Captain Marvel #10
Kelly Sue DeConnick – Writer
David Lopez, Marcio Takara, & Laura Braga – Artists
Lee Loughridge & Nick Filardi – Color Art
Letterer – VC’s Joe Caramagna
Review by Joey Braccino
FACE FRONT, CAROL CORPS!
IT’S BEEN ONE HUNDRED WHOLE ISSUES OF ADVENTURE AND INTRIGUE WITH OUR FAVORITE FLYING ACE—CAROL DANVERS! BUT YOU CAN CALL HER CAPTAIN MARVEL!
Let me start off this review of Captain Marvel #10, the oversized 100th solo issue for the titular heroine, by saying I finished reading it and literally said aloud, “This is the best @#&%ing book ever.”
I mean, granted, that might be the slightest bit of hyperbole, for there are plenty of comics that deserve the title “best @#&%ing book ever,” and we Millennials seem to be obsessed with superlatives and “Best Of” lists and the like, but really though, Captain Marvel #10 is really really awesome.
Straight up dope, ya dig?
And yeah! 100 issues for Carol Danvers! Add together the 23 issues from the original Gerry Conway/Chris Claremont series and the 50 issues of the Brian Reed series from the mid-2000s and Kelly Sue DeConnick’s initial 17 issue Captain Marvel volume and the 10 issues of her current run and your at one freaking hundred! Of course, we’ve got some one-shots and annuals I’m sure, but generally speaking this is a big freaking deal; Carol Danvers has legitimately become one of the marquee heroes in the Marvel Universe—both fictionally and “irl.”
Captain Marvel #10 picks up right where the delightful previous arc left off, with Carol and Lila Cheney and Tic recovering from their rhyming run-in with interplanetary weddings and warfare. At the end of last issue, Lila gave Carol a letter from Earth, which becomes the narrative for this special issue.
Part one of “A Christmas Carol” (I mean, come on… that’s AWESOME) follows four separate letters to Carol from some of her (sorely-missed) Earth-bound ensemble: Kit, Jessica “Spider-Woman” Drew, Rhodey, and Wendy. They each tell one part of a hilarious and harrowing confrontation with the malicious Grace Valentine, the vengeful supervillainess who brought NYC to its feet back in the very special finale issue of the last volume, Captain Marvel #17. The story involved mind-controlled rats, super adorable cosplay, super freaky and creepy cosplay, and a very emotional revelation about one of the core characters of DeConnick’s last volume (no spoilers!). The end of the issue promises a very very exciting Part Two, particularly for those that sincerely missed those Earth-bound characters!!!
DeConnick is Captain Marvel; Captain Marvel is DeConnick. She has such an incredible grasp on this character and what this character should be, and every single issue pushes Carol Danvers closer and closer to being one of the very best. It certainly helps that DeConnick is consistently paired with some of the best, most innovative artists in the industry today. Splitting art duties here are series regular David Lopez, Marcio Takara (who filled in on issues #7 & #8, the suspenseful “FLERKEN” adventures), and Laura Braga. The three artists all adhere to a similar aesthetic: dynamic, expressive naturalism with a tinge of distinctive Emma Rios-esque surrealism that makes Captain Marvel so unique. Lee Loughridge and Nick Filardi hit those vibrant yellows and oranges and blues hard this issue, adding the energy that makes this series simply pop.
And damn are those mind-controlled rats just the cutest.
And seriously, can we get Marcio Takara or Laura Braga on a Spider-Woman series!!!???
Verdict
Buy. And buy another one for a friend. Hyperbole aside, Captain Marvel really is one of the greatest comics out today. This special 100th issue is both in and of itself just a great piece of storytelling as well as a testament to the power of this character, this team, and this fanbase. I mean, the cover calls out the Carol Corps! That’s impact, people! Check it!
PS – Be sure to check out this old Panel Review 101, in which I unpack the complex feminism of Gerry Conway’s Ms. Marvel #1 (1977)!!!
