The Winter Soldier

This Magazine Kills Fascists looks at times that comic books and superheroes have dealt with tyrannical, corrupt and outright fascist world leaders — not because we think we can find a solution, but because art can provide inspiration in the face of oppression. This week we’re looking at a Captain America story that serves up corporate corruption, Russian meddling in US elections, and out-and-out Nazis, in one unsavory package.

What do we talk about when we talk about love? That Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes love each other is inarguable. It's all over those first two Captain America movies. It's in their goodbyes and their reunions. It's in the pain on Steve's face when Bucky doesn't recognize him, and the pain on Bucky's face when he does. It's in Bucky offering frail young Steve a place to stay, and in superhero Steve offering damaged cyborg Bucky a helping hand. So we can all agree that Steve and Bucky, Captain America and the Winter Soldier, love each other a lot. It's only the nature of their love that's up for debate. We all know they're close friends, but whether they're more than friends is a matter of subtext and speculation. Of fantasy and fan fiction.

The original Thunderbolts (several of them anyway) are back in Thunderbolts #1, with their new leader Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier. MACH-V, Atlas, Moonstone, and the Fixer are joined by Barnes and another new member, who we know nothing about except that she looks like a ghostly little girl on Mark Bagley's variant cover. Adding the Winter Soldier to the Thunderbolts actually makes a lot of sense, given his own history as an amoral assassin. After all, the team (once Baron Zemo's out of the picture) is all about redemption. The new Thunderbolts is written by Jim Zubkavich with art by Jon Malin, and the first issue comes out May 4th. Check out a preview of the debut now.

The holiday season is upon us, and with that comes gifts! It's always lovely to receive something special from someone you love, but there's also a particular pleasure that comes in giving a really well chosen gift and knowing that it's truly appreciated. Sometimes it really is better to give than to receive! So in that spirit, ComicsAlliance is here to inspire you with some great ideas for gifts to buy for your friends and family. Each gift guide is taiored to a particular personality type or special interests, starting with gifts for the Marvel movie fan in your life!

So far, the lineup for Captain America: Civil War makes the film seem more like Avengers 2.5 than another installment in the Cap franchise — not that that’s a bad thing. The film features Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow, Falcon and so many more, including Chadwick Boseman, who will make his first big screen appearance as Black Panther. But how exactly does Marvel’s new hero fit into the upcoming battle between Cap and Iron Man? We might know. Kind of.

When the first Captain America movie came out in 2011, the character seemed like a tough sell. His earnest patriotism felt dated to many and was alienating to some. Marvel Studios has made a habit of landing tough sells. Neither Iron Man nor Thor were the obvious calls that they look like in retrospect, while the plan to tie the characters together in The Avengers was an ambitious gamble. Yet if M

The brooding former Howling Commando with a sweet robot arm (and maybe a heart of gold?) known as The Winter Soldier is getting his 1/6 scale collectible figure due from Hot Toys later this year. No, it won't be available for several months after Captain America: The Winter Soldier arrives in theaters on April 4, but once you know its stylin' secret, you might consider the figure well worth the wa

If Marvel Studios isn't careful, it's going to end up posting the entirety of Captain America: The Winter Soldier on YouTube well in advance of the movie's release next month. But that's not for us to worry about. All we need to do is watch the minute-long clip released today that reveals how Cap and The Winter Soldier first crossed paths (as far as they know, anyway). It involves a lot of Cap jus

If the Super Bowl trailer for Captain America: The Winter Soldier didn't adequately whet your whistle for the new movie, then maybe a new batch of photos from the film will pique your interest. Marvel has a new gallery of images (set to autoplaying music, you should be warned) that showcase not only Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, but Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill, Scarlett Johansson a

Funko's 3.75" Pop! Vinyl line will welcome the latest movie incarnation of Marvel's Sentinel of Liberty (and company) this spring with a four-figure set of Captain America: The Winter Soldier figures. Set to arrive in March in anticipation of The First Avenger sequel's April 4 release date, the line will include fresh versions of Cap, Black Widow, and two versions of The Winter Soldier himsel