History Comicbook / BuckyBarnes

* AlternateCompanyEquivalent: He began life as Marvel's version of {{Robin}} -- specifically of [[{{Nightwing}} Dick Grayson]] as the KidSidekick, but he was a DeadSidekick by 1964, while [[RedHoodAndTheOutlaws Jason Todd]] didn't follow suit until 1988. Since then, this has become a ZigZaggedTrope, with Bucky having parallel story beats to both Jason (comes back to life, fights mentor, becomes brooding bad boy rogue) and Dick (takes over mentor's mantle after his death, keeps mantle with his blessing when he comes back from the dead due to overwhelming fan support, returns it later anyway) at different points. Whether or not one is copying the other is a matter of debate, but that ''ComicBook/Nightwing'' has been cancelled in favor of ''Grayson,'' a series where Dick becomes a spy and is teamed up with a beautiful woman who has a spider web tattoo has been seen as [=DC=]'s attempt to cash in on Bucky and BlackWidow.

* AlternateCompanyEquivalent: He began life as Marvel's version of ComicBook//Robin -- specifically of [[ComicBook//Nightwing Dick Grayson]] as the KidSidekick, but he was a DeadSidekick by 1964, while [[RedHoodAndTheOutlaws Jason Todd]] didn't follow suit until 1988. Since then, this has become a ZigZaggedTrope, with Bucky having parallel story beats to both Jason (comes back to life, fights mentor, becomes brooding bad boy rogue) and Dick (takes over mentor's mantle after his death, keeps mantle with his blessing when he comes back from the dead due to overwhelming fan support, returns it later anyway) at different points. Whether or not one is copying the other is a matter of debate, but that ''ComicBook/Nightwing'' has been cancelled in favor of ''Grayson,'' a series where Dick becomes a spy and is teamed up with a beautiful woman who has a spider web tattoo has been seen as [=DC=]'s attempt to cash in on Bucky and BlackWidow.

* AlternateCompanyEquivalent: He began life as Marvel's version of ComicBook/Robin -- specifically of [[ComicBook/Nightwing Dick Grayson]] as the KidSidekick, but he was a DeadSidekick by 1964, while [[RedHoodAndTheOutlaws Jason Todd]] didn't follow suit until 1988. Since then, this has become a ZigZaggedTrope, with Bucky having parallel story beats to both Jason (comes back to life, fights mentor, becomes brooding bad boy rogue) and Dick (takes over mentor's mantle after his death, keeps mantle with his blessing when he comes back from the dead due to overwhelming fan support, returns it later anyway) at different points. Whether or not one is copying the other is a matter of debate, but that ''ComicBook/Nightwing'' has been cancelled in favor of ''Grayson,'' a series where Dick becomes a spy and is teamed up with a beautiful woman who has a spider web tattoo has been seen as [=DC=]'s attempt to cash in on Bucky and BlackWidow.

* AlternativeCompanyEquivalent: He began life as Marvel's version of ComicBook/Robin -- specifically of [[ComicBook/Nightwing Dick Grayson]] as the KidSidekick, but he was a DeadSidekick by 1964, while [[RedHoodAndTheOutlaws Jason Todd]] didn't follow suit until 1988. Since then, this has become a ZigZaggedTrope, with Bucky having parallel story beats to both Jason (comes back to life, fights mentor, becomes brooding bad boy rogue) and Dick (takes over mentor's mantle after his death, keeps mantle with his blessing when he comes back from the dead due to overwhelming fan support, returns it later anyway) at different points. Whether or not one is copying the other is a matter of debate, but that ''ComicBook/Nightwing'' has been cancelled in favor of ''Grayson,'' a series where Dick becomes a spy and is teamed up with a beautiful woman who has a spider web tattoo has been seen as [=DC=]'s attempt to cash in on Bucky and BlackWidow.

* TheArtifact: Bucky as CaptainAmerica's KidSidekick in WorldWarII effectively made him a ChildSoldier with the implied knowledge of the US Miilitary, which required increasing justification from the writers over the decades.

* DependingOnTheArtist: Is his gun a .45 or a Luger?

* ChildSoldier: Bucky was the camp mascot, but he effectively became this when he entered combat as Cap's sidekick. Later justified in modern comics with him being considered a really young looking 15 year old at the beginning in 1941 (The US military occasionally ignored such borderline age case then) with it becoming a non-issue by the end of the war with him being 19.

ClassicAntiHero: Despite being a good person at heart and genuinely wanting to do right by his country, he is plagued by his desire to [[TheAtoner make up for the wrongs he did as the Winter Soldier]] and by doubts as to whether or not he can actually do the mantle justice.

