Post by goldenfist on Apr 17, 2008 9:10:15 GMT -5
Ign.com reviews Captain Marvel #5.
I thought I knew where Captain Marvel was going as I dove into the final issue. Judging by the sudden hijacking of the mini-series by the "Infiltration" banner and the character's brief but, uh, telling appearance in Secret Invasion #1, I figured the writing was on the wall as far as the truth behind the re-emergence of Mar-Vell and his direction for the foreseeable future. I was wrong.
As you might expect, there's much Skrully bandying in Captain Marvel #5. Is he or isn't he? I won't kill the suspense, but suffice it to say the answer is complicated and probably not what you were expecting. It's an intriguing angle, but definitely one that has me raising a skeptical eyebrow, as it could be exploited by the forces of mediocre comics in ways fans have suffered through before -- teenage Tony Stark, anyone? The jury is still out on whether the developments in these pages are genius or foolhardy, but if nothing else they provide renewed interest in Captain Marvel's role in Secret Invasion, namely why he's throwing down with the Thunderbolts. (And yes, I realize any given character in the Marvel Universe would have about a dozen reasons to pummel the Thunderbolts on any given day. But still.)
Strangely sidelined is the whole Church of Hala subplot, which always struck me as a strange fit in these pages. I suppose if you squint, you can see the Church's role in the whole thing, but issue #5 makes it clear Captain Marvel was about something else entirely. The Church of Hala just seems like a holdover from when this series started as another sort of title, and really makes that point by falling by the wayside to make room for overwhelming Skrullosity. The first two (or so) issues of this title are just a dangling thread.
Lee Weeks finishes the series as well as he started. His work reminds me, at times, of John Romita, Jr., which is weird because I don't care for Romita but fell half in love with Weeks over the course of Captain Marvel. There's the occasional slip-up, like his overly-enthusiastic portrayal of Ms. Marvel's hair, but it's definitely solid work and I'd love to see more of him in the future.
I feel like Captain Marvel began life as one sort of book, and ended as another. It's not necessarily a bad thing. In a way it managed to stay true to the character of Mar-Vell -- whomever he may be -- and why he's an important figure in the post-Captain America Marvel Universe.
Review Score: 7.8 Good
I thought I knew where Captain Marvel was going as I dove into the final issue. Judging by the sudden hijacking of the mini-series by the "Infiltration" banner and the character's brief but, uh, telling appearance in Secret Invasion #1, I figured the writing was on the wall as far as the truth behind the re-emergence of Mar-Vell and his direction for the foreseeable future. I was wrong.
As you might expect, there's much Skrully bandying in Captain Marvel #5. Is he or isn't he? I won't kill the suspense, but suffice it to say the answer is complicated and probably not what you were expecting. It's an intriguing angle, but definitely one that has me raising a skeptical eyebrow, as it could be exploited by the forces of mediocre comics in ways fans have suffered through before -- teenage Tony Stark, anyone? The jury is still out on whether the developments in these pages are genius or foolhardy, but if nothing else they provide renewed interest in Captain Marvel's role in Secret Invasion, namely why he's throwing down with the Thunderbolts. (And yes, I realize any given character in the Marvel Universe would have about a dozen reasons to pummel the Thunderbolts on any given day. But still.)
Strangely sidelined is the whole Church of Hala subplot, which always struck me as a strange fit in these pages. I suppose if you squint, you can see the Church's role in the whole thing, but issue #5 makes it clear Captain Marvel was about something else entirely. The Church of Hala just seems like a holdover from when this series started as another sort of title, and really makes that point by falling by the wayside to make room for overwhelming Skrullosity. The first two (or so) issues of this title are just a dangling thread.
Lee Weeks finishes the series as well as he started. His work reminds me, at times, of John Romita, Jr., which is weird because I don't care for Romita but fell half in love with Weeks over the course of Captain Marvel. There's the occasional slip-up, like his overly-enthusiastic portrayal of Ms. Marvel's hair, but it's definitely solid work and I'd love to see more of him in the future.
I feel like Captain Marvel began life as one sort of book, and ended as another. It's not necessarily a bad thing. In a way it managed to stay true to the character of Mar-Vell -- whomever he may be -- and why he's an important figure in the post-Captain America Marvel Universe.
Review Score: 7.8 Good