Ready to comply.
Funko has revealed a new special Pop! series, Marvel’s Year of the Shield, and the first vinyl bobble-head in the lineup features none other than the Winter Soldier himself.
This Pop! is modeled after an iconic moment from the 2014 film Captain America: The Winter Soldier, when Bucky and Steve are fighting one another in the streets. Check out the figure below.
The significance of this figure is twofold, beyond representing a key moment from the film. Although Steve ultimately passed on his vibranium shield to Sam Wilson at the end of Avengers: Endgame (which we will see explored further in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier), Bucky took on the mantle first in the comics. Back in late 2004, Ed Brubaker published the first issue of his epic Captain America series (which would go on to run until 2011). This story flipped everything we once knew about Steve Rogers’ sidekick Bucky Barnes on its head, because Brubaker reintroduced him as a new character, back from the dead — the Winter Soldier. Following the “supposed” death of Captain America in this series, Bucky then became Captain America for a period of time.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has made several references to this over the years, such as when Bucky picks up the shield on the train in Captain America: The First Avenger, when the Winter Soldier effortlessly catches the shield as Steve flings it at him on the rooftop in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the aforementioned moment in the newly announced Pop! figure. This was even teased in a trailer for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, too.
Considering the state that Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes found himself in by the end of Avengers: Endgame (still recovering from decades of trauma), it didn’t come as a surprise that another, later comic storyline was being pursued instead — Sam Wilson as Captain America. The Falcon and The Winter Soldier is set to premiere on Disney+ on March 19.
This new Winter Soldier Funko Pop! is exclusive to Amazon, and the listing indicates that it will be released on May 15, 2021. It’s currently available for pre-order (though it may be temporarily out of stock, so keep your eyes peeled on the Amazon listing!)
The Year of the Shield collection celebrates the 80-year history of Captain America’s iconic vibranium shield, showcasing the different shapes, colors, and styles it has appeared in and the various Marvel characters that have wielded it. Figures in this 8-part series will be released every other month. Stay tuned to see who will be next in the April reveal!
