Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps #4 (of 4)
Writers: Kelly Sue DeConnick & Kelly Thompson
Artist: Laura Braga w/ Paolo Pantalena
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Review by Joey Braccino
“Let’s see what we can see, ladies.”
Captain Marvel and the Banshees take on the THORS of Battleworld! Carol vs. Kit-Thor! The ladies lift off and fly for the void! What lies beyond the sky!? HIGHER! FURTHER! FASTER! MORE!
One of the more successful Secret Wars tie-ins, Kelly Sue DeConnick and Kelly Thompson’s Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps is most effective when it stays true to the “mission statement” of DeConnick’s prior work on the character. The whole premise of the Banshees and Carol blasting off beyond the horizon to discover what’s on the other side? That’s why this book is so cool. The metaphorical weight behind that simple plot point (as well as the whole STICKIN’ IT TO DOOM! angle) makes this series something special and relevant. Glass ceiling? How about the freaking atmosphere? Blast through it, Banshees.
This is DeConnick’s last Captain Marvel comic. It’s weird to say that, given the fact that Captain Marvel is what it is because of Kelly Sue DeConnick. Of course, we owe so much to Marvel and the whole team behind the book (all of whom are thanked in a wonderful letter from DeConnick at the back of the book), but it was DeConnick’s social media presence, her passion for the project, her earnest and honest and open discussions of gender and privilege in comics and superheroics, and her exceptional writing that pushed Carol Danvers to the marquee status that she now enjoys.
And yet, part of me is glad that DeConnick and Thompson don’t spend the issue doing a retrospective or quiet issue. DeConnick got to do a bit of a “going home” issue back in Captain Marvel #15, but here it’s all action and all fisticuffs and flying. In classic CM fashion, there’s a bit of humor, a lot of empowerment for all our heroes, and a strong throughline of breaking boundaries and being totally awesome.
Laura Braga takes over art duties from series regular David Lopez, but the two styles are so incredibly similar that the transition is seamless. Braga’s dynamic, kinetic naturalism continues Lopez’ aesthetic nicely, and having Lee Loughridge on colors helps the consistency as well. Given the action and pace of this issue, Braga (and inker Paolo Pantalena) is more than up to the challenge of taking Danvers and the Banshees to the brink in style!
Verdict
BUY. Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps has been a stupendous coda to Kelly Sue DeConnick’s seminal run on the book. Along with the wonderful Kelly Thompson and stellar art from Laura Braga (and David Lopez on the previous issues), DeConnick has successfully taken the core of Carol Danvers’ character—themes of identity, of potential, of prowess, of pushing higher, further, faster, more—and translated it into the high concept world of Secret Wars. By extension, this means that that character—that “core”—has arrived.
#KSD4LIFE #CarolCorps4Eva
