Yeah, he’s Ronin over in New Avengers.

Let it be Union Jack!

Between Cap’s letter from beyond the grave (ie: “Tony, save Bucky”) and the fact that he’s now in SHIELD custody, all roads lead to the Winter Soldier.

Which is exactly why I don’t think (sadly) that it’ll be him. USAgent’s been done, Tony’s being written like he doesn’t believe he’s worthy of it, and the Red Skull doesn’t make any sense. Brubaker writes Union Jack with a pretty strong accent, doesn’t he. That’d be kind of weird, and it’s relying on the pistol as a red herring. I think it’ll be Barton, which will mean he’ll have given up one of the coolest costumes for a series of the worst (Ronin, Ross-Cap).

I’m calling it here: Bucky’s sudden assumption of the mantle of Cap is part of Faustus’ and the Skull’s plan. They implanted deep-level mental conditioning in him to tarnish Cap’s memory…that’s why he’s rolling with the gun and part ninja-stealth outfit. He’ll be a “Dark Cap” and fuck up USAgent style.

I don’t think Bendis would let Bru have Clint, even though he’s not doing much in New Avengers he’s still a part of that team. Unless the new Cap joins the New Avengers as part of this new Cap storyline…

I can see pulling a fast one and having it be the Skull just to fuck with people’s minds. But as cool as that idea is I don’t think Bru is twisted enough to do that. Too gimmicky.

The Brit and the lush are out for cosmetic reasons (accent and pornstache) which just leaves USAgent and Bucky.

USAgent is so “been there, done that, screwed it all up” that unless there’s a new guy in the USAgent costume it isn’t likely.

Bucky I can honestly see taking on the mantle but I don’t think we’ve seen his motivation for doing it yet. There has to be something happen that let’s him see past his own personal crap and take on the Cap persona for the greater good. Whether its Stark putting the screws to him, Faustus jacking with his mind or simply having an epiphany and realizing that the world needs a Captain America, right now he doesn’t have a good enough reason in his own mind to do it. He needs that external event to spur him into action and that’s what I’m waiting for. Bucky’s redemption and I think taking on the Cap persona for a while will be a nice step towards that goal for him. And he’ll make a fine Captain America…

Until Steve’s body stores up enough solar radiation to recharge his cells and bring him back to life… no, wait, that was that other boy scout that died and had someone else take up his name and costume and …

What if this is a mindfuck by Marvel? And the person in the middle is Steve Rogers– or Frank Castle– because technically the poster would be correct– someone ON that poster IS the new Captain America– he’s standing right there in the center!

DUH!

What, no Skrull?

Bru doesn’t really do surprise well. The Winter Soldier mystery was anti-climactic, as was the mystery in X-Men Deadly Genesis. I think the most obvious choice makes sense here, Bucky. And that’s good; stories shouldn’t always exist for shock value. Sometimes, things should make sense. I do think that this add ruined any suspense. Like, it destroys the other posibilities in my head: resurrected Steve Rogers or a random new character.

Um, and don’t the solicits for #35 say that the new Cap is fighting Red Skull? Seems that would rule him out, unless he’s a masochist.

Next week’s Cap has the reveal of who agrees to take on the mantle at the end. (Thank you, Marvel First Look program.)

So, I know who it is, and I’m happy with the choice.

That lower left picture is a misleading clue: What name has a distinctly American hook, references a color and has the same number of letters as “Red Skull”? Reb Brown!

It’s gotta be Bucky. Clint turned the job down in Fallen Son, and everyone else is far too unlikely. But that’s ok with me!

I think it will be “Union Jack”, simply because if you look on his uniform, he has a gun and a knife, just like the New Cap. However, what is the point of Cap chosing his own successor in “The Chosen” if they are not going to use him.

Jeez, I hope its Winter Soldier.

It’s Bucky. Hawkeye doesn’t need a gun, he can throw the shield. Bucky probably needs a gun.

Honestly, I don’t care. I grew up with Steve Rogers and now that he’s gone, another may don the outfit, but it won’t be Captain America.

-D

The Red Skull being the new Cap would have been a cool reveal, but I’m thinking no, now that this poster would ruin the surprise. New Coke..I Mean, New Cap has Union Jack’s weaponry, but UJ is so totally cool on his own I hate to see him stuck into this role… Then again, I believe there is a Union Jack action figure coming from Marvel Legends, and they did blow the Son of Hulk twist the sa,me way a few weeks back. Yeah, I’m guessing UJ is coming across the pond to help out.

Hey, wasn’t the Red Skull wearing a clone of Steve Rogers’ body for awhile? Maybe there’s more of those out there…I’m thinking that someone somehow has got Steve Roger’s mind or essence inside the cosmic cube and will replant it into a Red Skull clone body.

Anyone reading the book knows it’s Bucky. It’s been pretty obvious all along. Brubaker’s not a writer who goes purely for shock or the last-minute swerve. It’s still all gotta be about the characters. And that’s not anti-climactic, either. It’s just the story he’s set out to tell.

I’m also inclined to think it’s Bucky. From a storytelling perspective, it makes the most sense, whether or not it’s part of the Skull’s plan.

On the other hand, in the past the Red Skull has avoided death by switching his mind into the body of a cloned Steve Rogers, so the Skull becoming Cap wouldn’t be out of the question, especially since Arnim Zola has been hanging around lately.
-r-

Well, thanks to Mephisto… ugh…. Steve Rogers is alive again because Civil War didn’t happen.. No! no, I can’t continue talking about this stuff.

