CAPTAIN MARVEL #1 REVIEW

[Jim Lemoine]

<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0902/capt_marvel_1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0902/capt_marvel_1t.jpg" align=left alt="Captain Marvel #1 preview"></a>Reviewer: Jim Lemoine, darkkelf@earthlink.net
Quick Rating: Excellent!
Story Title: Shards

Captain Marvel's cosmic awareness overwhelms him as he crosses the border into insanity!

Written by: Peter David
Pencilled by: ChrisCross
Lettered by: Comicraft's Albert!
Colored by: Chris Sotomayor
Assistant Editors: Marc Sumerak & Andy Schmidt
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-in-Chief: Joe Quesada
President: Bill Jemas

Normally we here at X-Fan wouldn't review Marvel's non-mutant offerings, such as this month's Captain Marvel #1. On special occasions, though, we'll make an exception, and Marvel's U-Decide event is one such occasion. Billed publicly as the no-holds-barred "one shall stand, two shall fall" sales contest between Bill Jemas, Joe Quesada and Peter David, only one of the three U-Decide books will last beyond six issues. You've seen what we thought of Jemas' entry, Marville, and now, in the interest of equal space, here's an opinion on David's relaunched cosmic title. For your convenience, we present both a short version and a long version.

Short version: Captain Marvel continues the tradition of excellence from the original series, and is easily the best of the three U-Decide books, in this humble reviewer's opinion.

And now, the long version.

Beyond the obvious cheap marketability, it's hard to come up with a reason why this issue is a first, instead of just issue 36 of the former Captain Marvel title. Usually Marvel's relaunches are accompanied by new protagonists, new creative teams, or completely new directions. So far this issue appears to have none of those three, although judging by the new costume design and the mysterious ending, a new direction shouldn't be ruled out. Happily, though, Peter David and ChrisCross are still helming the title (and doing a great job of it), and they're still fleshing out the character of the son of Mar-Vell.

If this issue were wrapped in a Captain Marvel #36 cover, though, you'd get a feeling that several things were very different. On the art side, you'll immediately notice colorist Chris Sotomayor's new "painted pencil" technique. Similar to what's done monthly in X-Treme X-Men, Sotomayor's colors give the art an AlexRoss-style painted feel to them. While Sotomayor's effort isn't flawless on his debut attempt, the effect is still rather impressive. This issue is full of outer space/science fiction sequences, and Sotomayor's contributions there nicely bring out the ethereal beauty of space. They also work very well for battle scenes, although they seem somehow out of place in more mundane earthly settings.

ChrisCross's art itself is, as always, fantastic. Cross's mastery of facial expression is what's really made him the perfect match for David's scripts in the past, thanks to Cross's skill at drawing facial expressions that match the ludicrous situations that David's characters find themselves in. While Cross has a unique style of rendering action scenes that fits the cosmic Captain very well, its his portrayal of Genis himself that really stands out this issue. The captain's determination and concentration as he struggles to control his cosmic awareness is clear in every panel. Cross's examination of Mar-Vell's gradual descent into madness is particularly well done.

What really stands out as different, though, is the story. Gone are the lesbian-love-triangle plots of the last few issues (and if that doesn't get you fanboys out buying back-issues, I don't know what will), and gone are just about all references to Rick's life. For the last 35 issues of Captain Marvel, the book could have more accurately been titled, Captain Marvel and Rick Jones. The book hasn't truly been about Genis more than Rick; they've both shared space, so to speak. This issue, on the other hand, eliminates all discussion and intrigue regarding Rick's long history: this is a Captain Marvel story. Rick's only along to give us a window into Mar-Vell's adventures, and he does so through some remarkably well-written captions.

Peter David is without a doubt a comic writer like no other. It's amazing the deep philosophy you can find snuggled within the descriptive panels of this issue. I once asked a friend why he thought this title sold relatively poorly, even though critics love it; he easily replied, "Because most people just won't get it. It's too intellectual." Well, maybe. Regardless, Rick shows us his view on the Middle East, the nature of God, and insanity, all in this one issue. And the stuff is priceless.

The story itself remains compelling as well, although different from what we've come to expect from a Captain Marvel story. There are no references to either of our leads' long and twisted histories, and there are no appearances by Marvel's cosmic chums like Moondragon or Drax. More surprising, though, the story is told almost completely through the use of Rick's captions: there is virtually no dialog. Normally I wouldn't appreciate a comic style like this, but in the case of this issue, where the theme is a character's gradual fall to insanity, the style works perfectly. We know right from the beginning of the issue what's going to happen at the end, and David does a wonderful job of using Rick's fearful thoughts to build suspense into a climax.

So, you decide: in Captain Marvel #1, you get one of mainstream Marvel's most consistently interesting characters, Marvel's most unique writer, modern philosophy, space opera, a powerful statement on the Middle East, the art of ChrisCross, and beautiful painted coloring. It's a no-brainer, folks. If you're one of the multitudes who's always heard about how good Captain Marvel was, but you couldn't find a starting point, this is it.

Buy it. Try it. You'll be blown away by how good this book is.

