REVIEW: ‘Captain Marvel,’ Issue #17

Captain Marvel #17 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Kelly Thompson, art by Francesco Manna, with colors by Carlos Lopez and letters by Clayton Cowles. Sometimes, even superheroes need to unwind. So Carol invites several of her friends over for cards. From old friends, treasured allies, or even her biggest fan, everyone is invited to what is clearly a night for relaxation and fun. I mean, when has gathering a group of heroes together for a night off ever ended in trouble, right?

Oh, comic book card nights! Where would we be without you? While I love the harrowing adventures and deep emotional moments that superhero comics have to offer, it is the characters that give the medium it’s true staying power. And it’s these fun one-shot stories that often highlight those characters better than anything. It gets groups together you wouldn’t necessarily see normally, and just has fun with them. And this, readers, is a fun issue.

Captain Marvel #17 is an ideal story for its author to tell. Thompson has always been a master of putting character front and center in her stories. Whether it’s deep emotional moments, or the more lighthearted character interactions here, nobody sells character quite like Thompson.

The opportunity for wonderful character moments is further propelled by the wonderful choice of personalities to bring together. From Jessica Drew’s snark and Logan’s grumpy old man routine to Ms. Marvel’s eternal enthusiasm, the delightful mix of personalities is exceptionally used here. I sorely want a Wolverine/Ms. Marvel limited series after this issue. It would do Logan some good.

The story takes a fun twist as card night gets transformed into an escape room night. While there is a bit of grumbling from some, the crew eventually gives in and agrees to give it a try. This is where the villain makes their debut and our heroes end up working on their night off.

The art of Captain Marvel #17 does a great job of capturing the energy of its story. From joking around the game table to the excitement when the night goes wrong, Manna keeps the art in lockstep with its story. In particular, the work on the villain The Nexus is perfection. His over-the-top comic book villain persona lands perfectly here.

The colorwork in Captain Marvel #17 further propels its narrative. Just as the story overall leans into the classic comic book vibes of a fun misadventure, so too does Lopez’s colors. All the bright vibrant color of the comic book medium is on display here. This helps keep the energy of the panels at the peak fun the story goes for.

Rounding out Captain Marvel #17 is Cowles’ continuing solid performance on lettering. Cowles executes all the core functions of his job with skill and experience.

In conclusion, Captain Marvel #17 serves as a wonderful little welcome back for its title character and friends after the long break. With Carol slated to take a large roll in the upcoming Empyre crossover event, it was extra nice to have this fun little side adventure before the big story drops.

Captain Marvel #17 is available now, wherever comics are sold.