Friday, March 8, 2019

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE: CAPTAIN MARVEL (2019)


The cosmic realms of the Marvel Comics universe is something we here at Blood Work have a strong affinity for. We'd much rather read comic books about Quasar and Silver Surfer than Captain America or Spider-Man (it's not them, it's us. We're just strange like that). So, understandably, we feel the same way about the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) movies. So far we've only been privileged to two purely cosmic MCU films: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 & Vol. 2. Thor: Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War, we feel, are half cosmic and half something else relatively. So, needless to say, we were quite excited about the next cosmic franchise in the MCU.

CAPTAIN MARVEL is one of our favorite characters in Marvel Comics (as evidenced by the many top ten lists we've posted). And there have been many characters to have carried the title in the comics (most of which we love). When it comes to the MCU and their attempts at adapting the cosmic characters, it appears that Marvel Studios is far more loose in their adaptations of the comics than with the earthbound characters (although there are arguments that the Earth heroes' films are just as loosely adapted).

Anyway, while we're excited for Captain Marvel we're also very cautious. We want to be realistic about it. Given the MCU's track record with cosmic material (and our feelings about them) we're prepared for anything, or so we think. This won't be the comics Captain Marvel, it'll be the MCU's Captain Marvel. And given the way this film is being promoted, we're prepared not to see Captain Mar-Vell at all in the movie. The verdict is still out on Brie Larson too (the trailers haven't really sold us on her just yet). Honestly, we're most excited to see the Kree and the Skrulls! We're stoked about seeing Starforce, possibly seeing Kree Sentries, and possibly seeing the Supreme Intelligence!

And of course we're excited for any hints at Avengers: Endgame plot revelations! So let's get going to the movie already!

THE PLOT

The year is 1995. Deep in the far reaches of outer space a war has been raging for years. The alien races of the Kree and the shapeshifting Skrulls are locked in combat. The Kree super hero team, Starforce, is dispatched to a border planet to retrieve a covert spy before the Skrulls get their hands on him. Upon arrival Starforce finds themselves in the middle of an enemy trap, losing one of their own in the process. Starforce operative, Vers, finds herself a captive of the enemy and having been transported to the other side of the galaxy. Alone and outnumbered, Vers must somehow survive on a strange backwater planet called Earth and uncover the Skrulls' next move, lest the Kree lose the war.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

SPOILERS AHEAD! (obviously)

The short: We liked it! Go see it!

For the long winded, pull your hair out, "scream at us to shut up" full review, READ ONWARD!

Let's begin with the mewling fanboys that just can't be pleased no matter what they're given. Seriously, I should just shut up and be grateful a Captain Marvel movie even exists! Because it is both insane and amazing that a CAPTAIN MARVEL movie exists! 'Ahem' onto the critique...

Back in 2011 when Captain America: The First Avenger (CATFA) came out there was this "obligatory" feeling about the movie. We all knew AVENGERS was coming the following year and we all knew Captain America was going to be in it. Regardless of quality, the stakes in CATFA felt somewhat diminished. And after seeing super hero origin films done to death, the premise already felt somewhat tired and formulaic. There was a "stepping stone" feeling, that we had to see this movie to get to Avengers. We're just saying CATFA had all of these undercurrents, not that it was a bad movie. Captain Marvel seems to possess many of the same undercurrents.

The film has one foot in the cosmos and one foot firmly planted on Earth. The outer space stuff is great, but just as it gets going and we're thirsting for more, the story takes a detour to Earth, a place we've already seen explored to the nth degree in previous MCU films. And there are no new revelations about our home planet. Where Guardians of the Galaxy demonstrated that we don't need to spend much if any time at all on Earth (save for the first three minutes), Captain Marvel is less progressive in that respect and feels like a step backwards. The movie feels like a Phase 1 MCU film as opposed to a more daring Phase 3 film. The ratios are off like in the first Thor: Too much Earth and Not Enough Asgard.

From a world building prospective Captain Marvel does very little if at all. The Kree homeworld of HALA feels generic and dull compared to what Black Panther and Aquaman achieved building their respective worlds. There are no Kree Sentries anywhere (that we saw) and no Supreme Intelligence on display (not like in the comics, although it is alluded to). When you're expecting to see a building sized green head with tentacle hair in a jar of liquid and all they show you is Annette Bening looking like she does in real life, no fancy CGI or wild costume, there is a level of disappointment (if Julie Andrews can voice a kaiju in Aquaman then surely Annette Bening voicing a giant green head should be easy). And if Black Panther can show us Wakandan Battle Rhinos, why not a Kree Sentry?

