Marvel is continuing its trend of releasing comics loosely tied to its movie franchises with the latest upcoming release: Winter Soldier. Of course, if you’ve seen the Captain America movie (or remember the comics) Cap loses his beloved sidekick Bucky and has to deal with that loss.

But don’t worry, it seems Bucky is alive and well . . . with a little catch. Here’s the official info from Marvel:

Steve Rogers most trusted partner and a former Captain America, Bucky Barnes, must tackle his greatest challenge yet as Winter Soldier #1 hits store shelves everywhere this February! After going toe to toe with the Nazis and being assumed dead for decades, Bucky Barnes went through hell and back as the Soviet Union rebuilt his war torn body into their own one man army known to all as the Winter Soldier. But what if he wasn’t the only one?

From the blockbuster creative team behind Captain America, Ed Brubaker and Butch Guice send Bucky back into the shadows to take down the remaining ex-Russian sleeper agents and dismantle their diabolical plot. Teamed with the Black Widow, the former Captain America will have his hands full when he finds out that he trained them all AND that Doctor Doom is involved! With the entire Marvel Universe thinking he’s dead, Bucky will have to tackle this threat head on with limited resources.

Winter Soldier #1 hits store shelves on February 1. Until then, check out some preview pages after the jump.

Just in time for the new year comes new comics straight from our pals at Marvel. With Christmas past there’s still time to get your hands on some great gifts before 2010 comes to a close.

Of the new comics dropping this week we’re most excited about Chaos War: X-Men #1, Nemesis #4, S.H.I.E.L.D. #5, X-23 $4 and Avengers #8. As with most weeks, new comics arrive on Wednesday so hit your nearest comics book store early for best selection.

Don’t know where your nearest comic store is? Use this handy guide to find one. Also, as an added bonus, don’t miss the Marvel 2011 Calendar, free for all fans and only available at your local comics shop this week.

Comics On-Sale:
ASTONISHING SPIDER-MAN & WOLVERINE #4
ASTONISHING X-MEN: XENOGENESIS #4
AVENGERS #8
BULLSEYE: PERFECT GAME #2
CAPTAIN AMERICA #613
CARNAGE #2
CARNAGE #2 ADAMS VARIANT
CHAOS WAR: X-MEN #1
DAKEN: DARK WOLVERINE #4
DAKEN: DARK WOLVERINE #4 DJURDJEVIC VARIANT
DEADPOOL CORPS #9
DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #886
HALO: FALL OF REACH – BOOT CAMP #3
HEROIC AGE: X-MEN #1
HULK #28
INCOGNITO: BAD INFLUENCES #2

The siege of Asgard continues, Indigo becomes the new choice of color and Captain America “officially” returns in this latest edition of The Pull List Comic Reviews! Due to time constraints and unforeseen delays, this week’s column is abbreviated. As always, WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.

PULL OF THE WEEK:

Atom & Hawkman #46
DC Comics – $2.99 US
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Ryan Sook
Score: 9/10

Ray Palmer, known better as the Atom, has been knocked down more than most during his career as a costumed crime-fighter, but he always manages to pick himself up. Not surprisingly, that compassion of his has earned him an Indigo ring, and with the dead seemingly winning the war, Ray has figured out a way to swing the battle to the good guys; even if the good guys aren’t all necessarily “good” to begin with.

I would never have thought that, of all the Blackest Night-themed “continuation” issues, this would be the best of the bunch (so far), but with Geoff Johns at the helm, I should have known better. Johns uses a This Is Your Life presentation of Ray Palmer’s history as a canvas to show just how much the character brings to the table, and in doing so, the writer sets the stage for what could be the turning point in war against Nekron.

Artist Ryan Sook simply crushed this issue. Everything in this issue was pitch-perfect, from Ray’s past to the horrific present – every panel led to the next without skipping a beat. Instead, the body of work in this issue touched on varying types of visual storytelling that not only worked incredibly well, but also showed the artist’s vast range of skills.

Wrap all this up and throw in the aforementioned revelation of the Indigo rings, and you’re left with a can’t-miss issue that’s also the Pull of the Week.

Welcome to another edition of The Pull List Comic Reviews! Since the hectic holiday schedule and copious amounts of eggnog have affected my time and brain cells, respectively, this week’s reviews are more of the quickie variety. While short and sweet – well, as short and sweet as I’m going to get – there’s enough yuletide cheer to make even Gotham warm over. As always, WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.

PULL OF THE WEEK:

Avengers: The Initiative #31
Marvel Comics – $2.99 US
Writer: Christos N Gage
Artist: Rafa Sandoval
Score: 8.5/10

The music’s pumping, the booze is flowing and the girls are dancing. Seems like Taskmaster’s right where he wants to be, until Norman Osborn decides to come to Camp H.A.M.M.E.R. for an inspection. Nobody said pimpin’ was easy, especially since Taskmaster has to get his place running on all cylinders before the boss arrives, bearing “gifts.”

Incredibly solid issue by writer Gage. Throughout the entire string of storylines, like “Civil War,” “Secret Invasion” and “Dark Reign,” select characters from both sides of the fight have begun to question whether or not they’re on the right side. Makes for some good reading and interesting dynamics as “Siege” starts to pick up steam. Artist Sandoval continues to be consistently good, especially where Taskmaster is included in the scene.

Just because this week is Christmas doesn’t mean everyone is on vacation. Case in point, your friendly neighborhood folks at Marvel Comics who’ve got some great comics for you coming out this week, just in time for your last minute shopping needs.

This week we’re particularly interested in the Captain America Reborn: Who Will Wield the Shield, the latest Punisher Max, a new New Avengers and the latest Secret Warriors. As always, be sure to check out cover art for some of these books after the break. Happy holidays!

Comics On-Sale:
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #611 2ND PRINTING VARIANT
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #612 2ND PRINTING VARIANT (GNTLT)
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #616 (GNTLT)
AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #31 (S)
BLACK WIDOW & THE MARVEL GIRLS #2
CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN: WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD?
CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN: WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD? DAVIS VARIANT
CRIMINAL: THE SINNERS #3
DARK AVENGERS: ARES #3