NeuroVault: In his last appearance as CaptainAmerica [[spoiler: before his supposed second death]] it was revealed that the reason why he was extradited to Russia was because he had information on how to locate and activate a team of {{Deep Cover Agent}}s much like the Winter Soldier subconsciously sealed in his mind, and [[RenegadeRussian the warden]] of his gulag had plans for this information.

** ClassicAntiHero: Despite being a good person at heart and genuinely wanting to do right by his country, he is plagued by his desire to [[TheAtoner make up for the wrongs he did as the Winter Soldier]] and by doubts as to whether or not he can actually do the mantle justice.
* BackFromTheDead: After a fashion.
** [[spoiler: Again after Fear Itself.]]

** SpyCouple: They become this in Bucky's new ''Winter Soldier'' ongoing. Offering a deeper look into their relationship, the book contrasts Bucky's [[ClassicalAntiHero guilt and self-doubt]] with Natasha's [[LadyOfWar confidence and pragmatic demeanor]].

** NeuroVault: In his last appearance as CaptainAmerica [[spoiler: before his supposed second death]] it was revealed that the reason why he was extradited to Russia was because he had information on how to locate and activate a team of {{Deep Cover Agent}}s much like the Winter Soldier subconsciously sealed in his mind, and [[RenegadeRussian the warden]] of his gulag had plans for this information.

** [[spoiler: FakingTheDead: What actually happened, which is why so little attention is given.]]

* HeroWithBadPublicity: He was reviled by the public at large early in his stint as [[LegacyCharacter Captain America]], but understandably so, considering Steve Rogers [[ComicBook/CivilWar was assassinated]] not [[TooSoon too long ago]].
** And again after he was discovered by the public to have been a cold war assassin for the Soviets.

** TheAtoner: What he decides to be after coming to terms with what he's done under Soviet brainwashing.

** MyGreatestSecondChance: After finding out of Bucky's survival and freeing the guy from Soviet brainwashing, Steve felt that he should do everything in his power to keep Bucky alive and a good man. This apparently meant persuading [[SidekickGraduationsStick Bucky to keep the]] CaptainAmerica mantle even after his own [[BackFromTheDead return from the dead]].

** FakingTheDead: [[spoiler: Only [[CaptainAmerica Steve Rogers]], [[ComicBook.BlackWidow Black Widow]], and NickFury know of his survival, because if word got out that he's still alive, it's back to the gulag for him.]]

* PosthumousNarration: [[spoiler: This is what his monologues in his new series ''Captain America and Bucky'' are shaping up to be, until Marvel gives sufficient explanation as to how and why he's recounting his experiences in UsefulNotes/WorldWar2 after dying in ''[[ComicBook.FearItself Fear Itself]]'']]
** Finally explained[[spoiler: , sort of, in [[ComicBook.FearItself Fear Itself 7.1]], where it's revealed that he's NotQuiteDead, and will be returning to his Winter Soldier identity. As the ''Captain America and Bucky'' story eventually revealed, he was doing some catching up with his now-aged sister.]]

* {{Retcon}}: Creator/EdBrubaker's retooling of the Bucky character into a teen assassin, [[BrainwashedAndCrazy brainwashed]] into becoming a Soviet agent after secretly surviving UsefulNotes/WorldWar2, paving the way for his reintroduction into modern day comics is often hailed as one of the most well done Retcons in recent history.
** His original death in TheSixties was a retcon as well, saying that the CaptainAmerica and Bucky from TheFifties were actually imposters.

* SpyFiction: Bucky's new ''Winter Soldier'' ongoing has shaped up to be this. Creator/EdBrubaker has played with EspionageTropes before, especially during Bucky's stint as CaptainAmerica, but he goes all out here. One could say the book is SpyFiction masquerading as a [[NotWearingTights Superhero story]].
** It's primarily [[TuxedoAndMartini Martini-flavored]]; aside from Bucky's usual [[ActionHero hands-on approach]], he dons [[BadassInANiceSuit nice suits]] as disguises and uses some snazzy [[CloakAndDagger SHIELD]]-issue gadgets. There is a bit of [[TrenchcoatBrigade Stale Beer]] in there as well, considering the main conflict is a plot to depose a political leader (granted, said leader is DrDoom, but still). And then this plot is to be executed with the [[WhatDoYouMeanItWasntMadeOnDrugs liberal use of]] [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot machinegun-wielding fascist gorillas]].
* StatusQuoIsGod: [[spoiler: Pretty much the reason why he has faked his death and gone back to the Winter Soldier codename. It's all for Steve to return to his original role as CaptainAmerica to coincide with the [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger 2011 movie]].]]

