Comic Review: FEAR ITSELF #7.1 - The Fate Of Bucky Barnes!
Straight off the mark I felt like I was reading classic Ed Brubaker - Captain America again from 2005.
Written By: Ed Brubaker
Pencils By: Butch Guice
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Price: $3.99
Pages: 32
Lets make one thing very clear from the get go. I was not a fan of this years event from Marvels known as Fear Itself, I struggled to care for anything that was happening and in the rare times something did catch my eye it was never mentioned of again in favour of being continued in a tie in book. So the fact that I have now finished reading the epilogue one-shot known as Fear Itself #7.1, and enjoyed it leaves me very surprised.
The first thing this book does well is the fact it has very little connection with the event its named after. The entire back-story for the recent event is explained in one page splash with very little exposition and its all the issue really needs. All we need to know is that the baddy punched a hole through Bucky Captain America Barness chest and he diedkind of.
Straight off the mark I felt like I was reading classic Ed Brubaker - Captain America again from 2005. With its use of splash page montages, scenery design and fight choreography I slipped quickly back into the world Brubaker had created all those years ago. As much as I enjoyed the recent re-launch of Cap to coincide with this years summer blockbuster, the books mood had shifted and a bit too far from what had come before it and in doing so lost its identity. That identity makes a very clear return in this issue and I am so glad it has.
One very important point to mention is the books conclusion and the newly established status quo(WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD).
It is revealed that Bucky survived, his corpse was replaced with an LMD (Life Model Decoy) by SHIELD while he made a recovery in secret, all the while manipulating a grief stricken Steve Rogers to pick up the shield when the world needed it most. The world now believes Bucky died a hero, leaving him free to work in the shadows as he once did during his reign as Winter Soldier. The reason he survived is a viable reason (within the universes law anyway) and isnt as much of a stretch to believe than say the time bullet that resurrected Steve Rodgers only a few years ago.
The best moments in this issue is Steves reaction to hearing the news that Bucky is alive and how Nick Fury/Black Widow manipulated his grief to make him get back in the costume. It is brutal, violent and very emotional. Throughout Fear Itself we never really see a grief stricken Steve acknowledge Buckys death, only that he discovers Bucky is dead and within panels is back in the suit. Steve and the audience needed to vent their rage and grief at the loss of their friend and however late it may be into the game, it is a very satisfying moment to behold.
For all arguments sake this issue would be better off being titled Winter Soldier #0 as there is very little connection with the aforementioned event. Butch Guice returns to the Captain America series after a summer break and its a joy to see his return. After inking Steve Eptings work in previous volume and pencilling his own arcs on the book, Guice has taken a strong level of visual ques from Epting and they work fantastically. His deep use of shadows and gritty facial expressions fits this book very well and brings a new level of subtext to the story, which can be felt greatly by the issues final page. Guice will continue as artist on Winter Soldier along with Brubaker, upon its release in January 2012. I can gladly say this issue has effectively whet my appetite for what is to come and I will defiantly be picking up #1 when it hits our shelves next year. #7.2 (due for release next week) sure does have a tough act to follow after reading this.
rating: 4.0
