Winter Soldier #2:
Summary: Picking up from last issue, Bucky and the Black Widow are unable to capture the Red Ghost's super-ape, as it has a jetpack and manages to fly to safety... Yes, really. Widow and Bucky head back to SHIELD to reveal what they discovered(that the Red Ghost was obviously involved with the Soviet Sleepers), and learn that one of the Sleepers made an attempt on Dr. Doom's life in front of the Latverian Embassy in Manhattan. Needless to say, Doom is not pleased, and after some discussion, Bucky and the Widow realize that the attempt on Doom's life was so crude that it was meant to fail, which means whoever was behind the hit wanted Doom good and angry first. Meanwhile, Nick Fury learns the location of the auction where the three Soviet Sleepers were sold, which is where Bucky and Widow head to(in disguise naturally). The two sit through the auction for a while to see who was around and what was being sold, before springing into action and capturing the auctioneer. Bucky demands to know who brought the activation codes for the Sleepers, and is told an older Russian(presumably the Red Ghost). The auctioneer also reveals that the person who brought the activation codes also brought a Doombot... This issue ends with Lucia Von Bardas(the woman responsible for the hit on Doom) and one of the Sleepers looking over the Doombot.
Thoughts: This comic wasn't bad or anything... But it's obvious we're still in the building stages of this story. Bucky learned a few little crumbs of information this issue(such as the Red Ghost's involvement, the Doombot being purchased, etc), but is still ways away from being able to put the entire puzzle together. Thus far nobody has any idea Von Bardas is involved here in any way shape or form. And I doubt anybody will know of Von Bardas's plot against Doom until Bucky and the Widow are able to get their hands on the Red Ghost. So while this wasn't the most exciting comic I've ever read, it did do a good job laying the groundwork for the future.
Score: 7 out of 10.
Yup, once the monkey's start flying away, I think it's safe to say this is the worst mission ever.
I loved the gun-toting gorilla with a jet-pack! Something about it just made me feel like it was Brubaker's way of saying, "Don't worry, it's not going to be doom and gloom ALL the time." I had the same response to this issue as you did. It didn't set my world on fire, but I know Brubaker is so good with these several-issue arcs that I have plenty of patience to see where he takes it.
ReplyDeleteExactly, JW. I wasn't blown away by this issue, but I think I know Brubaker's writing well enough by this point to know that these first few issues will be laying down the groundwork for the future. I'd say by the 5th or 6th issue this series should be absolutely fantastic... Or at least here's hoping!
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