Played by Sebastian Stan in the live action films ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' and ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier''. Voiced in the animated cartoon series ''WesternAnimation/AvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' by Creator/ScottMenville (Young Bucky) and Jon Curry (Winter Soldier).

* DominoMask: A dark blue one as Cap's sidekick and a black one as the Winter Soldier.

!!'''Exhibits examples of:'''

* StatusQuoIsGod: [[spoiler: Pretty much the reason why he has faked his death and gone back to the Winter Soldier codename. It's all for Steve to return to his original role as CaptainAmerica to coincide with the [[CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger 2011 movie]].]]

In 2006, Creator/EdBrubaker started writing a new volume of Captain America, and the way the world saw Bucky was changed forever. While once viewed as a joke of a character, he was retconned to be a 17 year-old highly-trained commando assigned by the Army to be CaptainAmerica's sidekick to counter the Hitler Youth, but also to serve as a covert assassin, performing operations that Captain America himself could never be seen doing; what was initially believed to be his origin was simply a cover story cooked up by the Army press. Instead of dying due to the drone, he instead lost his left arm and a fair chunk of his memory. He survived submersion in the Atlantic Ocean only to be later picked up by a Russian submarine hoping to rescue Cap for the Allies. While he'd lost memories of his life experiences, [[LaserGuidedAmnesia he retained skills honed through instinct, including his combat training]], and was thus [[BrainwashedAndCrazy molded]] into a Soviet assassin as sort of a sick joke by a humiliated Russian officer. As The Winter Soldier, he went on to become a [[ShroudedInMyth legend of]] the ColdWar, performing acts of terrorism and sabotage on US soil under Soviet orders.

* ArtificialLimbs: The Soviets replaced the arm he lost in WorldWar2 with a cybernetic one, which has a lot of handy abilities, such as an {{EMP}}. It also allows him to handle and throw CaptainAmerica's shield properly.

* DeepCoverAgent: The Winter Soldier often served this role during the ColdWar; he could easily pass for an American, because he actually was one. Bouts of BecomingTheMask, or rather, FightingFromTheInside, in his case, while on mission, led to his superiors' decision to place him in [[SealedBadassInACan suspended animation between missions]].

* DirtyCommunists: Who he worked for as the Winter Soldier during the ColdWar. In modern times, he was awakened from cryonic storage and commissioned by RenegadeRussian [[CorruptCorporateExecutive Aleksander Lukin]], which led to the discovery of his existence by CaptainAmerica.

* MyGreatestFailure: Steve regarded Bucky's supposed death at the end of WorldWar2 as this for a long time after his revival in the modern day.

* PosthumousNarration: [[spoiler: This is what his monologues in his new series ''Captain America and Bucky'' are shaping up to be, until Marvel gives sufficient explanation as to how and why he's recounting his experiences in WorldWar2 after dying in ''[[ComicBook.FearItself Fear Itself]]'']]

* RenegadeRussian: Aleksander Lukin, CEO of [[MegaCorp Kronas]]. The discovery of the Winter Soldier's existence was due to Lukin recommissioning the Soldier after decades of SuspendedAnimation since the end of the ColdWar to acquire the Cosmic Cube and enact a plan to use the Cube and Kronas to destroy the American economy from within. He is a protege of the Soviet officer who had Bucky brainwashed in the first place.
* {{Retcon}}: Creator/EdBrubaker's retooling of the Bucky character into a teen assassin, [[BrainwashedAndCrazy brainwashed]] into becoming a Soviet agent after secretly surviving WorldWar2, paving the way for his reintroduction into modern day comics is often hailed as one of the most well done Retcons in recent history.

In 2006, EdBrubaker started writing a new volume of Captain America, and the way the world saw Bucky was changed forever. While once viewed as a joke of a character, he was retconned to be a 17 year-old highly-trained commando assigned by the Army to be CaptainAmerica's sidekick to counter the Hitler Youth, but also to serve as a covert assassin, performing operations that Captain America himself could never be seen doing; what was initially believed to be his origin was simply a cover story cooked up by the Army press. Instead of dying due to the drone, he instead lost his left arm and a fair chunk of his memory. He survived submersion in the Atlantic Ocean only to be later picked up by a Russian submarine hoping to rescue Cap for the Allies. While he'd lost memories of his life experiences, [[LaserGuidedAmnesia he retained skills honed through instinct, including his combat training]], and was thus [[BrainwashedAndCrazy molded]] into a Soviet assassin as sort of a sick joke by a humiliated Russian officer. As The Winter Soldier, he went on to become a [[ShroudedInMyth legend of]] the ColdWar, performing acts of terrorism and sabotage on US soil under Soviet orders.

