Review – Captain Marvel #14 (Marvel Comics)

Captain Marvel #14; A Tale of Trust and Tactics

The dramatic saga continues in Captain Marvel #14. This issue comes with a heavy dose of reality, confessions, and even some banter. It’s everything that fans have been hoping for from this plot arc. Oh, and don’t forget the impending battle.

Captain Marvel’s ‘The Last Avenger’ plot arc has been a dramatic one, to say the least. It’s also a plot getting a lot of ink, and with good reason. Thus far, we’ve seen Carol take on a couple of iconic Avengers.

Thus far, we’ve seen Carol take on Thor and Iron Man. So the real question is, who’s next? Though fans are also undoubtedly curious about what her long-term plan will be. I, for one, have been highly enjoying this series of events and cannot wait for more.

Writing

Captain Marvel #14 is as dramatic as they come. The first two issues in this plot arc with dramatic and full of action. But now we’re finally getting a chance to see inside Carol’s head. And guys? Things are looking grim.

The whole situation is. Not Carol herself. ‘The Last Avenger’ has been thrilling, pushing Carol into an awful position to write a compelling plot. Kelly Thompson has done an excellent job of setting up this scenario. It’s not only plausible but also exciting and thrilling.

Thompson has always had a firm understanding of how to balance intense moments with little bits of humor. That talent is shown off here, giving fans a moment or two to laugh before diving back into the fray. That pause is very much appreciated, as are the one-liners and references made within these pages.

Honestly, this very well might be my favorite issue of the arc thus far. It’s got all of the character interactions a girl could ask for, drama, humor, and suspense. Oh, the anticipation! That cliffhanger ending is killing me. I can’t wait for the next fight.

Art

Captain Marvel #14 is another brilliant display of artwork. The fight scenes are intense and amazingly choreographed. The expressions show the sheer amount of raw emotion being experienced. It’s all perfect.

Lee Garbett was the lead artist for this issue. And I think I might be in love. Their portrayal of Carol (and the rest of the Avengers, for that matter) was spot on. But I think it’s the battle that made me fall here. It’s so intense and vibrant, yet very much looking like the sort of moves we could expect from Carol.

Meanwhile, Tamra Bonvillain was the colorist, and she did a splendid job (as always). I especially love the color palette for Carol’s latest suit design (okay, suit may be a misnomer here, but I’m running with it). Though I also loved the way she colored specific effects towards the end.

Finally, VC’s Clayton Cowles was the letterer, and he knocked it out of the park. There was a decent amount of dialogue in this issue (earlier, at least), but he found the right balance for these pages.

Conclusion

Captain Marvel #14 was another dramatic event in this plot arc, and I honestly couldn’t get enough of it. This issue had a little bit of everything, all in the right proportions, and that made for one memorable issue.

The conclusion to this issue is making me more than a little bit anxious to see what happens next. But that’s not a bad thing. Or that is surprising, given how much I’ve been enjoying ‘The Last Avenger’ to begin with.

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.