Comic review: Captain Marvel #6
Carol’s travels through time come to a big and action-packed conclusion in issue #6 of Captain Marvel. Written by Kelly Sue DeConnick and penciled by Emma Rios, the six-part arc comes to a satisfying end, with plenty of energetic action scenes and a few unexpected surprises. Coming face-to-face with her own past, Carol must choose which path she wants: The chance to avert the disaster that gave her these powers, or the resolve to shed her self-doubt and live up to the potential that she’s been granted. The way this story closes is both heartfelt and exciting, harkening back to the tone of the opening issue as Carol accepts her mantle and becomes the woman she was meant to be. As it’s proven to be since the jump, this is a superhero book that’s bigger than the sum of its parts.
DeConnick’s writing is very sharp here, with a lot of great moments between Carol and Helen as well as Tracy and Avenger Jessica Drew. The action and adventure is grounded by poignant moments in Carol’s timeline between Tracy and Jessica, as Tracy prepares for surgery and Carol is nowhere to be found. Helen emerges as a strong and tenacious presence here, not just as Carol’s mentor but in her own right as well, helping Carol come to terms with her mantle and identity. Carol’s narration, as always, shows the strength of her character in very organic ways, and is enjoyable to read. Some of the best lines in the book are in Carol’s internal monologue, although the dialogue throughout is smart and on-point.
Rios’ art really shines this issue as it did the last. She deftly captures the quiet intimate moments and the high-flying action with equal flare. Jordie Bellaire’s subtle and evocative colors flesh out the art to help make the book both an engaging and visually unique experience. I really enjoyed this arc, which admittedly had me a little nervous when it first opened, and proved to be a fun, uplifting action and adventure romp. This book has surpassed my (admittedly jaded) expectations and established itself as a rock-solid title with a stellar creative team, proving that a female-led superhero book can sell without sacrificing heart and storytelling for sexy anatomy and cheap gimmicks. As Carol comes home, I have high hopes for the next adventure.
Worth a read: If you’re looking for a refreshing superhero book, give this one a shot. You won’t be disappointed.
