The Winter Soldier (story arc)

"The Winter Soldier"
PublisherMarvel Comics
Publication dateSeptember 2005 – April 2006
GenreSuperhero
Title(s)
Captain America (vol. 5) #8–9, 11–14
Main character(s)
Creative team
Writer(s)Ed Brubaker
Penciller(s)
Inker(s)
Letterer(s)
Colorist(s)Frank D'Armata
Editor(s)
Complete CollectionISBN 1302927337

"The Winter Soldier" is a story arc that ran from 2005 to 2006 in the fifth volume of Captain America, an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It was written by Ed Brubaker and drawn primarily by Steve Epting. The story follows Captain America as he discovers that his deceased former sidekick Bucky Barnes still lives as a brainwashed assassin known as the Winter Soldier.

In developing "The Winter Soldier", Brubaker drew inspiration from spy fiction, Cold War fiction, and the run of Captain America authored by Jim Steranko. Brubaker was particularly motivated by a desire to see Bucky Barnes return to active publication: the character was retroactively established in the 1960s as having died during World War II, and his extended absence from comics was for many decades a notable exception to the typically ephemeral nature of comic book deaths. While Bucky's revival was met with some initial hostility, "The Winter Soldier" was ultimately a critical and commercial success, and has been ranked by multiple outlets as the greatest Captain America story of all time. The story arc was loosely adapted into the 2014 film Captain America: The Winter Soldier.