Winter Soldier

[Phelpzy]

Just want to know if I can read Winter Soldier without reading Brubakers Cap?

[Moriarty]

i wouldn't recommend it. you should read Brubakers run on Captain America first.

[klinton]

I don't think it's essential. There are subtlties that you may miss out on, but the story should stand on it's own.

There are threads that I failed to notice on my first reading of the earlier issues that seemed glaringly obvious when I re-read them straight off a re-reading of earlier Cap issues.

[B. Kuwanger]

Read by itself, certainly. The problem to me is that the best stories with the character were written before Steve's revival. I would recommend just going with his original Winter Soldier story and maybe 21st Century Blitz.

[T.M. Anthony]

You can...

The reasons for his status quo starting in issue 1 aren't too hard to read up on.

(He was Cap, he got arrested, realized there was s#it he needed to do, got out, got murdered, except he didn't, but the world doesn't know that and there you go)

I'd recommend reading that run if only because its a great story, but if you want to go straight into his spinoff go on ahead there shouldn't be any complications.

[Phelpzy]

Thanks everyone, ill probably pick up Brubakers Cap run first then

[funeralthirst7]

Brubakers Cap run will make the reading experience much more rewarding.

[Rabidwolfdog]

I disagree Winter Solider is its own but, hes not Bucky Cap hes not Bucky the sidekick. The whole plot is Bucky as Winter Solider and his days behind the iron curtain. So if you wanna know more of that plot, which gets updated in each issue anyways go right ahead, but you wont be lost lost, just a a tad out of the loop. Its like not knowing which Wolverine origin is factual because his mind is erased over and over.

[rogerio]

Brubakers Cap run will make the reading experience much more rewarding.

Agreed.

[Cap10nate]

Just want to know if I can read Winter Soldier without reading Brubakers Cap?

You can. Issue one will basically give you a background of what is going on. There are a couple things that you should read though if you are able. Issues 620-624 is an arc called the Life of Bucky Barnes. It basically details his life and it is a great read. Then there is the Gulag arc. This is issues 616-619. This would have been the direct lead into the Winter Soldier series had it not been for Fear Itself. Fear Itself 7.1 then became the direct lead into the new series.

Saying that, Brubaker's Cap is awesome. If you have a chance to read it, I definitely would because it is my favorite run of all time. The Winter Soldier Saga (Issues 1-14 of Cap) is the introduction of the character. Then the Death of Captain America (Issues 25-34) are all about him dealing with his demons and trying to figure out his place in this world that he doesn't know. The rest of the run is a great story about him trying to move forward in his new role while constantly being reminded of his past. I have the three omnibuses(omnibi?) for his run and I have read them through at least five times because the story is that good.