Unlike Loki and Gamora, I have very little knowledge of Bucky Barnes outside of fans think he’s hot and he’s in a psuedo mentor-romantic relationship with Captain America much like Batman and Robin. Oh and he’ been brainwashed a lot. The final bit is very relevant to the plot, and wow, it made such an interesting plot that this might be my favorite of the Marvel Icons trilogy.

Going back and forth between 1941 and 1954, Lee draws a connection between Bucky’s humble, prove-himself beginnings in the upcoming war to his current compliant, fuzzy memory reality as a weapon for the Soviets. It’s heavy on the spy intrigue so this will be a short review as spoilers are classified on this blog.

We start in 1954 with Agent Vronsky or Agetn V or the Winter Soldier. He has many names although the last one has the ability to make grown men piss themselves for his reputation as an assassin and super-soldier are well-deserved. With his bionic arm, disciplined training and cold presence, Agent V is the ultimate weapon. He doesn’t care. He’s been trained to comply and not give thought of the ethics or reasons behind his missions.

It helps that he’s been drugged and experimented more times than he can count. Not that he can remember. Readers will soon realize Agent V is forgetting things, yet remembering other bits of knowledge that he isn’t supposed to know or isn’t sure how he knows. The large gaps in his memories that leave him faltering and confused when met with people who claim to know him. Suddenly, memories come back in pieces and makes the ultimate soldier question his orders and start to think about himself, who is he?

Then flashback to 1941 where we meet James “Bucky” Buchanan Barnes who is brought into the office of his adoptive father, Captain Crawford for running contrabands through the army base. This Bucky is full of spirit and a chip on his shoulder after dropping school and the untimely deaths of his parents. He wants to join the war, much like other young men to prove himself and get glory but Captain Crawford pushes back that Bucky doesn’t realize the gravity of war and what he’s trying to sign up for. Of course, there’s some fatherly concern in there too but Bucky is determined and quickly gets recruited to SOE.

In England, everything quickly goes to hell when Bucky sees a murder he wasn’t supposed to and unwittingly drags a snippy, preppie chess champion nicknamed Gimlet.

Lee deftly balances the differing tones of Bucky’s POV where his 1941 adventure feels much like a classic spy movie/comic with accidental murder, hollowed out books, secret scientific government experiments, fast chases, witty UK girl vs US guy banter, and optimistic hope that they’ll be able to figure everything out and ride off to Coney Island. But Bucky’s confidence wavers as he comes to face death and the realization that the war isn’t so black and white. The US/UK government are committing unethical memory-tampering experiments because it’s war and it’s only on POWs but Bucky can’t blanche the idea. That is running theme in this book tampering memories and Bucky’s inability to just follow orders like a good spy.

No, Bucky fights on his knees no matter what.

Point is, Bucky’s 1941 narrative is human and hopeful. His 1954 narrative is cold, confused and detached with some moments of grim humor as he internally fights the conformity and compliance that the Soviets expect of him. It’s a grittier spy movie filled with unknown variables as Agent V’s superiors tell him nothing about what’s trying to retrieve or what information to look for. Yet he must stay in line or face a bullet to the head. It’s paranoia inducing and the reappearing memories don’t help when thinking independently is patently forbidden.

While Agent V can’t trust anyone, he does have a solid relationship with his handler, Rostova who’s curt and pragmatic as only spies in arms can expect but has an underlying sense of danger as you know how spy partnerships tend to end in only one way. And it’s not flying into the Coney Island sunset.

The romance between Bucky and Gimlet is sweet but quick considering they’ve only known each other for three days but you know how whirlwind romances go between two teens in the midst of war and not knowing who to trust.

As usual, Lee brings her historical expertise to paint the two distinct time periods with detail-oriented descriptions and points on WW2/Cold War propaganda and beliefs, balanced with the emotional dynamics of Bucky’s various relationships.

A great look into Bucky’s origin and missing years as the Winter Soldier for all those Marvel fans but will keep the interests of those Marvel novices like myself with her blend of historical-fiction, spy suspense and look into the human experience of identity, war, and memory.

5 stars.