Captain America #619

The striking split-composition cover by Marko Djurdjević captures both Bucky Barnes in his black Winter Soldier gear and Steve Rogers in his blue Captain America uniform, each braced for action against dramatically different backgrounds — one cool and shadowy, one fiery and chaotic. "Gulag Part 4" promises a tense conclusion to an arc that has clearly put both men through the wringer, and Ed Brubaker's reliably sharp storytelling is backed here by a talented art team including Butch Guice, Chris Samnee, and Mitch Breitweiser. This 2011 Marvel issue is a fine example of the era's commitment to treating the Star-Spangled Avenger with genuine dramatic weight.