The Winter Soldier is one of the most compelling characters in the Marvel Universe. From Captain America’s sidekick, to deadly memory-wiped assassin, to Captain America himself, James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes has been through a lot of phases in Marvel Comics. Now, we get hit story in a whole new way.
Mackenzi Lee’s The Winter Soldier: Cold Front is the author’s latest foray into the Marvel Universe. Having told stories about Gamora and Nebula as well as Loki, Lee has made a habit of telling YA stories based on our favorite characters and this may just be er best one yet.
The storytelling featured in this new book is very creative. With Bucky being such a unique character in that he has essentially lived two entirely different lives, Lee finds a way to bounce back and forth between what are essentially two different characters. That dynamic makes for some great moments and adds to the heartbreaking qualities of the character’s tragic life.
Many Marvel fans, myself included, will begin this book excited to read a story about the Winter Soldier, complete with his metal arm and unmatched assassin skills. And there is certainly plenty of that in in these pages, but there is also a great deal about a young Bucky, long before his days as the Winter Soldier. In the early going, you may find yourself just wanting to get through the Bucky chapters to get back to the Winter Soldier ones. By the end though, those Bucky chapters deliver some of the best moments of the whole book and they may just end up being your favorites.
That s due in large part to the character development Lee delivers throughout the book. We already know Bucky’s story, but there are a lot of gaps filled in with this book. And it’s not just Bucky we get to know. A new, original character is introduced to the Marvel Universe and her story is equally as interesting and heartbreaking as Bucky’s. Together, their relationship drives this story and the reader can’t help but become attached to them.
As you might expect, there is also plenty of action in this book. With the Winter Soldier as the focal point, a firefight is never to far away and Lee does a brilliant job writing some of the book’s more explosive moments. Marvel fans may be accustomed to seeing some action-packed visuals with these stories, whether they be on the page or on the screen, but this is the next best thing.
In fact, Lee has consistently displayed a talent for being incredibly descriptive, whether it be for action sequences or any other. Her words paint a picture that transports the reader to the basement of a dingy British pub or a frozen Russian tundra. It becomes very easy to get lost in this book.
Interestingly, those words paint a picture that is at least slightly different from both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Marvel Comics. There are elements of both universes throughout this story but it never really commits to either one. That’s not to say this is a negative in any way, but if you pick up this book expecting it to be set in the MCU, you’re quickly going to be thrown for a loop.
Overall, The Winter Soldier: Cold Front is one of the best Marvel novels out there. It’s an original story about one of the universe’s most interesting characters. It’s loaded with both action and heart. Unfortunately, for the character’s involved, it’s more heartbreaking than anything else. But that should come as no surprise to those who know Bucky’s story.
The Winter Soldier: Cold Front is available February 7th. You can order your copy here.