And then there's the case of Mar-Vell. Oh, Annette Bening, how you're disappointing us so much in this movie. Mar-Vell is played by Annette Bening too and, in a second instance, isn't anything close to the comic book counterpart. She's not even sporting any kind of super powers. This Mar-Vell isn't a shade of the comic book Mar-Vell, but is that a bad thing? More on that later. We were very much looking forward to Ronan's return, hoping he'd be realized a little more three-dimensionally. But Lee Pace is barely in the film and still one-dimensional. And Starforce, while cool in what screen time they had, were under utilized and dispatched rather quickly. Gemma Chan's Minn-Erva especially was sad to see bite the dust.

Enough! We said we liked it, right?!

Where we feel the movie shines is in the storytelling. Yes, we were dissatisfied with some of the adaptation from the comics. But when you look at the comic history of Captain Marvel and Carol Danvers, it is a miracle the filmmakers were able to make a story that is as true to the comics as it is. The story of Carol Danvers and Captain Marvel from the comics is a convoluted sticky quagmire mess, a convoluted mess that we here at Blood Work LOVE, but a mess all the same. This film manages to make an accessible and cohesive story out of it all which should be applauded. In addition to adapting many many comic stories to the screen, Carol's, Mar-Vell's, the Kree/Skrull War, and more, they also somehow service Nick Fury, the Tesseract, Phil Coulson, and the greater MCU, filling in blanks.

And there's the problem with Carol's story being very similar to Hal Jordan's story and telling the story in a fresh and different way unlike the 2011 Green Lantern film. And lastly, telling a very human and heartfelt story about Carol. The filmmakers manage to somehow do all of this without overcrowding or over-stuffing the film. Yes, they could've done well with more fleshing out of the Kree, but what this film accomplishes is staggering when you take it all into account. And we daresay it's a miracle that this film and its characters resonate at all when looking at it all. So, major bravo there, Marvel Studios.

Looking at the comics again, Carol doesn't have a particularly outstanding story (at least not during her time as Captain Marvel) nor does she have a powerful origin. This film gives the character what the comics haven't been able to. By making Mar-Vell a woman and more Harriet Tubman-esqe rather than super human enables Carol to be her own hero and not a derivative replacement (which is exactly what she is in the comics) while still being inspired by Mar-Vell. So, as much as we love the comic book Mar-Vell, this adaptation makes sense and works. And there are moments that still feel very true to the comics. The structure of the narrative was intriguing and exciting as well, despite being another Bourne Identity rehash. But because we know the comics so well, we knew almost exactly how the story was going to play out. What was enjoyable was seeing how it played out, in essence, they took a story we knew already and still made it interesting. Bravo again!

And the Skrulls! The Skrulls were great! And in an brilliant twist by Marvel, Ben Mendelsohn is playing a good guy! WHAT?! The humanity given to the Skrulls, while not very accurate to the comic books, was wonderful and added great depth to the story. But the Kree... We were looking forward to seeing the Kree so much, seeing more depth of character in Ronan and the others, but no. Other than Mar-Vell, the Kree are one-dimensional again and basically pure evil. 'Sigh' This film, unlike Black Panther, Infinity War, and Aquaman, lacks a layered and multi-faceted antagonist, another instance of this film feeling like a backstep.

Wheh! Just about done!

There are a few weak moments here and there, but overall we feel like Brie Larson won us over. We will follow her as Captain Marvel through a franchise for sure! It was pretty sweet to see her cut loose at the end. The No Doubt song was literally the perfect song for the moment as well as Nirvana's Come As You Are. And the CGI looked better than in the trailers. So high points there. And at the very end, when Carol wears the leather jacket, was a fun nod to 90's Avengers comics where the heroes all wore leather jackets over their super suits. It's also a direct reference to a pic from Kelly Sue DeConnick's Captain Marvel run.