ART:
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STORY:
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OVERALL:
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Buy this issue online now from X-World Comics and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=65&cat=CAPTAIN+MARVEL)

[Zach Kinkead]

A review for Captain Marvel? Thanks Jim:)

[stormwatch]

If there is any I would get, this would be the one. I'm guessing more of the comedy is out, leaving a darker story to be played with at the moment. Is that so?

And Rick is taking a back seat, with not much dialogue, well Jim, you have me intruiged by this issue.

Okay, and leaving out the back history of Rick, to tell Mar-velle's tale, seems like an interesting way to bring in new readers.

And will there be more reviews going through the whole U-decide, or no?

And a great review Jim. You've got my curiousity spurred moreso than it was before (which was a lot, but still indecisive of if to get it or not)

[Drax]

Great review!

This issue really was amazing. I was worried that this new direction wouldn't be as good as what Captain Marvel has always been, but this might've been even better. A comic just reads smoother when you don't have to hop between three different stories in one issue. I loved 1-35 and I have no doubt that I'll love the next 35 issues.

One thing I liked was how they put that tiny 36 like they do with all the other relaunched titles. At least I know they're not trying to make us forget the past 35 issues, which is a sense of relief.

[Wolverine]

Great Review I agree that this was by far the best thought that is probably the point

[Hellion]

I miss Marlo. Other than that the issue was great. Loved the art without inks, ChrisCross rocks!

[Andy James]

:( i really wanted this but my shop had sold out! they still had loads of marville and ultimate adventures though. :(

[Jennifer de Vries]

My brother brought this one in, so I decided to check it out.

I liked it, there was barely any continuity involved so I didn't have any trouble getting into the story. I'll stick around to see what happens next.

[DeadmanWade]

i'm hopefully getting cap tomorrrow i am really looking forward to it

[Kyle]

Great review, Jim.

Though I'm going to disagree with you about the art getting an Alex Ross feel to it. The inkless look works really well with Chris Cross's pencils. I've never been a really big fan of his before, but I love the way this issue looked. However, there's no real resemblance to Alex Ross's stuff. Just a little nit I had to pick with the review.

Any chance we can see Captain Marvel reviewed on a monthly basis? We've got Blank Panther already....

[Justin Braddock]

Jim, that was a great review. I have never picked up Captain Marvel before, but I've been expanding my horizons, beyond all things X, to pick up non-mutant books. I absolutely LOVED this issue! I remember when ChrisCross was penciling X-man, all I saw in the letter pages were negative comments about Chris' art. It wasn't bad, but we were used to Roger Cruz's pencils. Now, I see more positive comments about his art. His art has really evolved and I love his facial expressions. The painted look is excellent. I had no trouble following the story at all. I felt bad when Captain Marvel chose to save the millions of aliens instead of the girl. I think I'll stick around.

Kyle I agree, it would be nice to have a monthly review on Cap.

[David Santee]

At the end of #36, Marlo took of with Moondragon to "explore thier mutual feelings for each other". I've liked Marlo since her days with Joe Fixit, and I'll miss her, but she did make the plot somewhat confusing for new readers. This story is a great chance for people not familiar with Captain Marvel to jump abord, there's very little explanation nessessary to understand this story.

I'll jump on the "review Captain Marvel monthly" bandwagon too.

[Hellion]

Reviewing Captain Marvel monthly is a good idea, so the word can get out and more people will fall in love with this book. It has been a great read since it's previous #1.

[Scott Williams]

Excellent review! This issue was in particular the best issue #1 I've read since... well, since ever (regardless of whether or not it's a true #1 - that's pretty much why there's the slightly grey-ish number there, since all relaunches are pretty meaningless, am I right?)

Furthermore, this was the best book I read this week, and that's saying a lot since I also picked up Incredible Hulk this week, and Weapon X (all some top notch titles.)

I loved that Cap had to make a choice (which of course seemed like a no brainer,) and the very idea that something as common (unfortunately) as abuse of a girlfriend would pique his cosmic awareness seemed like a setup to a big plot point for me right from the start - I loved it. We've all got to make choices that affect the future. It's all we can do to assume which will have the more meaningful outcome.

I can't wait to read the next few issues - I can tell the best is yet to come! (What does one with cosmic awareness and photon-manipulating powers do after being driven mad by those selfsame powers? The mere prospect titilates!)

[DeadmanWade]

great issue i love it. I'm pretty sure the other two books don't stand a chance against this amazing book.

[Kyle]

Congrats, Jim. Marvel's linked directly to this review from their frontpage.

[skankinwolvie]

Great review! I read this at my friends house and was stunned by how good it was and how I had heard very little about Captain Marvel before. But I don't have much money so I'm afraid I'm going to have to pick it up in tpb if they make one.

[skyofoctober]

I read this issue and was impressed at how well it was done. I don't know much about the history of the character or what had happened in previous issues, but I was never lost at all. I've been recommending this book to my non-comic book reading friends and those who have read it really like it. My only gripe about this story is that it seems like a story where Superman would also fit in well, but I guess Captain Marvel is like the Superman of Marvel

[Andy James]

Originally posted by nova
:( i really wanted this but my shop had sold out! they still had loads of marville and ultimate adventures though. :(

well i got it!!!!!!! my shop must have had theres late


first issue of cap marvel since issue 10. i loved it. great art a bit like x tremes colourings. a more mature story too. BTW what is that pcic thats being shown as the cover scan? ive seen all 3 covers and that sint one of them?

