Editing Red Guardian (section)

==Fictional character biography==
===Aleksey Lebedev{{anchor|Aleksey|Lebedev|Алексей Лебедев}}===
'''Aleksey Lebedev''' (Russian: '''Алексей Лебедев'''), the Golden Age version of the Red Guardian, first appeared in ''Namor, The Sub-Mariner Annual'' #1 (June 1991) as a [[retcon]] of the history of the Red Guardian identity, establishing a version who appeared prior to the version first seen in 1967, created by writers Dana Moreshead and Mike Thomas, and artist [[Phil Hester (comics)|Phil Hester]]. Very little is known of him, but he fought alongside [[Spirit of '76 (Marvel Comics)|Captain America]] (William Naslund) and the [[Namor|Sub-Mariner]] at the [[Potsdam Conference]], in July 1945.<ref>{{cite web |title=Red Guardian (Russian, World War II, Captain America ally) |url=http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/redgrd.htm |access-date=January 12, 2011 |publisher=Marvunapp.com}}</ref>

He began his career during World War II, and met the [[All-Winners Squad]] (formerly the [[Invaders (comics)|Invaders]]) on only one recorded occasion, clashing with them shortly after the war's end where he taunted Captain America (secretly the [[Jeffrey Mace|Patriot]]) that he was 'slowing down' after he was able to catch Captain America's shield.<ref>''Captain America: Patriot'' #2 (November 2010)</ref> Like the other crusaders of the same name, he was created as a Soviet counterpart to Captain America.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=March 2013}} He was later apparently killed during the purges of the 1950s, opposing the brutal experiments that would later create his successor.<ref>''[[Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe|The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A–Z Update 2010]]'' #4 (December 2010)</ref>

===Alexei Shostakov{{anchor|Alexei Andreevich Shostakov|Alexei|Andreevich|Shostakov}}===
'''Alexei Andreevich Shostakov''' is the first version of the Red Guardian, and was created by [[Roy Thomas]] and [[John Buscema]], first appearing in ''[[The Avengers (comic book)|Avengers]]'' #43 (January 1967).

Alexei Shostakov was born in [[Moscow]], and was the husband<!--Please do not change; this section is about the comics, not the MCU.--> of Natasha Romanova. Both he and Romanova were agents of the Soviets: the latter as the [[Black Widow (Natasha Romanova)|Black Widow]] while the former became a test pilot and KGB agent and then trained as a Soviet counterpart to Captain America known as Red Guardian.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=July 2021}} While Black Widow becomes disillusioned with the KGB and defects to the United States, Red Guardian remains loyal to his country and becomes more ruthless and vindictive. He battles the [[Avengers (comics)|Avengers]] on numerous occasions, with one seeing him become the third [[Ronin (Marvel Comics)|Ronin]].<ref>''[[The Avengers (comic book)|The Avengers]]'' #43–44 (August - September 1967)</ref><ref>''[[Daredevil (Marvel Comics series)|Daredevil]]'' (vol. 2) #64 (November 2004)</ref><ref>''[[Widowmaker (Marvel Comics)|Widowmaker]]'' #1-4 (February 2011)</ref>

In ''[[Thunderbolts (comic book)|Thunderbolts]]'' (vol. 5), [[Bucky Barnes]] recruits Shostakov into the [[Thunderbolts (comics)|eponymous team]].<ref>''[[Thunderbolts (comic book)|Thunderbolts]]'' (vol. 5) #1 (December 2023)</ref>

===Tania Belinsky{{anchor|Tania Belinsky|Tania|Belinsky}}===
{{Main|Starlight (Marvel Comics)}}
Tania Belinsky, a neurosurgeon from the USSR initially known as Starlight, later assumes the Red Guardian identity and joins the [[Defenders (comics)|Defenders]]. Created by [[Steve Gerber]] and [[Sal Buscema]], she first appeared in ''[[Defenders (comics)|The Defenders]]'' #35 (May 1976).

