 |
| Front cover of Captain Marvel volume 1 Higher, Further, Faster, More |
Score (out of 5 Capes)
A solid series start that resets Captain Marvel as a galaxy-wide player, 3.5 capes out of 5.
My Review
In 2014, Marvel Comics released several new ongoing series starring a female hero, as I have outlined in several A-Force Presents reviews (see the Related Reviews section below). They all got a new start, including a much-celebrated new #1 issue. Some, like Thor and Ms. Marvel, introduced brand new characters. Others, like She-Hulk and this series, Captain Marvel, took familiar and established heroes in exciting new directions.
In the case of Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel, that new beginning was in the stars. This series took her and the "Earth's mightiest hero" title off into interstellar space for some new adventures on distant planets with intriguing aliens.
The series debut issue gave us the internal debate, as she wrestled with the decision of whether to stay on Earth or not.
Writer Kelly Sue DeConnick set the space- bound tone right from page one, dropping us into the middle of a story before rewinding six weeks to explain how we got to that moment.
It is a technique that can work well in a film but here if feels jarring and out of place. The lead teaser is not a strong enough element on its own to make us wonder what led to this moment, so pausing it for the next four issues means we forget about that initial moment until the exact panels appear many pages later - many months later for the comics readers of the day.
Before leaving Earth, Carol had to wrap up some of the relationships that would tie her to the planet. Most notably, her budding relationship with James Rhodes of Iron Man and War Machine fame. While not a goodbye, as she promised to be back, maybe in a year or so, the scene unspools with a feeling of finality. But with determination and an awareness of the costs, of what she had to give up, Carol set out.
The rest of the book is set in space as Captain Marvel must help a population of exiled refugees wrestle with the decision whether or not to leave the new homeland they had been graciously granted.
Through the different scenes in these pages - in space, briefly meeting the Guardians of the Galaxy, working with the refugees, staring down their oppressors - both the strengths and weaknesses of Captain Marvel are apparent.
On the downside, while she made the choice to go to space willingly, if with a heavy heart, she has more than one chip on her shoulder and could use some anger-management counselling. She also fell completely flat in her attempts to speak and act as a diplomat; her efforts to mediate peace and a future were laughable and brushed aside by the leaders.
Yet she shows a great ability to connect with and lead on a more personal basis. She surrounds herself with a diverse group, essentially building a team out of almost the scrap heap. Her dedication to them and to their cause stands out.
And her biggest strength is, well, her strength. Her courage and power do not make frequent appearances in this book, but when they do, they steal the show. Artist David Lopez excels at these moments, with beautifully framed and perfectly proportioned visuals that highlight her indomitable and fierce spirit.
The rest of his work is fun and playful, if a touch over the top on occasion. Its impact also gets lost from time to time, blurred out by the muted and unexplained shifts in colour tones. Alien planets may have a different looking sky or architecture, but for such an effervescent hero in a vibrant uniform, the page-wide colour tones are an overall negative.
What I loved
 |
| One of the most powerful Avengers gets worked up |
This series gives us a very grounded, down-to-Earth (or at least down-to-Torfa) Carol Danvers and Captain Marvel. We see her humanity, the range of her emotions, how she reacts to and plays with others.
But when the time comes to turn up the power, boy does this story nail it!
Her strength, courage and awesome power leap from the page, in this sequence most of all. The armada commander might have no fear of the "flying Earth girl" but neither does she show any concerns in the face of such outnumbered odds. Chapter five ends with this awesome two-page spread, setting up a thrilling sixth and final chapter.
What I didn't love
 |
| Many pages include odd colour tones, while Captain Marvel has anger-management issues |
Colour artist Lee Loughridge paints with a muted palette throughout this book and, along the way, makes some odd choices of tones. Alien skies have beautifully gentle gradations but, placed alongside the beiges of terrain and buildings as in this sample page, have an overall dulling effect.
It is such an odd choice, given the vibrant blues, reds and yellows that define the Captain's overall appearance.
Carol Danvers also has some anger-management issues. This is not a new revelation in this book, of course. In many ways, it is built into the character herself. But it crops up in unusual ways and at odd moments in these tales, as in this image. She has a precious clue to the disappearance of her friend and a potential insight into what is really going on, and she very nearly loses it in a fit of annoyance and uncontrolled anger. Tsk tsk.
Related Reviews
Captain Marvel (2014) volume 2 - Stay Fly
Quick Reference Details
Writers: Kelly Sue DeConnick
Artists: David Lopez
Published By: Marvel Comics
Published When: Oct 7, 2014
Parental Rating: Teen+
 |
| Back cover of Captain Marvel volume 1 Higher, Further, Faster, More |
