Let’s talk in hypotheticals for a moment, shall we?
Hypothetically, let’s say you find yourself, surprisingly perhaps on this particular Wednesday, driving, walking, cycling or even skateboarding towards your local comic book store. What a strange concept!
And let’s say that, hypothetically, you happen to be recently excited for a certain patriotic comic book character that also, hypothetically, happens to have a big-budget Hollywood sequel being released later this week. Inside your comic book store, you scan the racks of new comics that have, surprisingly, just arrived today. And then you see it. The one comic that captures all of your attention here, on this Wednesday.
Forget talking in hypotheticals. That one comic is here, today. That one comic is Captain America: Winter Soldier 1 Director’s Cut #1!
Captain America: Winter Soldier 1 Director’s Cut #1
Written by: Ed Brubaker
Illustrated by: Steve Epting
Published by: Marvel Comics
Look, every time there’s a comic book-based movie released, you can be sure there’s a corresponding push on that particular character’s comics by its respective publishing company. Captain America: Winter Soldier, released in theatres across the world later this week, is no exception.
Still, the trailers for that particular film look exceptional. The television show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is even tying into it. Talk about cross-platform marketing! You can read about that particular endeavour (as well as a little steak dinner bet that this site’s Editor-in-Chief, Andy Burns, and I had going on) in Glenn Walker’s must-read column, found here.
That aside, like all of the best comic book-based films, Captain America: Winter Soldier is directly based on the Captain America monthly series, published a few years ago and collected in various paperback and hardcover editions since. Written and illustrated by fan favourites Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting (we’ve highlighted them in this particular column on various occasions), that series was adored by readers and hailed by critics alike.
Captain America: Winter Soldier 1 Director’s Cut #1 (a long and obtuse title, to be sure), details the first issue of that series. It lays the groundwork for everything you’ll find in the upcoming movie: cosmic cube, an old villain, and a shocking twist ending! Couple that great story with bonus material that includes the complete script of the issue (which are always great to read), Brubaker’s original series proposal (amazing!) and Epting’s concept sketches (holee molee!), Captain America: Winter Soldier 1 Director’s Cut #1 is a must read.
Make the hypothetical a reality today. Make the run to your local comic book shop and pick up Captain America: Winter Soldier 1 Director’s Cut #1 – then go see the movie.
Be sure to let us know what you think of both!
Every Wednesday, JP makes the after-work run to his local downtown comic book shop. Comics arrive on Wednesdays you see and JP, fearful that the latest issue will sell out, rushes out to purchase his copy. This regular, weekly column will highlight a particularly interesting release, written in short order, of course, because JP has to get his – before someone else does!
