Captain Marvel: A First Look

So I have picked up and read the new “Captain Marvel #1” issue and I have mixed feelings about it.  I’m glad that they’ve changed her name and outfit to something different;  gone is the name Ms. Marvel and it seems that the name Captain Marvel is here to stay (at least in this ongoing series) with a more powerful and intimidating name.  I like that her title is now gender neutral showing that personality and not gender is more important to the character.  Hopefully we will see a strong female character this time around who doesn’t strike the unnecessary “boobs and butt” pose for no reason other than to titillate the male readers and other sexually suggestive poses that have been so common in the past.

The other thing I like is that the issue gives a nod to female aviators who were denied opportunities because of their gender despite their performances rivaling those of their male counterparts.  Captain Marvel’s outfit is another highlight,  she isn’t wearing ridiculous high heels and her outfit isn’t sporting any unnecessary holes, boob windows, or exposed thighs.  Her outfit is more practical then you’ll see on almost any other big name female super hero.

The story for this issue is interesting and deals with her coming to the decision regarding her new title.  It’s not an action heavy issue but there is a fun fight where she’s teamed up with Captain America in the beginning but don’t expect this through the whole issue or you’ll be disappointed; it’s largely exposition and characterization throughout the remainder of the book.  There is a really good piece at the end of the book that really embodies the spirit of Captain Marvel and strong women like her, it’s not overly wordy and it’s quite poignant.

The negative things I have to say about this issue mostly concern the art.  The cover seems bland and the art is rather poor even considering that it’s supposed to mimic old 1940’s style posters.  I don’t know what they did with her hair, it seems to be a mullet, cut short and sheared at the sides of her head but long in the back.  It’s not the hairstyle I would have chosen but it also doesn’t seem to be entirely consistent through the issue, it goes from mullet to long and hanging around her face in a later scene.  Either it’s actually been cut or Danvers just slicks it back with a huge amount of gel, I really can’t tell.  I’m also not a huge fan of her helmet/mask because if it’s a helmet having the top of your head uncovered defeats the purpose and if it’s a mask then why bother with one in the first place if you wear it inconsistently.  That, and I’m not a huge fan of the look of it in the first place.

All of that said this first issue was intriguing enough to warrant a subscription to see where it goes and how it handles Captain Marvel as a character.  I’m certainly hoping to see more of the sort of content I got a taste of in this issue in future ones.  So I wait for future issues with bated breath hoping that this series avoids the common pitfalls that the comic book industry has regarding the handling of female characters.

Captain Marvel’s new duds.

I’m pretty sure her spine is broken.