I'm confused about something. I was reading the synopsis for Forever Red and noticed this line, "Ivan Somodorov, her brutal teacher at the Red Room." As I recall, Ivan was Natasha's adoptive father in the comics, but his last name was Petrovich, not Somodorov. Is this Ivan the same Ivan from the comics, or is Margaret Stohl introducing an entirely new character here?
I can tell you about Ivan, and that Ivan’s last name in the comics is sometimes actually Bezukhov, with Petrovich a patronym. But then, it’s sometimes not: Ivan’s son, Yuri, aka Crimson Dynamo IV, is called Yuri Petrovich and not Yuri Ivanovich. And we haven’t gotten an “IC” Ivan in decades, like Alexei Shostakov, he’s one of those characters from the deep parts of Natasha’s mythology that modern writers feel comfortable reshaping at will.
Ivan-in-the-comics has never had much connection with the Red Room, but it’s possible this Somodorov character is loosely inspired by the comics. Or he’s a wholly new invention— it’s not like Ivan is an uncommon name in Russia or in Russians as depicted by Western media. It could also be that Ivan Somodorov is the same character with a new last name, since, well, it wouldn’t be the first time. (Comics are worse about this than you might think: right before the Brubaker run, there was an issue published that said Bucky’s first name was Michael.)
But I can’t really answer your question without reading the book, which isn’t out yet and I do not posses. From the preview attached to this weird EW interview, he seems roughly analogous to comic book Ivan, but with a different personality and purpose.1 I also bet he will not be dead or a giant robot, unlike comic book Ivan.
There seems to be confusion about whether this novel is supposed to take place in 616 (/what’s left of it) or the MCU but my guess is neither. I’m assuming that like the other Marvel novels, including the novel adaptations of certain comic book arcs, Forever Red is its own thing in its own continuity. (This wouldn’t prevent Ava from showing up in the comics universe at all, since characters can jump media.) But again, I’m going on guesswork. I haven’t read this book and so can’t really answer plot questions about it.
1. I'm excited for a YA novel about the Black Widow mythos and think it's a good way for Marvel to bring its characters to a new demographic, but the "it seems like the world might be ready to take a story about someone like Black Widow" rhetoric in the interview is weird & offputting. Marvel's been publishing solo Natasha stories since 1970. She's not an undiscovered country, and I don't think it does her character or place in the universe any favors to pretend she's never been developed or explored.
bookworm213 replied to your post: all moved in to my dorm yay :-)
Do you have a roommate? ‘Cause my dorm’s probably half the size of your’s and I have a roommate. :/ Congrats though! :)
no omg i dont have a roommate but i am in the apartment style res as opposed to the dorms so i have a room to myself that’s a lot bigger than the dorms but i share a flat with 4 other girls :-)
So, the Bucky Mini Fest is done, the dolls are on their way, but I felt bad that I didn't get to fill the last dozen prompts or so.
Many people have suggested they'd like to see the prompts, and maybe take one home for their very own, so I'm posting them here. If you end up writing for one of them, send me a link and I'll add it to this "pinch hit masterpost" so that people can check back to this post to see if new fics have gone up.
Thanks to everyone who sent in prompts -- I'm so sorry I didn't get to fill them all!
(These are not necessarily in the order in which I received them...)
marvelandbbcgeek:
Bucky and Steve finding out about the actions of America during the recent wars (like the Vietnam war)
bookworm213:
Can I request homeless!bucky wandering the streets of NY trying to remember post-WS? Has he remembered anything? Can he take care of himself without his handlers? Those questions have been eating me alive recently.
@citrusandbergamot:
Bucky on a beach at sunset
I can't tell you how much I wanted this to be Omaha Beach during Normandy. :D
@loudlyawesome: - FILLED!
I would like to request Bucky and Clint in a blanket fort taking pot shots at the other Avengers with paperclips, or some other harmless projectile.