THE VERDICT

Captain Marvel is a good start to a franchise and a good origin story for Carol Danvers. The story is firmly about her and, while servicing a lot of characters and plots, the movie still feels focused. The closest MCU film that it compares to, in our eyes, is Captain America: The First Avenger. While a good film and a solid foundation to build from, we do hope the next Captain Marvel film vastly improves over this one. With a character as powerful as her, it will be challenging writing her going forward, especially if she beats the hell out of Thanos in the next movie. We hope in future installments that the story goes far into the cosmos and stays away from Earth. And give the Kree more depth and world building, please!

Overall Ranking: 6 out of 10

For more of our rantings on the super hero cinema and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, check out these other posts below!


THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU)


 
 
Fox-Marvel, Sony-Marvel, and other stuff too!
 




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Tuesday, March 5, 2019

TOP TEN FAVORITE CAPTAIN MARVEL STORIES

TOP TEN FAVORITE CAPTAIN MARVEL STORIES

The cosmic side of the Marvel universe has long been one of my favorite corners of their comic book world. As a kid just discovering comic books I became intrigued with the Silver Surfer (this was in the late 80's and early 90's). I had never heard of a "comic book event" before and then, right as I was beginning to embrace Marvel Comics, The Infinity Gauntlet event occurs. Needless to say, my young mind was both baffled and blown away by what I was seeing and reading. From that moment on I became obsessed with the cosmic realms and cosmic characters of Marvel, especially the mega powerful Silver Surfer and his greatest enemy, Thanos.

The Captain Marvel from Marvel Comics is easily one of my all-time favorite comic book characters too. But it took a while for me to discover Captain Marvel. Through my comic book explorations I began delving more into Thanos' past, who he was and where he came from. It was there that I began reading of Thanos first major attack on the Marvel universe. It was a storyline from back in the 1970's (well before my time) written and illustrated by Jim Starlin. In that story the Avengers have been decimated and only one hero is left standing as Thanos closes in on total victory: Captain Marvel.

A BRIEF RECAP OF CAPTAIN MARVEL

The first hero to ever defeat Thanos in Marvel Comics was Captain Marvel. And when I discovered that story I was hooked on both the character of Captain Marvel and the creator behind it all: Jim Starlin (the man who also wrote the aforementioned Infinity Gauntlet). Over the years I have managed to collect and read almost every Captain Marvel story ever written for Marvel Comics, following the character's adventures and legacy.

As some of you may know, there are many characters who have donned the name of Captain Marvel. First in Marvel Comics it was a captain in the alien Kree military named MAR-VELL (my favorite of the Captain Marvels). Then later a totally unrelated character named MONICA RAMBEAU took the name. After her, the title passed to Mar-Vell's son, GENIS-VELL, and later Mar-Vell's daughter, PHYLA-VELL. During this whole time there was another character carrying on Mar-Vell's legacy, Carol Danvers. Carol made her debut as a supporting cast member in the original Mar-Vell story arc. After having Mar-Vell's powers copied onto her, Carol became the super hero MS. MARVEL (naming herself after Mar-Vell).

It wasn't until 2012 (well after all the other Captain Marvels) that Carol took up the mantle and changed her super hero name to Captain Marvel. Now Carol Danvers is solidified as the definitive Captain Marvel of the Marvel Universe (both in comics and films). The whole reason I took an interest in her was because of her connection to Mar-Vell (as I seem to have a need to read everything related to Mar-Vell that exists). Long story... still long, I have read nearly every Captain Marvel/Ms Marvel story.

And then there's QUASAR who is also a legacy character of Mar-Vell's, not in name, but literally taking on the role appointed to Mar-Vell of "Protector of the Universe." And yeah, I've read all his stuff too. But... since he Quasar never went by the name Captain Marvel... well, this list isn't focused on Quasar. Anyway...

In celebration of the Captain Marvel movie, here are my top favorite Captain Marvel comic book stories from Marvel Comics. This list encompasses all the various characters who have held the title of Captain Marvel at one point or another in Marvel Comics. I've also included Carol Danvers' time as Ms Marvel as a part of the Captain Marvel saga. And maybe Quasar too 😏

So, without more long winded explanations and pontificating, here are my personal favorite Captain Marvel stories!

Enjoy!