[dreamer]

wow! ths thread hasn't been touched since nearly two years so i'm surprised to find it still being hosted over here...

Originally posted by Jim Lemoine
Peter David is without a doubt a comic writer like no other. It's amazing the deep philosophy you can find snuggled within the descriptive panels of this issue.

that's a nice pin down jim, and one of the reasons of my coming back to the cap'n marvel title each month.

so what about the other posters? are you still with the mag after 20+ issues and it approaching a possible doom? what do you think about it and why have you leaved if you did so?

[Captain America]

I've never bought an issue of Captain Marvel, but I'm gonna try to get issue 1 if I can, from which I will 'decide' whether or not to collect further back issues, and indeed the new issues. Sounds very interesting, the insanity plot, but I didn't hear much about the title until later, but which point the plots sounded very strange and knowing they were continuity heavy I didn't want to come on board and be completely lost. I was collecting plenty of comics at the time as it was. Actually, I'm still collecting plenty of comics, but I could stretch to pick up the odd issue to see what I think I reckon.

[dreamer]

me cap; there's actually a trade collecting the first 6 issues of the volume four, as you may very well know. i highly recomend you to pick that one up. (you could track it down in the internet stores for relatively cheap, i guess) it is titled "nothing to loose" and it is the ultimate comic book ride, i'm telling you. (you might be surprised to witness the end of the marvel universe!)

and regarding the new issues, you might better start picking them up right now, as we could still be able to save the title from the announced cancellation with the issue #25. the story starts a new after the "crazy like a fox" arc; with ish #19 i guess so you could safely pick #20 without having to worry about the previous stuff..

i really hope we could save this title... jump here (http://www.comixtreme.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8742) for more info...

[Iron Man]

Since its pretty much known that cap marvel is in new thunderbolts #1. I am getting the first issue of that but im not really sure if I like cap marvel... If I pick up this issue will I know whats going on? Whats the history of this guy?

[Scott Williams]

Woo boy... this is where it gets complicated. Let me try.

Genis-Vell is the son of the original Captain Mar-Vell, genetically engineered with his DNA and that of his mother, Elysius. So he never met his father, was grown in a tube and injected with artificial memories. Yeah, he was off to a great start.

After mulling around the Marvel U as the cosmic hero Legacy, Genis was molecularly bonded to Rick Jones - via the Nega-Bands. So that only 1 could be on Earth at a time. The other would be in the Microverse.

His main power is that he can manipulate photonic energy - both defensively and offensively. But the real powerhouse is his cosmic awareness - an ability that allows him to see the entirety of the Universe as a tapestry, and all the threads intertwining. Basically, he could see the future. But it was difficult to master, so he ignored it.

But at the beginning of Volume 4 (this one,) he stopped ignoring it. So determined was he to use this power for good that he began a crusade to try and bring about the greatest good in the Universe, so he was constantly zooming about trying to save people. Before long, though, he was caught in a dilemma and had to make a very difficult choice. Only to find out that maybe, just maybe, he chose wrong.

And upon that realization, he became so overwhelmed with confusion, frustration, fear and paranoia... that he lost it. His sanity, that is.

That should bring you up to speed. Uh... did I miss anything?

[Iron Man]

the lesbian three-some.... and what about the other 2 cap marvels,? the girl and the guy with long hair...and who is rick jones?

[Scott Williams]

the lesbian three-some.... and what about the other 2 cap marvels,? the girl and the guy with long hair...and who is rick jones?

I kinda tried to keep it limited to "What's the deal with Genis?" Otherwise I'd go on for hours. And I kinda took it for granted that if you're reading Marvel Universe Titles you probably should already know who Rick Jones is.

Rick Jones... hoo boy this is gonna take a while...

Rick was present at the creation of the Hulk. He drove his car out to the Gamma bomb test site where Bruce Banner was working. Bruce risked his own life to saveRick, in the process becomin the Hulk. Rick has been a sidekick-for-hire for years in the Marvel U, essentially becoming an honorary Avenger. He was trained to fight by Captain America, but that, like much of his story, is irrelevant.

In Avengers Forever, which saw Avengers from all across timelines, (including an older Genis,) Rick Jones was bonded to the younger, inexperienced Genis-Vell, via the Nega-Bands. And that's how this whole mess got started.

The other two Captain Marvels? Uh... there was Photon, an african american woman who used to be called Captain Marvel in the early 90's... and also, uh, DC's Shazam. I don't know.

Oh, and we can't forget the lesbian stuff. Moondragon (*known to her friends as Heather) and Marlo Chandler-Jones (Rick's estranged ex-wife,) were seen at the end of Volume 3 galavanting off to explore their mutual feelings. They re-appeared at the end of Volume 4, with a strange explanation for their behavior.

Anything else?