The Good
Let's face the facts, female comic book characters don't often have long running series. They may have a successful run but either sales or some sort of publishing political concerns result with the title coming to a premature end. Carol Danvers had an impressive fifty issue run from 2006 to 2010. What makes this even more impressive is the fact that she isn't exactly a household name. Those not immersed in comic book lore may know female characters such as Wonder Woman, Storm or the Invisible Woman. Ms. Marvel may have made her debut back in 1968 but she was never the star or costar of an animated or live action television series.
Carol is back and it's time for her to come to terms with who she is. She's never been a perfect character. By that, I mean she has her share of flaws. That's what separates her from some of the other female characters. She is capable of kicking the asses of the strongest villains but still lacks a bit of confidence deep down. It's a conversation with Captain America where the idea comes to take on the mantle of Captain Marvel. She feels she doesn't deserve it. After everything she's done and accomplished along with her connection to Mar-Vell, there is no better choice. And let's face it, "Ms. Marvel" is an outdated name.
We do get to see more of Carol as a person. This is an important factor to show she's not simply a female comic book character in a tight costume. There needs to be some depth to her and that is what Kelly Sue DeConnick sets out to do. We even get to see a bit of a flashback which is always great to see. Some of my favorite stories have dealt with flashback tales (especially the one with Logan and Ben Grimm).
I was surprised to see the $2.99 cover price. Often we see first issues carry a $3.99 price tag. It's wonderful to see Marvel is making an effort to not simply settle for the higher price. More and more we're seeing the higher price. I can only hope the slightly lower price will encourage new readers to give this book a try.
The Bad
There's always a little difficulty when the cover and interior art are so drastically different. It can almost be a little jarring when you open the issue. I also can't tell if she has short hair (as sort of seen on the cover) or if she's just pulling it back (seems that's more the case). There is an appealing look to the art and the opening battle looks good in a stylistic way. Unfortunately Captain America did look a little off, especially on page four (where he's throwing his shield). The shape of his jaw and the way he's colored almost makes him look like a Skrull.
It might be that I missed last week's comics due to being at Comic-Con but we jump into the series with Carol having her new look: a new hairstyle and a new costume. There isn't an explanation here where she got the new suit and what specifically its abilities are as we see it can change. She sometimes wears a mask and the costume can create one. Yet during the opening battle, she chose not to wear it.
Carol's waist sash is utilized here in a way we haven't seen before. Its purpose other than what it's used for here doesn't fully make sense since she mentions it's made from fabric Tony Stark designed (and is impermeable). Is it simply a fashion accessory or is there another purpose?
The Verdict
CAPTAIN MARVEL is off to a good start. Kelly Sue DeConnick is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. After OSBORN and seeing her at the Image panel at SDCC, her charm and witty nature oozes out off the pages of this comic. Carol Danvers is a character that deserves her own title. It's great to see Carol's character get explored. This issue may be a little light on the action but this shouldn't and doesn't have to be simply another superhero slugfest comic. Carol is tough and can take on even the toughest villains. I may have missed the issue prior to this that explains her new costume but you'll easily get used to it. Her previous costume wasn't the most practical design and it's nice to see something more suited to what she deserves. New and old fans can easily jump in and be prepared for Carol's new direction.
Tony Guerrero is the Editor-in-Chief of Comic Vine. You can follow him on Twitter @GManFromHeck. He is overjoyed to see Carol back in her own series.
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