Captain Marvel
Even though it happened well after I'd stopped reading comic books, the 2012 debut of Captain Marvel vol 7, featuring a now-promoted Carol Danvers taking on the rank of her predecessor, was one of the bigger forehead slaps of my comic book awareness. It seemed like such an obvious character development that I was pretty embarrassed that the idea had never occurred to me before.And with apologies to series writer Kelly Sue DeConnick, even though I haven't actually read any of her series, the idea is so barrier-breaking that I knew I needed to adopt the idea into my own Make My Marvel pitches.
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| I even like the new costume, although she definitely needs the scarf to come back rather than the sash. |
As we roll forward in the MMM timeline following the 'Secret Invasion,' we find Carol Danvers in a position to become one of the premiere heroes of the Marvel Universe. The planet has just fended off (yet another) galactic invasion, and the governments of Earth are seeing the need to make some attempts to join the intergalactic community. If only there was someone available with experience in both the military and national security who had worked closely with SHIELD in the defense of the Earth and had ties to two galactic empires and known enemies of the recently-invading Skrulls they could turn to for guidance and help.
Oh wait...
Carol's resume includes bullet points such as Air Force service, NASA security officer, Kree liaison, Shi'ar freedom fighter, SHIELD agent and Avenger. It's like she's been spending her whole life waiting for world events to catch up with her. Following the Secret Invasion, she's one of the first people to recognize the needed shift in global/galactic relations and takes the first steps to see that the Earth is ready to enter the galaxy. Taking the title Captain Marvel, she steps forward to guide the way.
So what kind of adventures does the new Captain Marvel have? There will be no shortage of crime fighting and Earth saving, but her main goal will be the safe integration of and protection from extra terrestrials. True, there will be some overlap with the MMM Fantastic Four (who you may recall I've mandated as the guardians of Earth from external threats), but while the FF deal mostly with detection and deterrent, Carol spends more of her attention on working with alien ambassadors while uncovering alien plots. Her book should make an interesting blend of flashy fisticuffs, over-the-top super action, and devious politics.
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| So this, basically. Also, that DS9 cover art. Hahaha! |
Normally, I'm not a fan of full-time heroes as I think the private life is important for fleshing out a character's third dimension and showcasing them in circumstances not just about their costumed actions. Carol would be an exception, though, because I think the role I've described sounds like a full-time gig. Unfortunately for her, though, I think she really needs the fleshing out that a private life brings, because she's historically been a very 2-dimensional character.
Looking back, the last thing she had that came near a private life was when she was a writer in Oregon. I think I actually missed that period, but it's certainly a start, and I can easily see someone with her life experiences and novelist background putting together a lot of successful sci-fi-themed political thrillers in the vein of a Dean Koontz-penned Star Wars. Even better, though, is the opportunity that being a writer gives her for anonymity and to step away from the world of the galactic, so I'd actually like to see her become a successful writer of romance novels under a thinly-disguised pen name. This will open the door to some non-galactic based supporting characters like her literary agent.
I also look forward to the storytelling opportunities of her trying to keep her civilian alter ego a secret from her Avengers and government friends.
Speaking of Avengers, I think it's important to keep her separate from their roster for a while. Despite pushing her to be the world's premiere hero, I think she needs time to build her own identity and role before stepping back into the ranks of a team dynamic.
