Bucky Barnes

This article is about the Marvel Comics Character. For the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of the character, see Bucky Barnes (Marvel Cinematic Universe).
James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes
Bucky Barnes as Winter Soldier, with his World War II and Captain America incarnations in the background on the textless cover of Winter Soldier #1 (Feb. 2012).
Art by Lee Bermejo.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceAs Bucky:
Captain America Comics #1
(March 1941)
As Winter Soldier:
Captain America #6[1]
(May 2005)
As Captain America:
Captain America #34
(January 2008)
As Revolution:
Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty vol. 2 #6
(November 2022)
Created byJoe Simon
Jack Kirby
In-story information
Alter egoJames Buchanan Barnes
SpeciesHuman cyborg
Team affiliationsAvengers
New Avengers
All-Winners Squad
Invaders
Legion of the Unliving
Liberty Legion
Thunderbolts
U.S. Army
Young Allies
PartnershipsCaptain America
Falcon
Notable aliasesThe Winter Soldier
Captain America
Abilities
  • Infinity Formula granting :
    • Enhanced strength, speed, agility, reflexes, stamina, vitality, and resiliency to injury
  • Cybernetic left arm granting :
    • Enhanced reaction time
    • Superhuman strength
    • Holographic projector
    • Energy projection
    • EMP discharger
  • Master in the use of military weapons and throwing knives
  • Master hand-to-hand combatant and martial artist
  • Skilled assassin and spy
  • Skilled marksman

James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Originally introduced as a sidekick to Captain America, the character was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby and first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 (cover-dated March 1941) (which was published by Marvel's predecessor, Timely Comics). Barnes' original costume (or one based on it) and the Bucky nickname have been used by other heroes in the Marvel Universe over the years.[2]

The character is brought back from supposed death as the brainwashed assassin cyborg called the Winter Soldier (created by Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting) (Russian: Зимний Солдат, translit. Zimniy Soldát). The character's memories and personality are later restored, leading him to become a dark hero in search of redemption. He temporarily assumes the role of Captain America when Steve Rogers was presumed to be dead. During the 2011 crossover Fear Itself, Barnes is injected with the Infinity Formula, which increases his natural vitality and physical traits in a way similar to (but less powerful than) the super-soldier serum used on Captain America.[3] After coming into contact with the shadowy Outer Circle, Barnes becomes their New Revolution, bringing the organization down from within.[4]

Sebastian Stan plays the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Ant-Man (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Black Panther (2018), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019), the miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021), the animated series What If...? (2021), and the upcoming film Thunderbolts* (2025).

  1. ^ "Character Close Up: Winter Soldier". Marvel.com.
  2. ^ The 1995 Marvel Milestone Edition: Captain America archival reprint has no cover date or number, and its postal indicia says, "Originally published ... as Captain America #000". Timely's first comic, Marvel Comics #1, likewise had no number on its cover, and was released with two different cover dates.
  3. ^ Fear Itself #7.1. Marvel Comics
  4. ^ Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty vol. 2 #6. Marvel Comics