Captain Marvel #7
Written by Kelly Sue DeConnick & Chris Sebela
Art by Dexter Soy
Review by Joey Braccino
Let me start by saying I love so many things about this comic book: the Jamie McKelvie cover, the heavy-metal digital-artwork of Dexter Soy, planes, the character dynamic between Captains Marvel, Monica Rambeau and Carol Danvers, perfectly captured by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Chris Sebela’s script. Captain Marvel has quickly filled the superheroic void in my comic book heart left in the wake of Marvel NOW’s obliteration of my old pull-list. It has earned its place as one of the best Marvel solo-series on the stands right now (next to Fraction’s Hawkeye and Wait’s Daredevil), and that Kelly Sue has succeeded in establishing a strong female lead at the book’s core is a testament to her abilities as a writer and Marvel’s commitment to diverse storytelling.
With that gushy stuff out of the way, let’s get into issue #7. Dexter Soy returns after Emma Rios’ stunning two-parter, and his heavy digital inks and hyper-stylized artwork returns the series to its earlier hard-hitting, action-packed mood. Newcomer Soy has really hit his stride on this book; while his style is perfectly suited to intense action sequences and explosions, Soy flexes his design muscle as issue #7 captures more intimate, nuanced character beats between Rambeau, Danvers, and Frank “I used to be in the original Ms. Marvel series back in the ‘70s” Gianelli. One striking panel sees Rambeau storm off after an argument, and Dexter gracefully illustrates her long trenchcoat waving behind her as she turns over her shoulder to deliver one final quip. Stunning.
Kelly Sue DeConnick shares writing duties with Chris Sebela this issue. Perhaps it’s due to the shipping schedule or some other scripting issue, but there are no apparent hiccups in the action of the book or the dialogue or any stylistic discrepancies between this issue and previous entries. DeConnick and Sebela deftly weave Rambeau and Danvers’ extensive history (and rivalry) into the ongoing action of the book, making it accessible and forward-moving for new and old readers alike. The action escalates quickly as Rambeau, Danvers, and Gianelli explore a ship graveyard at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, culminating in both a fantastic cliff-hanger ending and one of the best Danverisms so far in the series.
Verdict
Buy this book. Seriously. You must. DeConnick and Co. are writing superheroics for the 21st Century right now, and you’re missing out! Captain Whiz Bang FTW!
