Winter Soldier Winter Kills (2007) 1

The one constant in comic books was the death of Captain America’s sidekick, James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes.

That was until 2005 when writer Ed Brubaker returned the youth from the dead by explaining he had been knocked unconscious, found by the Russians and trained to kill.

To maintain his youthful appearance and abilities, Bucky has been kept in cryogenic stasis between missions. Much like he was found by General Vasily Karpov and crew of the Russian submarine.

Winter Soldier Winter Kills (2007) 1

Captain America helped Bucky regain his lost memories, but the former sidekick remains elusive to his former friend.

In Winter Kills, Bucky is given the opportunity to enjoy Christmas for the first time in 63 years. His festivities are cut short when Nick Fury asks him to wrangle the Young Avengers in their pursuit of Hydra.

Bucky is able to herd them to a victory with enough time to relive past wounds at the gravesides of Jack Munroe and Toro.

Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, Bucky first appeared in Captain America Comics issue one. He would accompany Captain America throughout World War II.

When super heroes became passe in the late 1940s and early 1950s, both Cap and Bucky faded from the spin racks and memories…until Stan Lee revived Captain America in the early 1960s in Avengers issue four.

Bucky would appear in flashbacks in Tales of Suspense during the Sixties. It was in the title readers learned of his fate at the end of the war.

In the 1970s, Rick Jones would don the blue and red costume and play second fiddle to Cap for a time.

Winter Solider has become a major force in the Marvel Universe, even making the break to the silver screen as played by Sebastian Stan.