Review – Captain Marvel #13 (Marvel Comics)

A Secret Revealed in Captain Marvel #13

Captain Marvel’s ‘The Last Avenger’ plot arc has been getting a whole lot of ink. Ever since the first cover was revealed, fans have been talking about it non-stop. And now Captain Marvel #13 has added more fuel to the fire.

Carol Danvers has been going through some stuff in her latest series. She’s been outed to the public as being part Kree. She’s been forced to watch a friend turn into an enemy, and so much more. But this plot has turned the tables on Carol, and suddenly she’s looking out at the world from a different perspective.

Any fan of Captain Marvel’s has likely had several theories about what is happening in this plot (feel free to share yours below). And I can safely tell you that Captain Marvel #13 will either confirm or deny a lot of those theories. So buckle up and get ready for one heck of a read.

Writing

Captain Marvel #13 brings us a Carol that will surprise fans, but in many ways, she’s also the Carol we’ve come to love so much. It’s an exciting and delicate balance, one that Thompson finely wrought.

There are plenty of iconic moments to be had in this issue alone. As with Captain Marvel #12, Carol is going up against a member of the Avengers (if you read the description, then you know who it is). As a fan of that character, let me tell you that this fight was surprisingly respectful. That isn’t an easy task, especially not when pitting two fan-loved characters against each other. But I think that this issue did the best it could with the situation, and it made for a compelling and dramatic fight to boot. I know I personally enjoyed reading every moment of it.

This issue also went a long way in explaining the situation at hand. And it fits with both Carol’s recent plot arcs and with what we’ve been shown so far. The tension is still palpable, but being handed the understanding of the situation changed it in a tangible way. Now the threat feels different – but still very much real.

Art

The cover of Captain Marvel #13 may very well be one of my favorites from recent times. It’s dramatic and edgy while showing off how amazingly fierce Carol can be. And in that sense, it’s truly perfect for her fans.

As for the artwork within? That was also excellent. The fight scenes alone were dramatic, though they started off with a humorous edge – one that was desperately needed. The fight itself lasts for eleven pages (twelve if you count the page building up to it), and it is not one you’ll want to miss.

The powers and tech portrayed are also noteworthy, as is the delightful little cameo that occurs (I love the way they drew her!). And there’s one full-page panel, in particular, that should really be made into a print.

There’s a bit of a change on the creative team this time around. Lee Garbett stepped in to be the lead artist for this issue. Meanwhile, Tamra Bonvillain (colors) and VC’s Clayton Cowles (letters) stayed on board. The result, as you can tell from my gushing, is brilliant.

Conclusion

Captain Marvel #13 had big shoes to fill, thanks to the dramatic and alarming previous issue. And yet, it held up to fans’ expectations while also keeping to the promise made. It was intense and brilliant and full of action. And it’s going to make for a very memorable issue.

This review was originally written for Word of the Nerd, but has been ported over to Quirky Cat’s Fat Stacks now that the site has shut down.