THE BONUSES






#13
COSMOS IN COLLISION
The issues: Quasar #1 - #25

Premise: Throughout existence there have been cosmic threats beyond imagining, universe ending events that could've ended all life across the cosmos. These events have been thwarted every time by a hero, appointed the Protector of the Universe by the immortal cosmic entity EON. Before he died, Captain Mar-Vell was this era's appointed Protector of the Universe. Mar-Vell fulfilled his task when he defeated Thanos. Now a new threat beyond any the universe has ever known looms near. Wendell Vaughn a.k.a. Quasar is appointed Protector of the Universe by Eon, taking up Mar-Vell's legacy. Searching high and low for the threat to all existence, Quasar suddenly finds himself in a battle dwarfing everything he thought possible, against a villain far more frightening than anything the Marvel universe has seen.

Why I like it: This may be one of the best Marvel cosmic stories ever. And it certainly is in contention for my all-time favorite cosmic story. Technically this isn't a Captain Marvel story though, but this story directly connects to Captain Marvel's legacy. And Mar-Vell does make a cameo appearance too. During Mar-Vell's greatest story he takes on the cosmically appointed mantle of Protector of the Universe. Quasar is the only other character to have carried on this cosmic duty. This story was being written at the same time as The Infinity Gauntlet and I daresay this is the better of the two stories. Even the villain, at one point, taunts Thanos while the Titan has the Infinity Gauntlet. Anyway, these first twenty-five issues comprise many stories but all act together as one major arc. It demonstrates perfectly the unique platform of comic book storytelling and breadth of story capable in such a medium. It's expertly written by Mark Gruenwald with amazing artwork by Greg Capullo, Paul Ryan, and Mike Manley. I can't rave about this story enough! So cosmic! So abstract! So cool! It's only ranked at #13 because it has the least amount of Captain Marvel presence among the group.







#12
THE KORVAC SAGA
The issues: Thor Annual #6, Avengers #167 & 168, Avengers #170 - #177,

Premise: A villain from the 31st century named Korvac stole aboard Galactus' worldship and made off with an untold amount of cosmic power. Korvac travels back to the 20th century to hide, where he begins learning and harnessing his newfound nigh infinite power. The Guardians of the Galaxy (Guardians 3000) follow Korvac back in time and cautiously observe him, preparing to confront him. As Korvac grows in power, the Guardians bring in the Avengers, Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, and Moondragon. With as many powerful allies as they can rally, the heroes finally move on Korvac, only to discover that another with equal godlike power stands alongside Korvac! But can the heroes even defeat one of these enemies let alone two?

Why I like it: First off, Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers) are barely in this story. But they play a role nonetheless. The Korvac Saga is unlike any Avengers story you've ever read. It begins in the background as the Avengers face down Ultron in what appears to be the main threat. Halfway through, the story shifts and you discover Ultron was nothing compared to the new enemy rising behind the scenes. And this story is the first meeting of the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy (the original Guardians of the Galaxy that is). The Guardians of the Galaxy play a big role and the story doesn't end like you'd expect. This story as a whole progresses atypically, making it intriguing, surprising, and still novel even today.







#11
BINARY
The issues: The Uncanny X-Men #163 & #164, X-Men Spotlight: The Starjammers #1 & #2, Operation: Galactic Storm, and Star Blast.

Premise: After having lost her faith in the Avengers and losing her powers to the evil mutant, Rogue, Carol Danvers reunites with friends from her past, Wolverine and Professor X, becoming the X-Men's resident pilot. On a mission in outer space, Carol and the X-Men are captured by the alien race, the Brood. The aliens experiment on Carol, unwittingly unlocking Carol's unique human/Kree hybrid powers. Carol bursts with godlike cosmic energy! Taking the code name: Binary, Carol joins the space pirates, the Starjammers, and travels across the cosmos as a cosmic super hero.

Why I like it: Carol's stint as the hero BINARY is my favorite chapter of her story. After becoming Binary, Carol truly becomes a "cosmic hero." When Carol summons the Binary power it's like she's going super powered or "Super Saiyan" (if you're versed in Dragon Ball Z lingo). It is so cool! Sadly there are no truly remarkable Binary-centric stories of decent length during this period. I guess you could say that I'm in love with the concept of Carol as Binary more than the stories. In my opinion Binary was very underused (and this ability of Carol's is still underused today). Binary eventually leaves the Starjammers and helps save our whole solar system during the crossover event OPERATION: GALACTIC STORM. Binary and Quasar help prevent our solar system's sun from collapsing (in a rare instance where her powers are pushed to their limits). It is definitely Carol's finest hour in ENTIRE career, in my opinion.






