Confession from your reviewer: I didn’t read Civil War II except for the tie in books that occurred with the books I was already reading, the previous run of Captain Marvel included. Not just because I had no interest in the concept, but I also had no interest in reading Brian Michael Bendis completely trying to tear down all the work that had been put into my favorite superhero over the past four years just to make Iron Man look right.

Luckily, other writers have been trying to course correct with Carol during and after Civil War II, one of them being Margaret Stohl currently on The Mighty Captain Marvel. In the second issue, we see more of the issue Carol is running up against with the shapeshifter and the Kree refugee nicknamed Bean.

Stohl so far in the first two issues and the zero issue has done a great job at capturing the stubborn diplomat air that Kelly Sue Deconnick had all over her run of Captain Marvel, especially when running up against the “problems she can’t punch.” For this one in particular, it’s trying to figure out why Carol’s powers go haywire whenever Bean gets close to her and tolerating the “Cap’n Marvel” TV show that’s supposed to pay for Alpha Flight’s budget for the year.

Admittedly, the TV show subplot has been my least favorite part of the comic so far. I understand what they’re trying to go for, with Carol confronting her newfound popularity in the Marvel universe that runs parallel to her rising star with comics readers over the past five years. Plus, this issue makes a subtle jab at whitewashing with showing the cast member playing Wendy Kawasaki being revealed to be “blonde” with curly hair (there’s a colorist error here, I believe since the cast member is redheaded in the comic despite multiple references to her being blonde). However, it’s a subplot that ultimately feels shoehorned into the book to make some statement about how wrong media gets about comics stories. It feels awkwardly done and doesn’t currently add much to the current plot besides awkwardness for Jessica Drew to laugh at. And Jessica isn’t even in this issue.

Ramon Rosanas has been on art duties for the comic and unfortunately, his work is very stiff and lifeless in comparison to some of the past artists on Captain Marvel books. Which is rough considering how nice Michael Garland’s colors are and how fun Stohl’s writing has been. Maybe he’s still getting used to the character, but it’s really disappointing when there’s only one page I like out of the whole book artwise and it involves a shape shifter impersonating Carol’s alien tentacle cat.

Criticisms aside, The Mighty Captain Marvel #2 has been doing a pretty decent job of getting Carol back on track after Civil War II. We do see some of her guilt still residing after the entire thing, but the series is more focused on Carol balancing her work and her newfound popularity. I can’t wait to see where the series goes next, especially in regards to the Kree refugee crisis.

Story: Margaret Stohl Art: Ramon Rosanas Colors: Michael Garland
Story: 7.0 Art: 6.0 Overall: 6.5 Recommendation: Read

Marvel Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review