@tirecan:
Either Bucky or Winter soldier arm malfunction or arm getting stuck somewhere.
@missbuster:
Aw I’m sad I didn’t get a prompt in, ice always wanted a Winter Soldier software upgrade/arm disassociation story but I will save that for later.
@rsfcommonplace:
Rats. I never dicover these things in time. I was gonna ask for Tony making new arm after new arm for Bucky (including the one with the secret decoder ring) because he can never design something just once...
Anonymous:
steve and bucky, bros forever
Anonymous:
anything bucky/tony/steve? angst. fluff. smut. anything that you desire
Anonymous:
bucky and dystopian ya novels (...special request for invitation to the game)
Oh man Anon it kills me that this one came in after the cap. Some Invitation To The Game fan should pick this one up!
Anonymous:
Bucky/Natasha, post tws, Bucky finds Natasha in Chicago because he kinda remembers her and it's where she's run to ground in her road trip of self discovery
Yaaaay Chicago!
Anonymous:
could you possibly maybe for the bucky love-a-thon do Bucky learning a bit of sign language from Clint, like preferably Bucky trying to make him feel better without being sappy about it by saying he wants to be able to talk shit about Steve and/or Tony without them knowing? maybe? and like a bit of bonding
Anonymous:
The cliche Bucky gets a three legged pet story. Come on you know you want to.
DOES TONY BUILD HIS PET A BIONIC ARM I MUST KNOW.
Just a snippet from something I'm working on! Hoping to finish it tomorrow!
---------------------
He doesn’t remember having a pet.
He remembers cold night and New York City streets and the smells of chestnuts and cigarette smoke. He remembers Running with a small boy through the alleys, playing games with pebbles, getting bruised and bloody in fights. But he doesn’t remember pets.
He remembers a woman’s scolding voice after he brought home a bird that had fallen from its nest. He was forced to leave it outside. He remembers the stray dogs that were pelted by stones, their ribs showing, wandering through the alleys. He knows he wasn’t allowed to have pets.
There were dogs in the army, big German Shepard’s with huge brown eyes. The soldiers treated them like family. But friendship would be forgone on behalf of the missions, and he didn’t remember paying attention to the dogs anyway.
There were no pets at HYDRA. No animals at all. And the soldier didn’t even know what a pet was. All he knew was his next mission, his next objective. And if a target’s pet made a sound, a knife to the throat easily dispatched it.
He never knew what it was like to have a pet. But he remembered all these things.
He was freed from HYDRA, yet he had no mission, no objective. He was lost, a broken weapon. Out of commission.
Imagine Bucky living on the streets post WS trying to take care of himself and Steve finding him and nursing him back to health? Make it as romantic or platonic as you want! ;)
I am afraid this isn’t exactly what you were thinking of, but still hope you like it!
Steve left Stark Tower and walked down the street on his way home. It was late and the streets were mostly empty, except for some cars passing by, but after a while he felt like being followed. He kept walking, trying to throw a glance back over his shoulder.
It was a bit unnerving, really. Not that he was afraid of being attacked – because why should he be? - but it was a weird feeling nevertheless.
Around the next corner, he heard someone behind him stumble and whipped around, sure that he would find his pursuer and what he saw made his jaw drop.
Bucky – his Bucky – was sprawled on the floor, cursing under his breath while he scrambled back up to his feet. Steve walked over to him to take a closer look and it made his heart ache.
Bucky was thin, very thin and also very dirty and he didn’t smell too good to be perfectly honest. Over all, Steve instantly knew that he must’ve been living on the streets. His metal arm was hidden under a long, dirty shirtsleeve and he wore some old, battered glove to hide his metal hand.
"Bucky?"
He looked up at Steve’s voice and his mouth became a thin line.
"Steve…"
The blond wanted to say something, but Bucky held his hand up, silencing him.
"I am sorry… I shouldn’t have followed you. Sorry, really. I am just gonna go now. Don’t-" he sighed and looked at his feet, "Don’t look at me. I am pathetic."