THE TOP TEN






#10
THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN MARVEL

The issues: Marvel Graphic Novel #1

The Premise: After having saved the universe and all existence multiple times, Mar-Vell at last found a measure of peace and happiness. Living on Titan, Mar-Vell had even found love with the Titan Elysius. In this living paradise, the Kree hero began feeling a sickness upon him. Using Titan's advanced science and technology, Mar-Vell discovered a disease slowly killing him from the inside. The Kree called it the "Black End." On Titan it was referred to as Inner Decay. On Earth such a disease was called Cancer. Captain Marvel's Nega Bands slowed the progression of the disease but also shielded it from treatment. With a short time remaining to him, Mar-Vell must decide whether to fight or accept his fate.

Why I like it: We begin the top ten with the end, sort of. Few characters in comic books have a lasting death, let alone that death being their defining moment. The Death of Captain Marvel is a very unique story and a powerful contemplation on mortality. While this is a story in the fantastic and wild world of Marvel, this story feels very real and carries a lot of weight. There's a reality to it that very few comic books possess, permeated with melancholy. While this is one my favorite stories, it isn't one that I read often. I don't enjoy seeing one of my heroes say goodbye, but even so, it remains an amazing and atypical finale to a hero's story. As much as I want Mar-Vell to return, and I do want him brought back (#1 hero on my "please resurrect" list for Marvel), to bring him back will diminish this incredible story.

Aww, who am I kidding? C'mon, Marvel! Bring him back already!






#9
THANOS ~ THE FINAL THREAT
The issues: Avengers Annual #7, Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2, Captain Marvel #57 - #62, Marvel Spotlight Vol. 2 #1 - #3

Premise: Thanos has assembled all six infinity gems for the first time. Planning to bring death to the universe, the Avengers, Captain Marvel, and Adam Warlock are all who stand in his way. In a surprise move, the virtually unknown person of Adam Warlock defeats Thanos, killing the mad Titan for the first time. But Thanos has set contingency plans in place to destroy the Sol star system should his original plan fail. The Sun begins to destabilize and Captain Marvel absorbs the excess energy, saving the galaxy, but nearly killing himself in the process. More of Thanos' plans begin taking shape. Captain Marvel and Drax the Destroyer travel to Thanos' home planet of Titan to stop these machinations from continuing before it's too late.

Why I like it: This begins as an Adam Warlock story (and it is one of the greatest cosmic Marvel stories ever written). After Warlock kills Thanos, the story becomes centered on Captain Marvel as he battles against all of Thanos' henchmen and doomsday plans. You wouldn't think that after the main villain's death that the story could continue, but it does in very cool and creative ways. Captain Marvel is right beside Adam Warlock during the initial battle, but then Mar-Vell saves the galaxy all by himself afterward. The story services both Thanos (posthumously) and Mar-Vell. This is Mar-Vell's last great story before meeting his demise in MARVEL GRAPHIC NOVEL #1 and sets up many storylines for future characters.







#8
MS MARVEL ~ EARTH'S MIGHTIEST HERO

 The issues: Ms. Marvel Vol. 2 #1 - #50 (the entire volume!)

Premise: Carol had just emerged from the alternate reality known as HOUSE OF M. In that alternate reality she was Earth's greatest hero. Now back in the real world, Carol decides to be what she was in that alternate reality: Earth's mightiest hero. Battling super villains, fighting in super hero civil wars, fighting off an army of super-skrulls single-handed, vying with the villainess, Moonstone, for the right to be Ms. Marvel, and ultimately stopping fake Captain Mar-Vells from destroying the world. Carol proves herself every bit the great hero she was in House of M and more.

Why I like it: I'm cheating a bit here as this is a huge section of comic books with many stories therein. Written entirely by Brian Reed, this is easily the highest quality treatment Carol has ever received, both in terms of writing and artwork (including her entire run so far as Captain Marvel). Some stories herein are better than others, but ultimately this is a very good run. My favorite section of this book is the SECRET INVASION tie-in issues. There isn't much story to these issues, but rather all-out super intense action with gorgeous artwork! Carol has never looked better or been more badass, before or since. I also enjoy the story arcs against Moonstone and the Dark Avengers as well as the fake Mar-Vells. If you want to read some truly good and enjoyable stories with Carol Danvers as the central character, this is it!







