Fanboys Anonymous

For those of you that simply cannot wait for the release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier this year, Fanboys Anonymous got its hands on some stills and artwork to help keep the feel-good chemicals flowing!


All seems in order for Captain America's second solo outing. Darker tones, check; subplots of espionage, terrorism and human guinea pigs, check. If you don't know the plot already, we don't want to spoil it for you just yet—not while we have new stills of Steve Rogers looking like a boss. Not just any boss, but THE boss—not like in Avengers where he looked like a silly wrestler in a plastic helmet. Just look at the new uniform he's got, taken from the events of Marvel's "Seige" story arc. Now he looks serious, and I can't express how much I appreciate that.

Like a BOSS!

But thinking about how they've so far introduced Cap and other Avengers into the fold so far, I have to wonder how they're going to work this one, since they seem to be jumping back and forth between some half a century's worth of Marvel comic events and mixing and matching to suit. Personally, I'm more a fan of the last decade's main events, and they've certainly been the most exciting in a very long time The last decade has seen the rise of some great characters, Winter Soldier being one of the very best.

Will they take on the work of Winter Soldier creator Ed Brubaker for this, or are we getting a mixed bag; a literal "Best Of" compilation of Marvel main events?

This time around—from what we know from both film news and comic history—Captain America is thrust into a different kind of danger and adventure when he discovers that the presumed long-dead Bucky Barnes has been resurrected as the Winter Soldier, a bionic assassin brainwashed and programmed by the Russians to kill without question, and who is now encroaching on U.S. turf.

It's not only going to be about Rogers living up to being the First Avenger, but it's also about ex-Soviet spy Black Widow getting a better introduction and becoming embroiled in these events, especially regarding Barnes, as the two have history—her being ex-Russian and all.

Of course, it wouldn't be maddeningly exciting should Disney just decide to stick to the events of a single comic book. Since this is part of the greater picture of "Phase 2," the code name of Marvel's epic film series post-Avengers, it's all about writing new characters into the mix. I just hope that the great origin story we have here isn't going to be the arse end of a huge, layered cake climbing up to Avengers: Age of Ultron. It really would be an insult to how Brubaker not only resurrected a classic character and made him a great standalone character, but also how he made Barnes the perfect dark contrast to the star spangled Avenger. It marked the beginning of an era where Marvel really began to accept that its readers had matured.

Whatever twists they'll throw in to keep fans guessing, this installment will also introduce the Falcon, (who may quickly join the Avengers), played by Anthony Mackie…


…and the mercenary Brock Rumlow, a.k.a. Crossbones (one of Marvel's most prominent non-powered characters) as played by Frank Grillo…


Just like in the Cold War days, international superpowers have found themselves with literal superpowers (only this time it's superheroes and supervillains instead of nuclear weapons) and a war of wits will indubitably explode right underneath Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s noses. And so Captain America: The Winter Soldier is unleashed upon audiences this Spring 2014.


Sound off, Fanboys and Fangirls! Me likey. You likey? Comments below and thanks for reading.