It took him completely off guard that Bucky seemed to remember him and he was lost for words at first and just kept staring at the other man.
"What has happened to you?"
Bucky shrugged and backed off a few steps. Steve didn’t dare to move, feeling like he would cause Bucky to take off at a run and hide again so he stood where he was.
"Life, I guess. Or what’s left of it. Frankly, it took me a while to get back my memory – or some of it, at least – and once I remembered… I don’t know. I just wanted to get a normal life. To try and leave it all behind, but it didn’t work out, what with the metal arm and all."
He sighed again and his eyes found Steve’s for a short moment before he looked back at his feet.
"So I ended up living on the streets, looking for food in trashcans and feeling like scum. I mean – just look at me! I stink to the high heavens and own only the clothes I wear… besides that, I am always hungry, but never seem to find enough food to sate this hunger."
"Come with me."
Bucky’s head snapped up and he looked at Steve with wide eyes. Steve smiled and reached out towards Bucky, hoping that he wouldn’t refuse the offer.
"C’mon Buck. Come home with me. There’s enough space and it’ll be like in the good ol’ times."
But he hesitated, now looking everywhere but at Steve, a frown on his face. Then he shook his head and Steve’s heart sank.
"I can’t. I have to make this on my own… Think of everything I’ve done to you… All the people I’ve killed…"
Steve shook his head, made a step forward and grabbed Bucky’s wrist.
"I don’t care. That’s the past and I forgave you. Heck, I never even blamed you for anything in the first place. You have to come with me. I can’t go on with life, pretending not to know about the state you’re in. Bucky, I am your friend, let me help you."
-
"Will they want me there?"
Bucky looked up at the building looming over them, a worried expression on his face.
"Yes they will. I told them that you were staying with me and that I would bring you along tonight. Nobody said anything against it. They’re actually excited to finally meet you."
"Or see me again…"
Steve shook his head, put his arms around Bucky’s shoulder and they entered Stark Tower together. As soon as the doors closed behind them, JARVIS’ voice sounded through the entrance hall.
“Good evening Captain Rogers. Am I right in assuming that the gentleman with you is Sergeant Barnes?”
Bucky’s eyes widenend and he looked at Steve, obviously waiting for an explanation. Steve chuckled and pushed him towards the elevator.
"You’re right Jarvis. I take it they’re waiting in the dining room?"
“They are indeed.”
Steve nodded to himself and they stepped into the elevator, Bucky still looking baffled.
"What the heck was that?! Does he have a butler who’s hiding?"
"Well, I honestly don’t know what Jarvis is … Tony tried to explain it to me, calling him an AI, but I never really understood what he was trying to tell.”
The confusion on Bucky’s face made him laugh and he patted his friend’s shoulder.
Loud cheering greeted them when they entered the dining room and Steve found himself and Bucky surrounded by the others. Not everyone was there, but it was still a little crowd consisting out of Tony, Pepper, Bruce, Natasha, Clint and Sam, all of whom were inspecting Bucky closely now, shaking his hand and introducing themselves.
Steve stepped away to give them more room, but made sure that Bucky was still able to see him and so he would know if it became too much for his friend.
The last one to introduce himself was Tony and Steve could see how uncomfortable it made Bucky once he realized who he was talking to.
"I am sorry for what I – what happened to your parents, Mr.Stark."
Tony laughed and nugded Bucky’s arm, “Ah, don’t worry ‘bout it. It’s been a while and we should forget the past and focus on the present. And please, don’t call me Mister, it makes me feel so old. Call me Tony, or highness, if you wish.”
Bucky looked over at Steve, unsure of what to make of the situation.
"I think Tony is enough, really. We don’t want him to feel any more important."
Tony rolled his eyes and looked over, “Shut your mouth Cap.”
"As you wish, your highness."
Steve made a silly little bow and when Bucky’s laughter filled the room, he knew that he really had his friend back.