#7
THE DESTINY WAR
The issues: Avengers Forever #1 - #12

Premise: Once upon a time a young man named Rick Jones, through the help of the Kree Supreme Intelligence, tapped into a dormant ability destined to emerge later in human evolution: The Destiny Force. After using the Destiny Force to stop an intergalactic war and save Captain Marvel and the Avengers, the Destiny Force receded back inside of Rick. Years later a "Time Keeper" named Immortus took it upon himself to kill Rick Jones before Rick could fully harness the Destiny Force. Kang the Conqueror intervened to save Rick's life. Urged by the Kree Supreme Intelligence to once more use the Destiny Force, Rick reignited his long dormant power and summoned heroes from across time to help him battle Immortus' forces. Among the heroes were Captain America, Yellowjacket, and Hawkeye (all from the past), Ant-Man and the Wasp from the present, and Captain Marvel and Songbird from the future.

Why I like it: A sequel to a plot thread from the Kree - Skrull War story arc, this is one of the most intricately built Marvel comic stories ever, plucking characters from across time (literally versions of characters right out of past story arcs). Destiny (Kurt Busiek) chose each of these heroes for a reason and as the story progresses each hero's purpose is revealed. It lives up to the crazy and wild scope of the original Kree - Skrull War story. But my favorite aspect of the entire story is, of course, the inclusion of Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell's son, Genis-Vell) in a brand new and totally awesome costume design. This "new" depiction of Captain Marvel proved so positive with readers that he received a 61 issue long series afterwards (see my next entry on the list!).







#6
LEGACY
The issues: Captain Marvel Vol. 3 #0 -#35 (the entire volume!)

Premise: After the events of the Destiny War, Genis-Vell has been linked to Rick Jones via the Nega Bands, just as Genis' father Mar-Vell and Rick had been in the past. With Rick acting as Genis' guide to Earth and earth customs, Genis takes up his father's mantle as protector of Earth. Battling the Wendigo alongside the Incredible Hulk, adventuring through the Microverse with Drax, teaming with Thanos to stop another insane death god, hurtling through time to prevent a total space-time continuum collapse, and ultimately facing down one of the greatest evils of the universe: the Magus! Genis struggles to prove that he's just as much the hero his father was and worthy of the title, Captain Marvel!

Why I like it: Alright, I'm cheating again here as this is another huge chunk of comic reading, with many story arcs and adventures to be had. But it is so good! Picking up directly where Avengers Forever left off, this entire volume is an amazing piece of work. The Destiny War (Avengers Forever) jumped through time and featured a future Genis-Vell as well as future incarnations of Rick Jones. Captain Marvel Vol. 3, written by one of my favorite authors: Peter David, brilliantly interweaves sections we briefly saw in Avengers Forever with a wild and fun narrative all his own. If you are obsessed with Peter David's work like I am, there are many plot threads carried over from his previous books, all naturally threaded together. It is a masterwork of Marvel continuity. And Genis is wonderfully written. By issue #35 he was maybe my new favorite hero.

Then volume 4 happens and Peter David destroys Genis completely and utterly. I liked Genis so much by the end of volume 3 that it nearly destroyed me when Genis became a villain in the next volume. That's why you won't see me recommending volume 4 here, not that it's written badly (it's actually quite the fascinating character experiment), but that I hate it for ruining such a wonderful hero. But, if not for that, we wouldn't have Genis' sister, Phyla...







#5
THE THANOS IMPERATIVE
The issues: Realm of Kings #1, Realm of Kings: Inhumans #1 - #5, Realm of Kings: Imperial Guard #1 -#5, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #25, Nova Vol. 4 #36, The Thanos Imperative: Ignition #1, The Thanos Imperative #1 - #6, The Thanos Imperative: Devastation #1

Premise: A tear in our reality has opened a rift in space to another universe, a "Cancerverse" where death has been defeated and nothing dies. Life there has kept growing and growing into each other, filling up their entire reality. And now they want our reality. The greatest cosmic heroes from all over the galaxy have gathered to battle this Cancerverse and its denizens. But it's not enough. The heroes need more power. Starlord has a crazy idea up his sleeve: Join forces with Thanos. But will the added power of the mad Titan be enough? And, more importantly, can they trust him? With the survival of all reality at stake, do our heroes even have a choice?

