MCU: 10 Fascinating Facts About Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

3. Captain America Writer Ed Brubaker Has A Cameo

The MCU may not directly adapt Marvel's comics beat for beat, but they do apply elements from specific stories very liberally. Infinity War bears all the hallmarks of 1991's Infinity Gauntlet comic - with a sprinkling of Jonathan Hickman's Infinity for good measure - while Thor: Ragnarok took the idea of a gladiatorial Hulk directly from the Planet Hulk series from the late 2000s.

When it comes to The Winter Soldier, however, it's much easier to see where it takes most of its inspiration. Several storylines are mirrored, including the seventies-era Secret Empire comic and the Ultimates too, but most material is taken from Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting's legendary run on Captain America. It was his decision to bring Bucky back to life as the Winter Soldier, and the film's blend of espionage action with classic superheroics was first pioneered during Brubaker's stint on the character.

It's rare that creators ever get a proper credit for their works when the next blockbuster comes around, but Brubaker was acknowledged during the course of the film. He appears as one of two Hydra handlers when Bucky is brainwashed during the second act, and it serves as a great nod for those familiar with the writer's work.