Captain Marvel #1 Review

The cover is pretty cool, too.

Following the death of Mar-Vell, the original Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers has shed the name Ms. Marvel to take on her namesake's mantle and a less overtly sexy outfit. Written by Kelly Sue DeConnick, and drawn by Dexter Soy, this seems to be a part of a significant push to make Carol Danvers an A-list female character, which Marvel sorely lacks currently.

Despite opening with a fight in which Carol and Captain America take down the Absorbing Man, the issue is primarily focused on Carol's reluctance to take on Mar-Vell's mantle. After a conversation about it with Captain America, and a somewhat flirty sparring match with Spider-Man, Carol goes to visit a sick friend and recalls the first time she met on of her idols: Helen Cobb, a pioneer in female aviation. As the title to this comic should make clear, Carol eventually decides to stop being a Ms. and become a Captain after spending some time high (in terms of elevation) in the atmosphere.

This first issue is short on action, but long on character development and world-building, which is arguably more important at the beginning of a new ongoing series. Kelly Sue DeConnick has a good grasp on the character of Carol Danvers and what makes her tick, especially the disappointment she has at not being able to truly live up to her potential as a pilot, due to her lack of any actual need for a plane. The moments between the Captains America and Marvel are well written, if a bit by-the-numbers for inspirational pep-talks. I liked the continuation of the friendship/flirtation between Carol and Peter Parker (who is drawn to look a lot like Andrew Garfield), though I worry about the prospect of him potentially overshadowing her in her own book.

The art by Dexter Soy is interesting, and certainly well-drawn, though I am not yet sold on it for this book. The dark hues are intriguing, but every image seems like it needs to be a little bit lighter. Carol certainly has her demons, but she isn't like dark like Daredevil or the Punisher, there needs to be a certain vibrancy in her world. Soy has a good grasp of the human anatomy, though his faces seem a little bit off, though it is nothing I can pinpoint and is hardly noticeable. I also liked the frantic feel his action sequences had, though there really wasn't much action in this first issue.

Captain Marvel by Kelly Sue DeConnick has a decent first issue, though I am wary of the art not really fitting the material on hand, and should do well if it stays interesting (which it should). I am a fan of the character (and glad she got a less ridiculously revealing outfit) and certainly look forward to what comes next, though hopefully there will be some more action next time.

7/10