Comic review: Captain Marvel #2
After last month’s quiet and introspective introduction, Captain Marvel #2 picks up the pace with a time-traveling adventure. Not everybody is going to love it, as fans — not unlike Carol herself — continue to adjust to Carol’s new mantle and look, but the series is now off to a good start. Kelley Sue DeConnick delivers an enjoyable story with plenty of action, and Dexter Soy’s art continues to pack a stylish punch.
The story opens as Carol and her friend Tracy pack up for Helen Cobb’s private hangar in Friendswood, Texas, to dust off Helen’s old T6 plane. Eager to prove that her hero had broken a long-contested altitude record back in her time, Carol sets out to repeat Helen’s feat historical flight in the same plane. Carol’s admiration for the high-flying Helen really shines through here, which, while important to Carol, hasn’t quite made itself immediately relevant to the readers yet. Everything seems to be going fine until, climbing past the record altitude, the T6 develops a severe icing problem and stalls, plunging Carol toward the ground. Unable to pull out of the tailspin, Carol seemingly crashes, waking up in parts unknown with no wreckage in sight. Immediately Carol encounters trouble as she’s ambushed by a band of Japanese soldiers who take her back to their camp, where she discovers she’s been catapulted back into the 1940s. Unfortunately, as Carol admits, she can’t seem to remember the Avengers’ time travel protocols.
As Carol tries to figure out how she’s ended up here, the war camp is raided by The Banshee Squadron, a band of all-female soldiers. It’s kind of nice to see this group of very tough-looking military women in action, all of whom seem to mean business but sadly lack much explanation or development. After the skirmish Carol follows them back to base only to be attacked by a Prowler, an ominous-looking alien vessel. Clearly, something is hinky in this timeline as the issue closes on an aerial fight between Captain Marvel and this strange, seemingly familiar adversary.
There are some good moments in this issue, such as the conversation between Carol and Tracy in the beginning, and Carol’s narration has some genuinely entertaining lines. DeConnick’s dialogue has a bit improved since last issue, with only a few hiccups here and there that read as weird or out of place. Overall this arc has a lot going on without much explanation as of yet, which is hopefully coming in the next few issues. I personally find the set-up interesting, if a little typical for a superhero comic, but I’m willing to stick it out to see where this goes. I’m also warming up to Carol’s new look, with help from Soy’s bold and energetic artwork. Now if we could only get away from Ed McGuinness’ covers, which so far prove bland compared to the interior art.
Worth a read: I’m a little hesitant to recommend this to anyone who isn’t already a hardcore Carol Danvers fan, sadly. If you’re on the fence, maybe wait another issue or two to see what happens with this title. I am enjoying it, though, so take that as you will.
