Captain Marvel has had a very successful year. With her solo movie breaking records and reaching the $1 billion milestone at the global box office, her character has reached new heights within the realm of pop culture. Her rapid success continues with Marvel Action: Captain Marvel #1, which is published by IDW Publishing. The comic is written by Sam Maggs, illustrated by Sweeney Boo, with colors by Brittany Peer, and letters by Christa Miesner.
The issue follows Carol Danvers as she has a quiet girl’s night with her best friend, Jessica Drew (a.k.a. Spider-Woman) and her cat Chewie. They’re watching a horror film as they try to enjoy the one night they have off from being heroes. However, things go south when Manhattan is invaded by cats. Carol thinks that the cats are looking for something since they begin to overrun several bodegas. She rushes to deal with the invasion, unaware of just how ferocious these felines truly are.
Maggs established the friendship between Carol and Jessica very well within the first few pages. They’re enjoying the night off as any average person would do. It’s something that rarely comes up in comics about superheroes. Jessica clearly worries a lot about Carol, which shows through the conversation that they have. She’s worried that Carol takes her duties as Captain Marvel a bit too serious. This sense of worry comes from a place of love, which shows just how much she cares for her friend. Carol knows that Jessica cares about her, but also doesn’t want to be a burden. They both want the best for each other, even though they may not really know how to express it well. This is something I’m hoping future issues develop more.
One main highlight from Marvel Action: Captain Marvel #1 is the more comedic moments it includes. Whether it’s cat-related puns or the optimistic attitude that Carol has when she deals with the crisis in Manhattan, these comedic moments flow well within the story. They never distract from the story or the action of the comic. This more comedic side to Carol is one that I haven’t seen before. I’m not completely familiar with her character, but this is a side of her that I can appreciate. My love of literature helps me appreciate puns even more.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading Marvel Action: Captain Marvel #1. It’s a different take on Carol’s character and one that I’m not used to seeing, which makes things much more interesting. The comedic moments add so much more to the story rather than taking me away from what I’m reading. The dynamic that exists between Carol and Jessica is strong and quickly established as an important element within the issue. I’m looking forward to seeing how the rest of the series goes, especially with the big cliffhanger at the end. Carol finds herself in a very peculiar situation that will require a rather unorthodox method to get out of.
Marvel Action Captain Marvel #1 is available now wherever comic books are sold.
Marvel Action: Captain Marvel #1
TL;DR
It’s a different take on Carol’s character and one that I’m not used to seeing, which makes things much more interesting.