Bucky Barnes: the Long, Cold Winter (Vol. 1)

## Solicitations

BUCKY BARNES: THE LONG, COLD WINTER #0

Written by TOM KING

Plot by GLOBAL HONORED

Art by JH WILLIAMS III

Let me tell you about my friend, James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes, Buck. He's been through a lot. Buck was a child soldier, a troubled orphan, a street kid really that was selected for a top secret black ops unit back in WWII. I know, how old is this guy, right? Bare with me, we'll get to that. But yes, contrary to the narrative, we noble Americans had expendable kid warriors at that time and Buck was one of them. That is until he caught the eye of one Captain America, Steve Rogers, on the battlefield. Steve took Buck under his mask wings so to be speak, taught him how to control his anger, to direct his rage at the right targets, taught him right from wrong, and those two fought side by side against the Axis Forces, helping the good guys, our side win the war. But Buck did not make it back from that war. And may be he never really has. See, he was lost in a terrible accident during the waning days of the conflict. He fell from an airplane helping Cap stop a bomb. He lost his arm. Everyone thought he drowned. Heck, he has sacrificial medals of honor for dying on the field of combat. But he did not die. What we do know is the Russians found him, recovered his body, did some sciency sh\*t to him, fitted him with cybernetics, injected him with their own super soldier serum which evidently slows down the aging process, they brought him back, and while they were at it, they messed with his head. They used him. We aren't really sure to what extent. Buck tells us that those years, those decades are a fog. The records are as broken and buried as the old Soviet infrastructure. But Buck is back with us now, he's alive, and he's not finished winning our battles for us. Now I fight by his side, well we do. We do not have an official name, Dum Dum calls us "The Sidekickers," like he should talk. We work for S.H.I.E.L.D. It's me and a bunch of old fogies that look crazy good for their age. There's Dum Dum of course, he's our ranking officer, getting orders directly from the top. I am not sure what serum he drank to stay so young but it smells a lot like Scotch The Black Widow helps us out from time to time. She and Buck have a strange connection besides both being former commies. She is dangerous. I like her. There's Toro, he's part android and lights up like a torch. Buck and Toro go way back. He's a good guy for a robot. Then there's Peggy Carter, director of intel who manages our missions from our D.C. Warehouse HQ.....and she's a vampire, a friendly one but nevertheless. Buck and Dum Dum assure me she wasn't always that way. Who am I? I am The Falcon. Consider me the air support for this outfit, and the one person on the team that knows what hip hop is, but has no idea about Mel Torme. This is his story. Not Mel's, I mean Buck's. It's his story. A soldier's story. Heck, it's our story, a story about America, what it is, what it isn't, and what it can be. It's about second chances, righting wrongs, brotherhood, about sacrifices and what it takes to be a hero....it's...you know what, don't take it from me, just see for yourself. You'll want to read about Bucky Barnes and starting next month, you'll get that chance!

- Sam Wilson

20 PGs./ Rated T+...FREE

BUCKY BARNES: THE LONG, COLD WINTER #1

Written by TOM KING

Plot by GLOBAL HONORED

Art by J.H. WILLIAMS III

"A Day in the Life"

After Hours.

There's a burglary about to go down inside the Library of Congress. Europe's most renowned superthief, Batroc ze Leaper, has targeted Jefferson's original rough draft of The Declaration of Independence. But what does the French Savate master want with this cherished piece of U.S. history? Nothing it turns out, besides the vast fortune he was paid to steal it. Peggy Carter's intel points to a Russian Oligarch with an Americana fetish named Taktarov, who wishes to display it on his 600 foot yacht The Yank, right next to the ten gallon hat John Wayne wore in Liberty Valance. Bucky and the Sidekickers are on the scene to save the scroll but Batroc's heavily armed henchmen and gravity defying parkour skills allow him to escape again, albeit empty handed. Bucky drops a sawbuck on the counter in the gift shop and along with Falcon sets sail for international waters to pay Taktarov a visit, handing him a stern warning to find something better to do with his billions along with a souvenir copy of the Declaration, on the house. Then Dum Dum calls, they're needed back in D.C. There's reason to believe there will be an assassination attempt on Senator Wertham at this morning's rally!

