Now this is something I couldn’t wait to get my hands on. As it’s the only good thing that came from the disappointingly frustrating “Original Sin.” Sure Thor’s whole hammer thing happened, but it didn’t really have anything to do with the actual story, or at least doesn’t seem to. While Winter Soldiers new position as the man on the wall is close to the heart of what “Original Sin” was all about.
WRITTEN BY: Ales Kot
ART BY: Marco Rudy
PUBLISHER: Marvel Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: October 1, 2014
Reviewed By: Torin Chambers
All you need to know is that Bucky Barnes AKA Winter Soldier is now Earths secret first line of defense from whatever unimaginable horrors wish to see us all dead and our planet gone. In layman’s terms Bucky is now a space adventurer.
Written by rising star Ales Kot (who also writes the exceptional Secret Avengers) and illustrated by the magical Marco Rudy (responsible for the breath-taking New Avengers Annual #1), Bucky is in amazingly capable hands. Wasting no time we open with Bucky already in the middle of a mission, one that doesn’t seem to be going so great. He’s been taken prisoner and awaits a very unique form of execution by the King of Syro in front of his people.
This is all part of the plan though and his newest comrade swiftly saves him: Daisy Johnson AKA Quake. The one-time director of S.H.I.E.L.D., who’s also on the run. To be honest I know very little about her so I can’t say if this “on the run” is something that has already happened or something we’ll learn more of in the future.
Marco Rudy’s art, where do I even begin? It’s drop dead gorgeous; lets get that straight right away. Each page of this book could be hung in a museum and I’m sure people would eat it up. It’s pure and utter eye candy from start to finish, but it’s not perfect.
There were multiple times that I had to re-read pages many times to have any idea of what was actually happening. Rudy’s layouts are sometimes so abstract that they begin to teeter into madness. Some incredibly abrupt scene changes are jarring to say the least, especially one involving Namor.
I had a hard time telling who was who in most scenes. The pages are so beautiful but so hard to follow, I’m ridiculously torn on this issue. I wouldn’t change the art for a second but I also want to be able to understand what is going on. It’s a tough call and I’m sure there will be many more people who aren’t as forgiving as I am.
In the end if I’d have to choose between Rudy’s spectacular art or being able to clearly appreciate the story I’m going to have to go with Rudy, it’s just too beautiful. “Bucky Barnes: Winter Soldier” #1 is a phenomenal, but confusing read.
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Torin Chambers is a rad dude from the nineties who does film stuff or something. Thomas the Tank Engine is his favorite transformer. Find him on Twitter @TorinsChambers