Comic books aren’t required reading for fans of Marvel movies and TV shows, but they are a great way to dive that much deeper into the origin stories of the superheroes permeating the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Now that “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” has officially premiered on Disney+, the timing is perfect to catch up on some of the comic books revolving around the dynamic duo. The series’ pilot finds Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) embarking on a new adventure, in the midst of dealing with some personal issues. The six-episode series, which debuted on March 19, is directed by Kari Skogland with Malcolm Spellman serving as head writer. The cast also features Wyatt Russell as John Walker, Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter, and Daniel Brühl as Zemo.
“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” series goes inside the lives of Falcon (a.k.a Sam Wilson) and Winter Soldier (a.k.a. James “Bucky” Barnes) following the catastrophic events of “Avengers: Endgame.” For those unfamiliar with how things went down in “Avengers: Endgame,” or anyone who wants a refresher, the blockbuster film is currently streaming on Disney+. If you’re not already one of the 100 million Disney+ subscribers, you can sign up for just $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year (until March 26 when the fee increases by $1). In addition to solo subscriptions, Disney+ offers a bundle with Hulu and ESPN+ at $12.99 a month for ad-supported streaming. Meanwhile, Disney+ offers up a massive library of TV shows and movies, plus exclusive shows including “WandaVision,” and the forthcoming Loki series.
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As for the comic books, Winter Soldier is one of the more vintage Marvel characters. He made his debut 80 years ago, and Falcon became the first Black superhero to appear in a mainstream comic book in 1969 (Black Panther made his debut in the Fantastic Four comic book series in 1966).
“Falcon & Winter Soldier”
In the “Falcon & Winter Soldier” by Derek Landy, an attempt on Barnes’ life reunites him with Wilson. The duo gets wrapped up in a race to find the new Hydra leader, before time runs out.
“Falcon & Winter Soldier #3”
Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes are tailing a new killer, Natural, who has already beaten them once before. Yet just as they track him down at his parents’ house, they run into the biggest Captain America fans on the planet. The third in a five-book series, “Falcon & Winter Soldier #3” was written by Derek Landy, with illustrations from Federico Vicentini.
“Falcon & Winter Soldier #5”
Continuing with the plot from the previous comics in the series written by Landy, the dynamic duo continues to try their best to get rid of Natural. Meanwhile, another battle emerges between two people vying for a chance to become the next Hydra Supreme. ;
“Captain America & The Falcon by Christopher Priest: The Complete Collection”
The bond between Falcon and Captain America gets put to the test in the comic penned by Priest, and illustrated by Bart Sears, Joe Bennett, and more. As Falcon targets the Rivas drug cartel, Super Sailor (a.k.a the “Anti-Cap”) is set on taking down the former para-rescuer.
“Captain America: Winter Soldier Marvel Selection Edition”
Who is Winter Soldier? Learn about the epic saga that brought Barnes back from the dead in “Captain America: Winter Soldier Marvel Selection Edition,” by Steve Epting, and Ed Brubaker. After the murder of supervillian Red Skull, Captain America races against the clock to find the Cosmic Cube before bombs detonate in Paris, London, and Manhattan, all while trying to solve the murder of his nemesis.
“Winter Soldier : The Bitter March”
For more on the brainwashed Barnes, check out “Winter Soldier: The Bitter March.” Rick Remender and Roland Boschi take readers back to the height of the Cold War in the comic book released in 2016. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
