REVIEW: ‘Captain Marvel,’ Issue #33

Captain Marvel #33 is published by Marvel Comics, written by Kelly Thompson, art by Sergio Davila, inks by Sean Parsons, colors by Jesus Aburtov, and letters by Clayton Cowles. Having discovered that Vox Supreme is hunting all those who have worn the title of Marvel, Carol Danvers raced to Jersey City to find Ms. Marvel about to be kidnapped by Vox’s unwilling minions. Now with an unconscious Kamala in tow, Carol desperately attempts to flee the city in search of reinforcement and a place where they can make their stand.

Over the last 33 issues of reviews I’ve written about Captain Marvel, I’ve repeatedly praised Thompson’s emphasis on Carol’s relationships with those close to her. How crucial the relationships in Carol’s life are to her has been emphasized with both profound, intimate moments, as well as simple fun nights out. While these interpersonal connections have given every issue a richness of character few series can match, Thompson now gets to bring the fruits of her writing labors to bear even greater results as Carol finds one of those closest to her in deadly peril. And thanks to the previous 32 issues that have spent no small amount of time extolling how much Carol’s found family means to her, the reader can easily believe her struggle to save those of her family under threat here is as critical to the character as the book presents it as being.

The bulk of Captain Marvel #33 comprises the battle between Carol and Kamala with their masked pursuers. Dominating this sequence is a blend of a desperate internal monologue delivered from Carol’s point of view and witty banter between her and Kamala as they struggle to hold on long enough for reinforcements to arrive. This balance of drama and snappy dialogue encompasses the best aspects of the current Captain Marvel series.

The art throughout Captain Marvel #33 delivers on every aspect of the story wonderfully. Davila’s lines bring all the power one can ask for from the hard-hitting combat that explodes off the panel. Due to the fierceness of the combat and how desperate the stakes are, the few moments of banter shine all the brighter. Davila puts just a much effort into these moments as well, as the genuineness of Carol and Kamala’s bond shines through beautifully here.

The colors throughout this book create an amazing amount of atmosphere to push the drama of its moments even more. Colorist Aburtov uses a plethora of energy blasts and explosions to create some glorious lighting effects that work fantastically toward enhancing the book’s overall tone.

Rounding out the book’s presentation is the lettering. Cowles does a great job of keeping the story running smoothly with excellent dialogue placement, despite how busy with action many of the panels get. This, combined with some wonderful sound effect designs, bring yet another example of fantastic lettering from one of the most recognizable names in the field.

When all is said and done, Captain Marvel #33 delivers one of the best entries in this phenomenal series to date. It has action, emotion, a dash of humor and leaves its protagonist in a spot that I’m dying to find out how she escapes from.

Captain Marvel #33 is available now wherever comics are sold.