The End is only the beginning as Carol travels into a strange dark future in Captain Marvel #22, written by Kelly Thompson, art by Lee Garbett, colors by Tamra Bonvillain, and letters by VC’s Clayton Cowles.
Cat Purcell: I’m quite glad to see Thompson continue writing Captain Marvel after The Empyre Event. The cover is compelling enough to make me want to frame it with Barrett and Bonvillain’s art. I’m ready to jump into a new arc!
Christina Eddleman: Oh that cover is *chefs kiss.* It’s so beautiful it made me think I was having a bad case of deja vu as I read this issue. We were back in January! I felt so young, so innocent. I was looking forward to cons again, Cat! Unfortunately, it’s October, and this is not The End.
The Trees Have… Tentacles?
CP: If we were concerned before about forgetting Rhodey and Danvers were dating, this opening shot sure nipped that in the bud! We start out with the couple plus Hazmat and Spider-Woman off on another mission and hoping to have a little R and R when it’s all over*. They’re looking for a signal but something seems off. What were your thoughts about this opening scene, Christi?
*of course, poor Carol, R and R never comes.
CE: If you read the Empyre Records I wrote with my husband, you know I enjoy throwing about over-the-top cheesy, romantic dialogue; however, this didn’t land in a lot of ways for me. The dialogue felt a bit stiff and forced, which was only exacerbated by the incredibly childish reactions from Hazmat. I understand a bit of “get a room” energy (I may be told that quite frequently myself), but “ew” and “I’m gonna throw up” was a bit too far. None of this seemed to capture Thompson’s usual dynamite rapport between Carol and her crew. The only chemistry that read as authentic for me was Carol and Jess. Am I hopelessly biased in this assessment, Cat?
CP: Ha, no, you’re not wrong there! Those two through thick and thin, 4 eva eva. Plus that intro of Jessica, phew! As an adult who met her husband in a work setting involving teenagers, I do feel a couple ways myself about PDA in front of the youths. I wanted that area of my life to remain professional and nothing loses rapport with teens like THAT. But I definitely would see more than an eyeroll happening either. ANYWAY, now we’re getting into a NOT a spaceship leaking in some grabby trees and for a moment I had no idea what that was going to go, but I think I’ve about had my fill of plants that get too handsy at this point.
CE: Yes, Cat, but these are dark viney plants. There’s clearly a difference from the Cotati. Or are they tentacles? Either way – they seem to be coming from the trees in a totally trippy Wizard of Oz sort of way. It’s all pretty vague. I’m not opposed to being dropped into a plot in progress, but this manages to feel familiar and unexpected all at once.
CP: Exactly! Little did we know just how familiar it was about to feel.
The End?
CE: If you recall our discussion of Captain Marvel: The End, we really enjoyed the issue! It was a fabulous one-shot look into an alternate/eventual future for the death of Carol Danvers. It was delightful to see Thompson’s imagining of all of the children of our current Marvel heroes, it highlighted Carol’s more meaningful relationships, it was really enjoyable! Someone somewhere (maybe it was us?) enjoyed it a bit too much, because somehow we’re back. How do you feel about being back in this future, Cat?
CP: I have mixed feelings. I definitely remember all of those emotions of seeing the kids grow up and the characters stay true to themselves even in an apocalyptic future. But . . . But . . . But this reminded me why sometimes things are better left where they are when they’re good. I couldn’t concentrate on seeing Emma Frost again, or knowing Jessica’s kid Gerry grows up to be a Chris Pratt look alike or that Rhodey had a kid and it wasn’t with Carol. I kept having deja vu and wondering why Carol was acting like this was new instead of wondering how she was handling it. And then before I could even make sure I hadn’t accidently picked up The End issue instead, they’re being attacked by the things from I Am Legend?
CE: We’ve got some real horror movie motifs in this issue. “You can’t kiss in the woods”, viney tentacles, and creepy crawly demons. My ears (and eyes) perked up just a bit seeing Kate Pryde’s name on a memorial and hearing that Illyana may have a role to play in all of this. I’m not used to this level of X-Men content in my Captain Marvel. I have to say, I don’t hate it. It does seem like we’re in for a bit of hero versus hero content, which is…. fine.
CP: We’ve discussed before, multiple times, how we love a good team-up. Carol is a solo gal, but she really shines when fighting with a team. This felt like the opposite of that. And perhaps it’s in large part because she’s found herself in a future she doesn’t recognize, is physically and emotionally in pain, but she just blasts the demons out and they’re headed back to a bunker with the deads’ names etched into it?
CE: It really is a stark contrast to the broken and traumatized Carol we saw in The End. Those reunions felt earned and joyful. While this future is familiar to us, it isn’t to Carol. This leads to repetition that contains none of what made it feel so poignant before. It has the distinct feel of recycled content that is not better than the original.
CP: I really questioned what I was reading which made it confusing and then frustrating when I reread it and realized it did indeed feel recycled. I get that this is new to her and The End was an alternate reality, but as a reader there were too many overlaps in the story to elicit anything but confusion, especially when we got the next couple introductions.
I See Not Dead People
CE: Those names of “The Lost” seem to take on a whole new meaning as we see Luke Cage’s arrival. I found his presence interesting not only because he’s implied to be dead, but because The End featured his daughter, Dani, who is suspiciously absent from this issue. He appears to have given his allegiance to someone called “Ove.” Doesn’t seem ominous at all.
CP: Yeah, that was the one thing that actually made me pause and think that this might be more interesting than I’d initially thought. The front door says he’s dead, but he’s clearly right there and he’s just strolled into the bunker? So that either means they’re not being entirely truthful about who is dead or this isn’t quite the same exact world that we saw in The End.
CE: If not for their incredibly specific reference to exactly what happened in The End (in an editor’s note) I’d be inclined to believe you. We have a slightly different cast of youngsters, some additions, some subtractions, but I don’t know if this is just to give us some variety. I will reserve some judgement as we see the rest of the arc unfold. I wouldn’t be upset if this was a giant psych out and this alternate reality really just gives the readers an illusion of trust. Alternate future where Jessica Drew and Gerry are on the wrong side? I’m intrigued.
CP: I am as well. That last panel made me doubt a lot of the frustrated and confused thoughts I’d had earlier. Knowing I have yet to predict where Thompson ends up taking things, I’m gonna reserve judgement as well. But over all this one wasn’t my cup of tea. My disappointment with this issue aside, I am curious to know more about this world that Earth has turned into and the other survivors.
CE: This is the first time I’ve felt disappointed in one of Thompson’s Captain Marvel issues. It missed the mark. It’s nowhere near what I’ve come to expect over the prior #21 issues. I don’t know if pandemic-brain or Marvel’s tendency of ending books before they get this many issues played a part in the story we got, but I am less than thrilled overall. Could this be saved with better storytelling later in the arc? Perhaps. Time will tell
Marvelous Musings
- Who’s excited for the Air Force? (not us)
- Gerry has some incredible Dennis Hopeless energy about him and I can totally dig that tribute.
- Was not ready for that Chadwick Boseman tribute. What a loss. I was gutted all over again but I’m glad they did it.
- Loved that Katie Barton look and am seriously tempted to make a winter cosplay if I knew there’s be Cons worth making it for – CP
Christi Eddleman is the world’s first Captain Kate Pryde cosplayer and co-host of Chrises On Infinite Earths.
Cat Purcell is a Career Services Librarian, cosplayer, artist, and massive coffee consumer.