===Josef Petkus{{anchor|Josef|Petkus}}===
'''Josef Petkus''' is the fourth Red Guardian, first appearing in ''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #352 (April 1989), and was created by writer [[Mark Gruenwald]] and artist [[Kieron Dwyer]]. The character subsequently appears in ''The Avengers'' #319–324 (July–October 1990), ''[[The Incredible Hulk (comic book)|The Incredible Hulk]]'' #393 (May 1992), and ''Soviet Super-Soldiers'' #1 (November 1992). The character subsequently appears as the '''Steel Guardian''' in ''Iron Man'' (vol. 2) #9 (October 1998). Petkus appeared as part of the "Supreme Soviets" entry in the ''[[Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe|Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Update '89]]'' #7.

Josef Petkus is a special operative for the intelligence agencies of the Soviet Union and a member of the [[Soviet Super-Soldiers|Supreme Soviets]].<ref>''[[Captain America (comic book)|Captain America]]'' #352–353 (April - May 1989)</ref>

He later joins the [[Winter Guard]] and the Supreme Soviets splinter group the People's Protectorate, now calling himself the "Steel Guardian".<ref>''The Avengers'' #319–324 (July - October 1990)</ref><ref>''[[Iron Man (comic book)|Iron Man]]'' (vol. 3) #9 (October 1988)</ref>

In ''Darkstar and the Winter Guard'', Petkus is killed by [[Dire Wraith|Dire Wraiths]] while attempting to resurrect [[Vanguard (Marvel Comics)|Vanguard]]'s sister Lanyia.<ref>''Darkstar and the Winter Guard'' #2 (September 2010)</ref>

===Krassno Granitsky{{anchor|Krassno|Granitsky}}===
'''Krassno Granitsky''', the fifth Red Guardian, appeared in ''[[David North (character)|Maverick]]'' #10 (June 1998), and was created by writer Jorge Gonzales and artist Leo Fernandez. The name "Krassno Granitsky" comes from the [[James Bond]] novel ''[[From Russia, with Love (novel)|From Russia With Love]]''; it is the Russianized name of assassin Donovan Grant.{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}}

In ''Captain America'' (2004), Granitsky is killed by [[Aleksander Lukin]].<ref>''Captain America'' (vol. 5) #1 (January 2005)</ref>

===Anton{{anchor|Anton|Ivanov}}===
'''Anton''', the sixth Red Guardian,<ref>''[[She-Hulk]]'' (vol. 2) #35 (January 2009)</ref> debuted in ''[[Hulk]]'' (vol. 2) as a member of the Winter Guard.<ref>''[[The Incredible Hulk (comic book)|Hulk]]'' (vol. 2) #1 (January 2008)</ref>

Anton claims to be an engineer and a former pilot of the [[Crimson Dynamo]] armor, and is later revealed to be a human who transferred his mind into a [[Life Model Decoy]].<ref>''Hulk: Winter Guard'' #1 (December 2009)</ref>

He is decapitated by a Dire Wraith, although his head survives and is kept in storage.<ref name="Darkstar-2-3">''Darkstar and the Winter Guard'' #2–3 (September - October 2010)</ref>

===Nikolai Krylenko{{anchor|Nikolai|Krylenko}}===
{{Main|Vanguard (Marvel Comics)}}
'''Nikolai Krylenko''' (also known as Vanguard) is the seventh version of the Red Guardian, and leads the Winter Guard.<ref name="Darkstar-2-3" /> Created by [[Bill Mantlo]] and [[Carmine Infantino]] for ''[[Iron Man (comic book)|Iron Man]]'' #109 (April 1978), he was redeveloped as the Red Guardian by [[David Gallaher]] and [[Steve Ellis (comics)|Steve Ellis]] from ''Darkstar and the Winter Guard'' #2 (July 2010) onward.<ref name="Darkstar-2-3" />