* KidSidekick: Originally, but eventually subverted by the EdBrubaker RetCon, which revealed him to be handpicked by the Army to accompany Cap and perform wetworks missions.

* {{Retcon}}: EdBrubaker's retooling of the Bucky character into a teen assassin, [[BrainwashedAndCrazy brainwashed]] into becoming a Soviet agent after secretly surviving WorldWar2, paving the way for his reintroduction into modern day comics is often hailed as one of the most well done Retcons in recent history.

* SpyFiction: Bucky's new ''Winter Soldier'' ongoing has shaped up to be this. EdBrubaker has played with EspionageTropes before, especially during Bucky's stint as CaptainAmerica, but he goes all out here. One could say the book is SpyFiction masquerading as a [[NotWearingTights Superhero story]].

* TookALevelInBadass: Thanks to EdBrubaker, he's gone a long way from being one of the most laughable examples of a KidSidekick ever. How long? He became CaptainAmerica.

* GenreBlind: To a level. He knows his way around a battlefield and how to handle a round shield, but having taken Steve's place as Captain America in the main Avengers team, he's pretty much ignorant of their RoguesGallery (for example, in their first mission, despite Kang being a recurring foe of the Avengers, Bucky doesn't have the slightest idea who he is).

** [[spoiler: Again after Fear Itself]]

** ClassicalAntiHero: Despite being a good person at heart and genuinely wanting to do right by his country, he is plagued by his desire to [[TheAtoner make up for the wrongs he did as the Winter Soldier]] and by doubts as to whether or not he can actually do the mantle justice.

* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler: In Comicbook/FearItself. He'd be a SacrificialLion if not for the shortage of fucks given by the other characters who aren't Steve, Nick Fury, or Black Widow.]]
** [[spoiler: [[Comicbook.TheAvengers The Avengers]] tie-ins show the members of the team, particularly {{Hawkeye}} to be rather affected by Bucky's death. Indeed, the final panel of the last Avengers tie-in has Steve tell the person interviewing him to dedicate the book in which his and the other Avengers' interviews will be compiled to Bucky's memory.]]
*** [[spoiler: An earlier issue had the Avengers reacting with what amounted to "Yeah, Bucky was killed. You know who that royally bummed? Steve."]]
** Subverted: [[spoiler: Turns out he's NotQuiteDead]]
* [[spoiler: FakingTheDead]]

* BadassBoast: When Clint Barton tried to [[ComicBook/DarkReign justify killing Norman Osborn]] by pulling out the "[[HitlersTimeTravelExemptionAct If you could go back in time & kill Hitler]]" argument, Bucky simply chimes in that he ''did'' [[SubvertedTrope kill Hitler]].

And then in 2006, EdBrubaker started writing a new volume of Captain America, and the way the world saw Bucky was changed forever. While once viewed as a joke of a character, he was retconned to be a 17 year-old highly-trained commando assigned by the Army to be CaptainAmerica's sidekick to counter the Hitler Youth, but also to serve as a covert assassin, performing operations that Captain America himself could never be seen doing; what was initially believed to be his origin was simply a cover story cooked up by the Army press. Instead of dying due to the drone, he instead lost his left arm and a fair chunk of his memory. He survived submersion in the Atlantic Ocean only to be later picked up by a Russian submarine hoping to rescue Cap for the Allies. While he'd lost memories of his life experiences, [[LaserGuidedAmnesia he retained skills honed through instinct, including his combat training]], and was thus [[BrainwashedAndCrazy molded]] into a Soviet assassin as sort of a sick joke by a humiliated Russian officer. As The Winter Soldier, he went on to become a [[ShroudedInMyth legend of]] the ColdWar, performing acts of terrorism and sabotage on US soil under Soviet orders.

* DeadSidekick: They used to say; "No one stays dead in comics except for Jason Todd, Uncle Ben and Bucky."
** Now it's down to just Uncle Ben, as DC brought back Jason Todd at almost the exact same time Marvel brought back Bucky.
*** [[spoiler:And even Uncle Ben was back for a short while during ''HouseOfM''...]]

* DroppedABridgeOnHim: [[spoiler: In [[Comicbook.FearItself Fear Itself]]. He'd be a SacrificialLion if not for the shortage of fucks given by the other characters who aren't Steve, Nick Fury, or Black Widow.]]