Why I like it: Cosmic epics don't get much grander than this. The entire twenty-five issue volume of Guardians of the Galaxy by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning all build to this story. And not only that, this story has some grand symmetry to it to all of Marvel's cosmic lore as well. This story springs from The Death of Captain Marvel and also acts as a mirror to plot elements from the story THE THANOS WAR. So, if you know those stories as well as a greater knowledge of a majority of Marvel's cosmic canon, this story acts as a massive endcap to almost 40 years of storytelling. I love this story through and through. I could read it again and again and again. You can read it and enjoy it without prior knowledge (and I have a close friend who started with this story to prove it), but the more you know about Marvel cosmic history the more this story gives back to you.

Oh yeah, I totally left out Captain Marvel's role in all this: He's the central antagonist! WHAT?!







#4
ANNIHILATION CONQUEST
The issues: Annihilation Conquest: Prologue, Nova vol. 4 #1 - #12, Nova Annual #1, Annihilation Conquest: Quasar #1 - #4, Annihilation Conquest: Starlord #1 - #4, Annihilation Conquest: Wraith #1 - #4, Annihilation Conquest #1 - #6

The Premise: After nearly succumbing to the Negative Zone forces during the Annihilation Wave, the Kree empire has partnered with Starlord to create a new planetary defense system should another such calamity occur. Meanwhile, Captain Marvel (Phyla), now having her Nega Bands bonded to the Quantum Bands, is struggling with her new role as Protector of the Universe, the cosmically appointed duty previously held by Wendell Vaughn and Phyla's father before him. As the Kree launch the new defense system, the techno-organic aliens, the Phalanx, corrupt the Kree systems and trap the whole empire within the very walls designed to defend them. Starlord and a rag tag group of prisoners are the only heroes on the inside able to help, while on the outside Phyla seeks out a new power that could save the Kree empire.

Why I like it: Technically there is no Captain Marvel in this story as Phyla-Vell has changed her code name at this point to Quasar. But Quasar technically is the moniker held by the successor to Mar-Vell. And the stories above with Carol Danvers were from when she wasn't Captain Marvel either. So, as per the rules previously set, I'm counting this as a Captain Marvel story!

Phyla-Vell is one of my favorite characters in Marvel Comics and this story is her finest by far and the reason why I love her as much as I do. She's a cosmic sword-wielding badass in this story, easily one of the strongest written characters in the event. But also there's this little piece of the narrative that centers around Star Lord, Rocket Raccoon, Groot, and Mantis coming together for the first time. Yep, this is where the modern Guardians of the Galaxy first form (and Phyla is a part of the team too!). And this is a sequel to another one of my favorite stories, ANNIHILATION, which also follows the same cast of characters.








#3
THE KREE / SKRULL WAR
The issues: Avengers #89 - #97

Premise: Aliens have been made illegal on Earth. Captain Marvel, wanting to abide by the laws of our world, turns himself in. The human officials taking Mar-Vell into custody transform into Skrulls and abduct the Kree captain. Taking Captain Marvel into space, the Skrulls begin torturing him, interrogating him for information to assemble a deadly Kree weapon to use against the Kree themselves. Meanwhile, the Avengers are caught in the middle of a battle between the Kree and the Skrulls, half of the team being attacked by Ronan and a Kree Sentry, with the Vision being fatally wounded by Skrulls. Rallying themselves, the Avengers take to outer space to free Mar-Vell and take part in an intergalactic war that has raged for centuries.

Why I like it: "Three cows shot me down!" There were cosmic stories in Marvel before this, but there was never a cosmic story like this at Marvel before. The Kree - Skrull War is Marvel Comics' first proper cosmic epic. This story sets up the grand scale of the rivalry between the Kree and Skrulls, bringing in all of the continuity threads of the alien races together, including the Inhumans and the original three Skrulls from Fantastic Four #2 who were turned into cows! Writer Roy Thomas doesn't get enough credit in my opinion. It is magnificent accomplishment of working within the Marvel universe while simultaneously establishing premises that would become pivotal to the greater lore of Marvel. Needless to say, this is a hugely influential story to the Marvel universe. At first it is an insane plot, but when you read it, it all makes sense. With amazing artwork by Neal Adams and Sal & John Buscema, this is not only one of the best Captain Marvel stories, but also a legendary piece in Marvel canon.