Day Shift.

Guarding the controversial outspoken populist politician. Who would want to kill this guy...how much time do you have? The Sidekickers set up a perimeter but somehow they missed a window. A shot rings out.. Redwing takes one for The Senator. The would be assassin, decked out in some sort of protective armor, flees the scene on motorcycle. Luckily Bucky has his own chopper and gives pursuit. A high speed chase ensues through the National Mall, past the Smithsonian. Toro takes a direct hit from the shooter that shorts him out. Toro is down! Falcon clears the Mall, protecting innocent onlookers. Bucky closes in, the gunman turns to fire but loses control of his bike, crashing and burning on Independence Avenue. Bucky wades through the wreckage but it is too late. The assassin is dead. Bucky removes the man's armored helmet to reveal....a boy! A child that couldn't be older then 12 or 13 did this.. Cameras are quickly on the scene, such is the Washington press. Then Wendy Wertham, social media darling and the Senator's daughter, rushes in front of the lights towards a startled and shaken Bucky before he can react. Miss Wertham wraps her arms around Bucky in a bold embrace, kisses him on his bloodied cheek, then turns to face the media, "Take a good look at the man who saved my father, this is the face of a real american hero!"

To Be Continued....

32 PGs./Rated T+...$3.99

BUCKY BARNES: THE LONG, COLD WINTER #2

Written by TOM KING

Plot by GLOBAL HONORED

Art by J.H. WILLIAMS III

"Scope of Influence"

The Morning after. Natasha concerned with James (aka Bucky) following the recent assassination attempt of controversial Senator Wertham (see last issue) after the deceased would-be-assassin turned out to be a kid, spent the night, but the next morning when the conversation steers towards the attractive girl hugging up on James in a video that's gone viral (she's social media darling and the Senator's daughter, Wendy Wertham - also last ish) they are forced into defining their relationship, which neither is comfortable in doing.
The Afternoon. Bucky sneaks in to the morgue to find out more about the dead boy assassin, where he discovers someone else snooping around - Private Investigator extraordinaire, Dakota North! What's she doing in town? She informs him she wasn't here for the attack on Wertham but is looking in to a string of deaths that have somehow been missed by the press. A number of high profile lawyers and fix it men, handlers for big money lobbyists, and even a government official have been offed in recent months, all to mysterious silence. She's looking for a link with the Wertham attempt. Bucky agrees to help her if she'll assist him in digging up information on this dead kid who was trained to be a killer. A deal is made.

The Evening. Terror hits D.C.! An explosion at Dulles International Airport. Casualties reported. The city is in shock. Criminal mastermind Moses Magnum is taking responsibility and now making demands. Senator Wertham is on his favorite News Channel in mere minutes to stir up his base, blaming the current government for failing to protect them, spouting off misinformation and wild radical theories, while pointing fingers and raising fear towards anyone that doesn't look like like his "silent majority." The town, the country is boiling over.

Midnight. The man known as Microchip sits in his dark basement in front of a row of screens and monitors. He watches on closed circuit camera Natasha leaving Bucky's apartment, and it doesn't look like its on the best of terms. Microchip smiles. Once Natasha leaves and Bucky climbs in to bed alone, Microchip moves to another machine, he punches in a few coded commands. A red light flickers. The Screen Reads "WINTER SOLDIER PROTOCOLS ACTIVATED." Bucky rises out of bed. His look, his movements a bit more mechanical than before. He enters his closet and opens a safe that reveals keypad, with the code entered a wall moves, opening to a hidden room behind. Within is an arsenal of weapons and another monitor reading "Target: Monroe Ellison, Capital Consulting Legal Adviser. Address: 1499, Jackson Hill Trail. Target has damaging information concerning our client, jeopardizing his ascension to the throne. Immediate and full sanctioning authorized." Bucky loads his weapon.

To Be Continued....

32 PGs./Rated T+...$3.99