Captain Marvel is one of the best books on stands today, even counting creator-owned work. Carol has transformed from an adjunct into the hero she was always meant to be. She’s smart, beautiful, and powerful. More importantly, she cares deeply about the people in her life and always takes time for non-superpowered activities. In this month’s issue, Carol’s full day of mundane errands – including coffee with Spider-Woman and taking her cat to the vet – is interrupted by none other than Tony Stark himself.
What follows is something of a juggling act as Carol attempts to complete her own tasks, deal with Tony’s “assignment,” and still save the day from rampaging dinosaurs. She visits with an old lady, gets interviewed by a graduate student, and even fights some thugs along the way – all in time to receive some news from her doctor. News that could potentially change her life.
As always, Kelly Sue DeConnick’s work is unparalleled. Carol is such a fully-formed person, with friends, pets, chores, and doctor’s visits. She feels so much more fully realized than most super heroes, and readers will find themselves caring at least as much about those things as they do the villains and heroics. Carol’s interaction with Tony is worth noting. DeConnick has incorporated the Tony Stark readers love from the Marvel movies into Captain Marvel, and it pays off in a big way. Their interaction is fast-paced, full of good-natured ribbing that felt remarkably like that of siblings. Of course the last-page development is intriguing.
Where the issue really fails is the art. While the dinosaurs look absolutely stunning, and the characters’ faces convey plenty of emotion, it was otherwise distracting. For a series that portrays women so positively and put Carol in her first non-swimsuit costume, the figures resemble runway design sketches more than anything. The faces range from acceptable to deformed.
Ultimately, this issue is still a definite “Buy.” It’s a great jumping-on point for new readers. No prior knowledge of Carol or anything else is needed to appreciate the well-rounded hero, her interactions with friends and enemies alike, or the quick-paced action sequences. Go buy it now!
January 20, 2013
Yeah that art is a bit off putting. It’s not bad, just not suited to this type of book. I like the cover art by Jamie McKelvie and Jordie Bellaire though. I think it would suit the story more if they did the internal art also.