#2
ANNIHILATION
 
The issues: Drax Vol. 1 #1 - #4, Annihilation Prologue #1, Annihilation: Silver Surfer #1 - #4, Annihilation: Ronan #1 - #4, Annihilation: Super Skrull #1 - #4, Annihilation: Nova #1 - #4, Annihilation #1 - #6, Annihilatio: Heralds #1 & #2

Premise: Annihilus, the genocidal despot of the Negative Zone, has breached the positive zone (our universe) and unleashed his annihilation wave upon the universe. The Nova Corps is decimated. The Heralds of Galactus are utterly defeated. Galactus himself is captured and being used as an energy source to further power Annihilus' forces. Many planets in the Skrull empire have been wiped out with the Kree empire next on the list. The last surviving Nova, Starlord, Ronan the Accuser, the Super Skrull, Drax, and Phyla-Vell (then Captain Marvel) along with a ragtag force are all that stand against the forces of the Negative Zone and the total annihilation of our universe.

Why I like it: For those who know me, Annihilation is one of those stories I just can't shut-up about. I absolutely love it. First off, it is purely 100% "cosmic" meaning no Earth connections and no Earth heroes stealing screentime from cosmic heroes (I hate that). Seldom seen and underused characters take the spotlight and are treated very well, many characters receiving upgrades and natural evolutions. And the story is incredibly cinematic in narrative and scope. Mar-Vell's daughter, Phyla-Vell, is the acting Captain Marvel in this story and she plays a major role, receiving a major upgrade by the end. It's this story and the following stories with Phyla that make me love her character so much. 

Back on topic, Keith Giffen's story is fast paced and intense. The story truly feels like a war story in space. And then there's the artwork by Andrea DiVito for the main event which I absolutely love. DiVito quickly became one of my favorite artists thereafter. Anyway, I could go on about this story and bore you to tears. So I won't. Suffice it to say that this is one of my all-time favorite Marvel stories in general.







#1
THE THANOS WAR

The issues: Iron Man #55, Captain Marvel Vol. 1 #25 - #33, Avengers #125, Marvel Feature #11 & #12, Daredevil #105 - #108, Marvel Team-Up #16 & #17

Premise: The mad Titan, Thanos, has discovered a means with which to destroy all life in the universe: the Cosmic Cube (the Tesseract for you MCU viewers). Thanos travels to Earth to retrieve the Cosmic Cube followed by his nemesis Drax the Destroyer. Iron Man comes to the aid of Drax and together they stop Thanos or so they think. Thanos eludes the heroes and sets his plan in motion. Captain Marvel discovers Thanos' plans and attempts to stop the Titan, but is the Kree captain enough? Drax, the Avengers, and more join forces with Captain Marvel in one last desperate attempt to stop Thanos before all life in the universe is wiped out.

Why I like it: This is, in my opinion, Captain Marvel's finest hour in Marvel Comics, across all of the characters to have donned the name Captain Marvel. Written and illustrated by Jim Starlin, this is the story that made Captain Marvel a legend in the Marvel universe (in that universe's history, not necessarily to our pop culture, obviously). This is perhaps Marvel's first wide spread crossover event (meaning crossing over beyond more than two different book titles) and the first story arc for the infamous mad Titan. Thanos is firmly established as the greatest threat the Marvel universe had ever faced (up to that point... with the possible exception of Dormammu) and Mar-Vell is the last hero standing.

So, I'm reading through Captain Marvel's back issues and... they're good. There's some really good stuff in those early issues but overall I kept waiting for something to really grab me. There was a glimpse of it around issue #15 but the story skyrocketed at issue #25 with the start of The Thanos War arc. From that moment I was hooked and Mar-Vell became one of my all-time favorite characters. As I alluded to earlier, to truly grasp the gravitas of The Thanos Imperative story, you need to have read this story.



And there you have it! My top ten favorite Captain Marvel stories from Marvel Comics!

What are your favorite stories of Mar-Vell, Carol Danvers, Genis-vell, Phyla-Vell, or Monica Rambeau?

Leave a comment below and let us know!

And for more top ten lists from Blood Work check out the posts below!

TOP TEN LEAST FAVORITE HULK STORIES  
 TOP TEN INCREDIBLE HULK VILLAINS  
 
 
TOP TEN ACTION MOVIE HEROES   TOP TEN GREATEST TURTLES
 TOP TEN JOHN CARPENTER FILMS  
 TOP TEN CHILDHOOD CARTOONS
TOP TEN FAVORITE NES GAMES
TOP TEN SNES GAMES






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