Bucky Barnes has been shown as Winter Soilder or the New Captain America for so long; people might forget him as a kid sidekick for the original Cap during WWII. Barnes was more then a sidekick, he got into his share of adventures during the war to end all wars. But he had help along the way, sometimes with Toro the partner of Human Torch. But mainly with his friends from the Bronx, The Young Allies. Is this 70th Anniversary a great homage to the kids heroes, or just a reminder how ridiculous of an idea this is?

One things I need to stress with this comic and it makes me give this a four then a perfect five. This should’ve been a regular issue of Captain America. It’s Bucky, as Cap, reliving the old days with his friends during WWII. Considering how a good half of the main story is told in the present it would’ve been a great way to showcase the early legacy of Bucky. Considering how this is more of a reason on why the Young Allies were great friends and fighters, this is probably why it isnt a proper Cap issue. On the story itself, it was a very fun and sad read. I always seem to like films or documentaries on guys just reliving the old days. With Bucky at the hospital visiting his old buddies it sparks back memories on how the beat the Red Skull or a group of Nazi’s in France. These 70th anniversary issues have done nothing but Nazi stories, but this doesnt feel like a massive retread. Since it is in the present day, it reads better as a look into the past then just a simple Golden Age homage. I like it how Stern even references that the Marvel U had a Young Allies comic out….and it was full of inaccuraces.

What sells this comic more then anything else is the gorgeous art by Paolo Rivera. When it’s in the present it looks like any other Marvel comic. It looks gorgeous but nothing stands out. When we go into the past however, that’s where the magic starts. It feels like a Golden Age book with very simple looking characters. I love the one guy who looks like a character ripped from an Archie comic. But the backgrounds have a great amount of detail and the main heroes themselves look beautiful. This is just an outstanding looking comic. Next to Marcos Martin’s Cap issue….probably the most gorgeous of these issues yet.

I wasnt expecting much with this comic then just a simple homage. But Stern and Rivera bring us to believe why the Young Allies were a great team to being with. Full of exciting and action packed moments, this is one of those type of comics to give to your kid and see him cheer on the heroes. It might feel like a current issue of Captain America, but what really matters is the friendship Bucky had during his time in WWII. Yet another golden age revival I am yurning to see again thanks to Marvel and their 70th birthday.