HERO FOR A DAY, HERO FOR A PLANET! It’s CAROL DANVERS Day! Air Force Pilot Carol Danvers is a hero to many…so what could possibly delay her to her own celebration? Only her other job—as Earth’s Mightiest Hero, CAPTAIN MARVEL! Stuck between her duty to her community and her responsibility to the wider world, Carol will have to make a tough decision, and muster all of her power to fend off an invasion force! Don’t miss the excitement of the STRONGEST & MIGHTIEST hero of all in her latest adventure!
Had I realized Jody Houser was writing this, I’d have been a hell of a lot more excited to read this than I initially was. Not that I wasn’t interested in the comic, but rather that Houser is one of those writers who can craft a tale that’s equal parts inspiring, accessible, fun and awesome whilst fitting it into less than 25 pages of a comic book.
If, like me, you’ve got an idea as to who Captain Marvel is without having read too many of her comics, Captain Marvel: Braver & Mightier #1 is a great place to dip your toes into the waters of Marvel’s premier league superhero. If you haven’t got a clue who she is, but want a bit of a primer ahead of the movie coming next month, then you couldn’t get a better comic.
Houser captures the essence of the character within the very first three pages (one of which is a double spread). I realize I said I hadn’t read too many of the characters comics before, which is true, but Houser’s writing makes me feel like Carol Danvers is an old friend I haven’t seen in awhile. That is comic is just two people catching up over a coffee. This effect is partly achieved by also focusing on two highschool reporters waiting for Carol to arrive at a press conference, and through their very organic and natural feeling banter we get a further sense of who Carol Danvers is, and how the world perceives her.
That the dialogue in this comic feels so natural isn’t a surprise to me; Jody Houser is in the top echelon of writers when it comes to dialogue. Her comics are consistently intelligently written with each character’s words feeling very organic – even when used for exposition.
Simone Buonfantino‘s art is many things in this comic, but primarily it is awesome. The incoming space battle at the outset of the issue edges on the One Verses Many cliche, but Buonfantino lays out the pages with aplomb, the depth of space underscoring the threat closer to home, and the one hero standing between Earth and invasion.
Cliche aside, it’s a subtly brilliant underscoring of just how powerful Captain Marvel is.
Returning to Earth, we’re treated to scenes which offset the space battles with various reporters waiting, almost bored, for Carol to return to Earth. The two highschoolers aside, I loved the indication that superheroes have become so common place that waiting for one to arrive at a press conference is a chore. It’s a scene that has echoes of sports reporters waiting for an athlete to show up verses younger reporter/fan-types waiting. Again, a subtle yet crucially indicative moment to the audience as to just who Captain Marvel is, and the role she plays in the Marvel Universe.
And the role she will play in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Because let’s face it, unless you’re already a fan of the character, you’re reading this in advance of the movie to get a handle or refresher on the character. It’s what I did. My friends, let me tell you happily that Captain Marvel: Braver & Mightier #1 is ideal for that. You really can’t go wrong with this. It’s easily the best book of the week for me by a country mile.
Story: Jody Houser Art: Simone Buonfantino
Colour Art: Erick Arciniega Letterer: Travis Lanham
Story: 9.3 Art: 9.1 Overall: 9.2 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
