Carol Danvers, newly promoted to Captain Marvel, has mysteriously found herself in 1943 on a Pacific Island embroiled in World War II. The island is largely occupied by the Japanese, piloting Kree technology. Carol has found herself allied with a group of female American soldiers, the Banshee Squad. The mortal women are no match for the poweerful flying pyramids, but Captain Marvel helps even the score and the women rally and fight alongside her.
She takes down one of the ships and tells the pilot to go back, tell his troops about the women, eat, rest, suit up and come back. “Because when my gals and I hand you your asses– which we will most certainly do– I want you to know beyond any shadow of a doubt… it could not possibly have gone any other way.”
Later, sitting by a camp fire, Carol vaguely recounts her origin to two of the soldiers, Daisy and Bee. Bee is doing some sketches… more on that later. At one point, Carol questions whether this adventure is even really happening, but Bee resolutely assures her it is.
The Japanese attack early and the women put up a good fight. They actually inflict some real damage, but then they discover the Kree ships are capable of more than they realized.
If nothing else, Captain Marvel gets to show off her bad-ass-ness this issue. The fact that the technology she is facing is Kree in origin makes sense and ties in nicely to her origin and her very nature. The rag tag Banshee Squad once again add to the number of tough, no-nonsense ladies that are rapidly filling out this book’s cast. (Although, I doubt they will be a continuing presence. One of them makes a lasting contribution, though.) Dexter Soy’s art continues to grow on me. It’s much nicer than it was in issue #1. It’s a tad crude, but the storytelling and movement is all solid. And at least it’s not cheesecake-y.
There are two bonuses in this issue. One features a flashback to 1961, featuring Helen Cobb demonstrating her own brand of empowerment in an age when it wasn’t a given.
And finally there is an “unearthed” newspaper comic strip featuring the adventures of a hero named Captain Marvelous, a blond female powerhouse with a male sidekick, Mister Marvelous. The strip was created by… well, I mentioned some sketches didn’t I?
This title is definitely shaping up. I wasn’t bowled over by the first issue. But the second was better and I think this one is even better than that. PS, I love that cover. I think I might have found my next tattoo!
CAPTAIN MARVEL #3
Written by Kelly Sue DeConnick
Art by Dexter Soy
Additional Art by Rich Elson & Will Quintana, Karl Kesel & Javier Rodriguez
Cover by Ed McGuinness, Dexter Vines & Javier Rodriguez
