REVIEW: ‘Captain Marvel,’ Issue #15

Captain Marvel #15 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Kelly Thompson, with art by Lee Garbett, colors by Tamra Bonvillain, and letters by Clayton Cowles. Having bested Black Panther last issue, Captain Marvel must now face off with her dear friend Jennifer Walters, a.k.a. She-Hulk. With time running out, however, Carol can’t afford to pull her punches if she’s going to come up with a way to stop Vox Supreme in time.

Captain Marvel #15 continues its unique blend of great action moments that are balanced with poignant emotion. Thompson’s propensity for great emotional storytelling isn’t letting up with this issue. From her confrontation with She-Hulk to her showdown with Captain America, Carol’s struggle with the ever-increasing guilt over her actions is truly palpable. And while I generally wouldn’t think Thompson could write someone any better than Carol, her writing of Steve Rogers is, in a word, perfect.

Everything I have ever expected Steve to be is presented to me in a handful of dialogue bubbles. Noble, trusting, and willing to make the sacrifice play, Rogers will always be the greatest Avenger. The fact that his nobility in the situation only ratchets up the internal struggle for Carol is an unfortunate necessity. Thompson’s use of this character is a masterstroke of storytelling. Seeing the two Captains together was a wonderful, emotional treat.

Garbett continues to spearhead an amazing visual presentation in Captain Marvel #15. His art goes a long way toward enhancing the story’s strongest beats. Seeing Garrett’s take on Carol, particularly in some of the issue’s hardest moments, is extremely impactful. Both combat and emotional moments are handled with the utmost skill. From the opening full-page image of She-Hulk throwing Carol around to its last haunting images, the art is every bit equal of the writing.

In particular, the opening fight sequence with She-Hulk is handled with superlative skill. Garbett’s ability to show off the imposing size of She-Hulk, while still keeping the panels clear and understandable is impressive. As impressive as Carol always comes across, she repeatedly comes across feeling more like a tinker toy than Earth’s Mightiest Hero when confronted with this hulking adversary. This sense of overwhelming power from She-Hulk helps to further cement an ongoing theme that has been woven throughout this story. Even with her powers, Carol could never beat most of these individuals if she wasn’t Carol.

The colorwork by Bonvillain is also excellent. Every scene comes out with a great feeling of vibrancy. The contrast used makes everything within each panel stand out beautifully. This rounds out the art presentation begun by Garbett perfectly.

Captain Marvel #15 continues the powerhouse performance of Thompson and the company. With the big finale closing in rapidly, I cannot help but wonder how Captain Marvel is going to find her way out of this. It’s been a great build-up, and I have the utmost confidence that this creative team will deliver a smash ending worthy of assembling some Avengers for.

Captain Marvel #15 is available now wherever comics are sold.