REVIEW: ‘Captain Marvel,’ Issue #1

Captain Marvel #1 (2019), is published by Marvel Comics and written by Kelly Thompson, with art by Carmen Carnero, colors from Tamra Bonvilian, and letters by VC’s Clayton Cowles. No longer leading Alpha Flight and having overcome the personal struggles and revelations from the recent The Life of Captain Marvel series, Carol Danvers is back and ready to take a leading spot in the ongoing struggle against super-villainy. But the world might not be quite ready for her.

Opening with a classic “random giant monster attacking New York” sequence we are brought right into the action, and some marvelously written banter between Danvers and Jessica Drew, AKA Spider-Woman. The instant chemistry between these two is one of the most honest representations of old friends reuniting I’ve ever read, in any format.

Once the intro villain is dispatched is when the struggles really start. With Iron Man nagging for a sit down to talk about the future, some surprise responsibilities dropping into Carol’s lap and a difficult reunion with an old friend, her return might not be as smooth as the re-entry from Space was. The issue wraps up with a cliffhanger villain battle and a tease for issue two that has me chomping at the bit for the next installment to arrive.

The creative team is a harmonious blend of talents that have really come together to create something that has all the potential to be a story run that will be talked about for years to come. Kelly Thompson imbues her characters with a naturalness that is oftentimes lost in the bombastic, over the top world of super-heroics.

From Carol’s stubborn confidence to Tony’s swagger, all the characters exhibit traits and quirks that make them feel almost alive in each panel and page. Letterer Clayton Cowles makes sure that the words themselves are a support to the excellent writing and is the final punch it needs to deliver its messages.

Surrounding these artfully executed characters is a world that is an elegant commentary on much of the world we see today. From opinion polls, reporters, and a confrontation with a misogynistic character, Carol’s world is just as busy and sometimes unbelievable, as our own.

Bringing this world to life Carmen Carnero lends an artistic style to the book that shows all the plethora of emotions involved in a memorable manner and captures every punch, with a force that leaves you believing in every once of Carol’s strength. Combined with colors from Bonvillian that give the comic a vibrant engaging feel, without ever straying into overly tacky, but instead letting the reader be drawn to the various points of interest throughout the issue.

This all comes together to deliver a knockout first issue that has all the heart, action, and energy I could ask for. The hype for Captain Marvel’s future was already raising and this issue pushed it through the stratosphere for me. And I can’t wait to go straight into space!

Captain Marvel #1 (2019) is available wherever comics are sold.