Look at the obvious clues in the accesoires: knife, semi- automatic pistol, shield.
This leaves open three distinct choices: Bucky, Union Jack, US Agent.

The shield is on the left arm: Bucky’s cyborg arm would be rendered useless by the shield, as he doesn’t seem to have the innate abilities of Cap ( Steve Rogers) or Clint Barton ( as witnessed in Fallen Son) to wield it. From a practical point of view this makes little sense. It’s his strongest asset. The “wielding the shield as Steve Rogers did ” -argument also seems to ring true for Union Jack. US Agent has had his own crappy shield for ages.

Gun: all three use them or have used them. Bucky is an expert marksman with most if not all firearms. Union Jack prefers to use an old Webley revolver, loaded with silvertipped bullets and, to my knowledge, only used against vampires. He seems to prefer hand to hand as opposed to a weapon.
My little knowledge of US Agent sujests that he also uses a handgun.

Tony without tech? Obviously not, while not a bad hand to hand fighter persé he’s not a natural.

Clint Barton… His natural weapon wielding abillities would make him a good choice. But he’s taken by Bendis and well… Has already declined on the honor in the Fallen Son series.

Red Sk(r)ull? Oh ye olde Brubacker Mindfuck… Would he? He could. But my money is on either Bucky or Union Jack. Both have strong historical ties to Steve Rogers, and pretty much the same sense of Duty ( yes, capital D). It might just be the reason why the UJ franchise was revived so recently. Him being a Brit replacing his fallen friend out of Duty, would fit the character pretty well IMO. And Bucky is too obvious a choice, as he is more than willing to take Steve’s place.

Wait and see.

Pikachu! I choose you!!

To paraphrase all the little kids from Cop And A Half:

I’m Devon Butler!

Isn’t it obvious? It’s gonna be Duke from GI Joe. This is how Marvel celebrates getting the rights back, by putting it smack dab in the middle of the Marvel U

Bucky clone.

Can we rule out John Henry Irons and Kon-El?

Am I the only one who thinks it’ll be cool to see Hawkeye take on the role, just to see Bucky’s reaction. I think that would be an amazing team up issue in Bru’s hands.

Steve Rogers, of course. No matter who is on that cover and in the suit…the bottom line is that Steve Rogers is Captain America and we all know it. Brubaker’s tale is all about the “getting there” that makes it fun.

Let’s face it - it’s Bucky. The only other option would have been to bring in Random SHIELD Agent #2340-242-134 or somesuch, and make a brand new character New Cap.

Hawkeye was the title charater in Fallen Son: tDoCA - Captain America. Been there, done that, turned it down since Cap’s death, and he’s Bendis’ for now anyway. And an English Captain America… well, parse the three words before the ellipsis!

Bucky or Union Jack. As much as I’d love it to be Clint, he doesn’t use a gun. And I’d love a Brit to be the new Cap. I mean they have an American as Canada’s Guardian so why not? Next we’ll have Le Pergrine as the new Union Jack.
Actually nix UJ, I’d rather see him and Spitfire on the new Excalibur team. Hmm, now that I think about it I like Bucky as Winter Soldier, so I don’t think I want him ethier. But man I don’t want to see Paul Walker in the Cap suit again! Tony doesn’t deserve a mention.
Sooooo, Red Skull it is!

Wait a minute, scratch that — have Beta Ray Bill be the new Cap. Give him the shield, Iron Man armor, and Pym particles, so he can be a one-korbinite Avengers.

I’d like it to be Hawkeye. However, maybe Tony Stark is experiencing some personal reasons (such as guilt) to make him desire taking the name of Captain America and to fight for what Cap believed in. The creative team I’m sure has many, many ideas for Bucky without him becoming the new Cap. It’s too early in Bucky’s resurgence into the comic world to change his character now.

J A M E S N E W M A N

I’m thinking it’s James Newman from Captain America: Chosen. Hence the reason the book is called “The Chosen” because the Navy Corpsman has been Chosen to be Cap. Not to mention all the scenarios he finds himself in are good tests for the next Cap. It’s James Newman.

Come on guys, it’s brutally obvious!

The new Captain America is gonna be Adam West. =D

Like the spoliers say it is Bucky, but is it the real Bucky. It could be months before we really know who the new Cap will be because of the Skrull situation.

Whoever it is has poor taste in superhero fashions.

Stark reveals a letter from Steve Rogers to Bucky in which Rogers appeals to Stark to take care of Bucky. Bucky agrees to take up the mantle of Captain America with the aim of bringing the Red Skull to justice.

Red Skull’s last name is not Hermann its Schmidt.

Paul Walker is not USAgent, John Walker is USAgent. Paul Walker is the guy from the Fast and the Furious films.

James Newman is not a Soldier he is a Marine. And if you say thats the same thing, ask a Marine. Or ask a Soldier.

Unfortunately its going to be Bucky. Which is ok, but I dont see why there is any drama or mystery over it. Im good with Bucky. Id rather see USAgent or Hawkeye. But hey, since Dan Jurgans run on Cap ended every artist/writer has turned USAgent into the moronic brute he was prior to Captain America Volume 1 #380.

If Harry Osborne is back from the dead, why not Steve Rogers?