Warning! Spoilers ahead for Winter Guard #1

In a new preview for Marvel's upcoming Winter Guard series, it's revealed that the Alexei Shostakov, aka Red Guardian , recently seen in the MCU's Black Widow had it much easier returning from prison than he did in the comics. Both versions of the character have recently found themselves as newly freed men. And while the biggest slight the MCU Shostakov had to deal with was that he was largely forgotten by Russia, that's a far cry better than having the Winter Guard coming after Shostakov with the intent to kill, as is the case in this new preview.

In the MCU's Black Widow, Alexei Shostakov was Russia's response to Captain America, operating in the years after the Cold War. However, after somehow slighting the Red Room's General Dreykov, Shostakov was imprisoned and left to rot. Years later, he'd be rescued by Natasha Romanoff and Yelena Belova, his "daughters" during Shostakov's mission in Ohio to steal SHIELD research as a sleeper family in the 1990s. Once freed, his only real problem was facing the Red Room, already resigned to the fact that his country had forgotten him.

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In contrast, the new preview for Marvel's Winter Guard #1 from writer Ryan Cady and artist Jan Bazaldua sees Yelena Belova and the likewise recently-freed Shostakov trying to get back into Russia. While it seems as though the original Red Guardian has every intention of returning to his role in order to serve his country, it doesn't seem as though that's going to be easy. The Winter Guard (including Shostakov's replacement) is on the hunt for the White Widow and original Red Guardian with orders to kill. Here are the preview pages and synopsis for the upcoming issue:

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  • WINTER GUARD #1
  • WINTER COMES FOR THE WHITE WIDOW & THE RED GUARDIAN!
  • Russia is cleaning house! And when the Red Guardian starts hunting down state secrets, he puts himself right back in his home country's crosshairs - dragging the White Widow along with him. But the motherland has new heroes now...and not even the Red Room could have prepared Alexei and Yelena for the Winter Guard's retribution. Bold twists and bombastic action abound as Jason Aaron's Winter Guard tracks down two of Russia's dirtiest secrets! Don't miss the chills and thrills of Ryan Cady and Jan Bazaldua's new epic thriller!

While neither situation is ideal after being imprisoned for so long, it does seem as though the MCU Shostakov got the better deal. Being forgotten doesn't mean he can't recapture the status he once held, having the opportunity to become a better Red Guardian than he would have been under Dreykov. On the other hand, the comic book version is being targeted and has already been marked for death. Not only that, but he's also been replaced by the Russian operative known as Vanguard, creating much more of an uphill battle to be fought.

In any case, it's going to be interesting to see what's in store for Marvel's Winter Guard and what it may reveal about the Red Room beyond what's been seen in comics past and the MCU's Black Widow. Furthermore, the synopsis indicates that Shostakov will be attempting to steal state secrets. Perhaps this will be his bargaining chip to serve Russia once more? He is the ultimate Russian patriot after all. In any case, fans will certainly learn more about Red Guardian's plan when Winter Guard #1 releases on August 25th.

More: How Black Widow Sets Up Red Guardian's Superteam