The Winter Soldier's Magical Makeover

Bucky Barnes, the former Winter Soldier, has undergone a radical transformation in the Mangaverse, embracing enchanted magic and a new role as leader of the Arcane Avengers.

According to Marvel, the Winter Soldier's redesign sees him adopt a new look, complete with an enchanted prosthetic arm, drawing on magic to combat an apocalyptic threat.

Debuting in 1940 and killed off during Captain America's 1960s resurgence, Bucky was rebooted in 2004 as the Winter Soldier-a brainwashed Soviet asset transformed in the final days of WWII.

After Steve Rogers broke his programming, Bucky reclaimed his heroic legacy.

Bolstered by Sebastian Stan's MCU portrayal in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Thunderbolts, alongside acclaimed recent comics, Bucky Barnes has become a stalwart Marvel hero .

Marvel's Mangaverse Returns

Marvel's Mangaverse is returning to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of this unique imprint and reality.

Since fans last visited Earth-2301, much has changed: magic has risen as the dominant force, eradicating advanced technology.

Marvel Mangaverse: Arcane Avengers #1, from writer Ashley Allen and artist Mirka Andolfo, presents a world of mystical threats.

In this Mangaverse, Bucky Barnes is "cursed" to fight alongside a surprising roster, wielding a wooden arm dotted with mysterious metal capsules.

The issue's summary reveals : Cursed to defeat and imprison demonic yokai alongside teammates Bloodline and Wiccan, Bucky looks for an opportunity to free himself from his captor's control.

As a new wave of yokai incursion strains the team's resources , Bucky plots his escape-but the sudden reappearance of his childhood friend Hawkeye throws his plans into disarray.

What's Next for Bucky Barnes?

The issue, on sale September 16, will also introduce Mangaverse versions of Blade's daughter Bloodline and Young Avengers' Hawkeye and Wiccan.

The tone is dark, with the team forced to hunt demons.

The Mangaverse's return is a major event for fans of Marvel's manga imprint, especially because it reinvents characters like Miles Morales, X-23 and Winter Soldier in this style-characters who either did not exist or were not in their current forms during the original imprint.