Review – Captain Marvel #16 (Marvel Comics)

When Heroes Come Together in Captain Marvel #16

Captain Marvel #16 brings with it the dramatic finale to ‘The Last Avenger’ plot arc. It’s one that many a fan has been eagerly waiting for – and it was worth the wait. This is a plot arc that has been dramatic from the start.

It’s also a plot getting a lot of ink, but the odds are good that you already know that (since you’re reading this review). To be fair, the whole plot brought us a handful of fights that fans have been hoping for, so you can’t blame us for chatting about it.

But this issue is about to bring all of that to an end as the plot wraps up. The real question is, how will Carol get out of the predicament she’s in? There’s no doubt that it’s quite the mess, albeit an entertaining one.

Writing

Captain Marvel #16 had big shoes to fill, thanks to the dramatic nature of previous issues in this plot. But don’t worry, it lived up to all of those expectations. Every moment of tension and buildup was spent here, providing a dramatic culmination of events.

Kelly Thompson delivered us a conclusion worth the wait. Carol’s fight is one that we knew was coming, but that just made it better. And frankly, there was no way we could predict how exactly the fight would go down—one more reason to be both concerned and eager for this issue.

Often, you’ll see a conclusion pick one dominant emotion, and run with it. That wasn’t the case here. It had extreme highs, full of hope and excitement. It also allowed for a few humorous moments, a fact that I very much appreciated (they have to let the tension out somehow, right?). It also wasn’t afraid to get dark or gross, which nicely balanced out everything else happening within this plot.

Looking back on it, you can see that there was a lot to love about this issue. Carol got her moment to shine, naturally. But it was more than that as well. Many other characters were pulled into this plot, and it felt like they were all respectfully handled (many even got a ‘moment’ which is always a nice touch). Though I might be biased, being that I’m thrilled to once again see Singularity (more of her, please!).

Art

The artwork inside Captain Marvel #16 was powerful and impressive. It perfectly supported the epic plot while throwing in a few fun twists along the way. This was every bit the dramatic finale I had been hoping for, grand fight included.

Lee Garbett was the lead artist for this issue, and they provided us with so many fantastic and memorable scenes. Carol Danvers was portrayed in her element here, both the good and the bad (or at least, the messy). It made her feel more real, and along with her, the struggle she was facing.

Tamra Bonvillain took up the coloring for Captain Marvel #16, and it was fantastic. I especially loved the muted tones for the flashbacks, as well as the color palettes for powers and movement. It really brought the whole look together.

Finally, VC’s Clayton Cowles provided the lettering, and it was the finishing touch this issue needed. Their carefully placed effects and conversations carried us throughout the panels in a smooth and even flow.

Conclusion

Captain Marvel #16 was the dramatic and epic finale to this plot arc fans deserved. It was worth the buildup, and probably then some. Many fans have fallen in love with this version of Carol Danvers. Taking this into account her stubbornness and determination to save as many lives as possible.

Now we’re left wondering: what’s next? There’s no doubt that Carol is going to continue forward. We just don’t know what she’ll be facing next. Until then!

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.