog on Substack, Brevoort said:

CAPTAIN AMERICA #6 came out on May 25, 2005, and was the issue where we first revealed what we were doing: that the mysterious Winter Soldier, who had been a shadowy antagonist throughout the initial run of issues, might actually be Cap’s long-thought-perished partner Bucky Barnes. This was a controversial thing to do, bringing Bucky back, and it’s down to the skills of writer Ed Brubaker and artists Steve Epting and Michael Lark that we were able to pull it off. But I can , just before this issue dropped, getting a call from Ed in which he was having pre-show jitters, half-convinced that angry fans were going to string him up for daring to tamper with this legend. As things turned out, that isn’t how things went down, and this run became an often-reprinted classic and the inspiration for transitioning the character into live action. But it very easily could have gone the other way.

Brubaker’s apprehension wasn't unfounded. Fans are fiercely protective of iconic characters and their established histories. The decision to bring Bucky back, and especially to cast him as an antagonist with a questionable past, flew in the face of decades of comic book lore. When the revelation was made, fans were unaware of the factors that would eventually reveal the truth behind Bucky’s action: he was not an antagonist, but instead a victim. It was a high-stakes gamble that could have easily alienated the very audience they sought to captivate.

Ed Brubaker Faced Immense Pressure During The Creative Process

The Writing, Along With The Captivating Art, Made The Winter Soldier Storyline A Classic

The cover of Captain America #6, which introduced the Winter Soldier's true identity, is a masterclass in evocative design, perfectly setting the stage for the dramatic reveal within. It pays homage to the classic Captain America comic covers, but features Bucky in the center with his bionic arm prominently displayed, hinting at his cold, calculated nature. The limited color palette, dominated by reds and grays, hints at Bucky's ties to the Soviet Union and Hydra, immediately drawing the reader into the espionage thriller Brubaker was crafting.

The cover's design elements are critical to the comic’s overall impact, emphasizing the duality and tragic past of the Winter Soldier. The subtle inclusion of fragmented imagery that suggests shattered memories further foreshadows the deep connection to Captain America and the emotional weight of Bucky's return. This visual storytelling on the cover prepares readers for a revelation that would not only redefine a character, but also reverberate throughout the Marvel Universe for years to come, solidifying Bucky Barnes as a fan-favorite since.

The success of the Winter Soldier storyline is a powerful testament to the creative team's skill. Brubaker's nuanced writing, coupled with Epting's artwork, transformed a potentially disastrous move into a critically acclaimed, often-reprinted classic. The storyline not only revitalized Captain America's mythos, but also served as the direct inspiration for Bucky Barnes' hugely successful transition into live-action films, as played by Sebastian Stan, proving that calculated risks, when executed brilliantly, can yield extraordinary results.

Source: Tom Brevoort - Substack