MARVEL'S SPACE-BORN SUPERHERO! CAPTAIN MARVEL #5 (yes, this was the full,
official indicia title of the comic as well as the cover logo at this
point. Did somebody fear that simply titling the comic CAPTAIN MARVEL
might lead to legal objections from previous owners of the name?); September
1968; Marvel Comics Group; Stan Lee, editor; featuring "The Mark of the
Metazoid!", written by "Affable Arnold Drake" and pencilled by "Demure Don Heck"
with inks by John Tartaglione and lettering by Artie Simek. On the cover,
the green and white clad spaceman whose true name and rank is Captain Mar-Vell,
is struggling to escape the gooey grasp of a creature who appears to be a
blue-black alien version of Plastic Man or Mr. Fantastic, or maybe Gumby.
Review by Boisterous, or maybe Bumbling, Bill Henley
The original
Captain Marvel was one of the greatest costumed superheroes of the 1940's, but
he wasn't published by Martin Goodman's company which off and on called itself
"Marvel Comics". The actual character of Captain Marvel was driven off the
stands by DC's lawsuit in 1954, but the name and trademark remained up for grabs
and a fly by night company named MF Enterprises used the name briefly in 1966-67
for an android character who could split into pieces. (I've never read those MF
Capt. Marvel comics, but by all accounts they were god-awful, though one account
calls them a "camp classic".) Once Martin Goodman found out the Captain
Marvel name/trademark was available again, he decided that if anybody was going
to publish Captain Marvel it should be Marvel Comcs. He grabbed the rights
to the name from the defunct MF and insisted that Stan Lee create a new
character to go with the name. And so, the "space-born superhero" with a
famous name debuted in MARVEL SUPER-HEROES during its tryout-comic phase and
then moved immediately into his own monthly title.
But though the very
busy Stan Lee worked with one of his best "second wave" artists, Gene Colan, to
create the new Captain, it seemed as if Stan didn't have the time or interest to
put very much thought into the project and create a character memorable enough
to match the name. Captain Mar-Vell was a humanoid alien belonging to the
Kree, an alien race that had recently been introduced in a Lee/Kirby FANTASTIC
FOUR story. The Kree were interested in conquering Earth, and Mar-Vell was
part of an advance team sent to scout out the planet. But he was
sympathetic to the Earth-humans, and besides he and the commander of the Kree
expedition, Yon-Rogg, hated each other. So Mar-Vell began trying to
sabotage Yon-Rogg's efforts to lay the groundwork for a Kree takeover. And
when he was seen flying around in his jet-equipped, green and white spacesuit
with a ringed-planet emblem, Earthmen took him for a new costumed superhero
called "Captain Marvel". He also acquired a human secret identity by
adopting the guise of Walter Lawson, a deceased Earth scientist.
Stan Lee
only scripted the first CM story in MARVEL SUPER-HEROES and then left the series
to his right-hand man, Roy Thomas, who worked with Colan on the second MSH
tryout issue and the ensuing series. As a teenage Marvelite I was excited
to see Marvel introduce a new hero and willingly bought the new title. But when
I picked up issue #5 I was somewhat surprised to see a whole new set of names in
the credit box. Thomas and Colan were both gone. The writer was
Arnold Drake, a name then unfamiliar to me (I didn't realize that he had been a
DC mainstay for years and had written DOOM PATROL, a comic I liked before
converting to an exclusive Marvel acolyte). The artist was Don Heck, whose
name and work was certainly familiar to me as a Marvel fan. But though
both men were highly talented, Stan seems to have viewed both of them at this
point as second or third string talents to be assigned to less important, poorer
selling Marvel titles. Though Marvel hype insisted that the "Space-Born
Superhero" was a huge hit like everything else Marvel produced, it looks like
early sales suggested the new Captain Marvel was not going to be a big success
and so was not worthy of retaining top-line talent like Thomas and Colan.
(Incidentally, the "Marvel's Space-Born Superhero" tag was removed from the
cover logo with issue #6 and from the indicia title with #7. Martin
Goodman was notoriously leery of sci-fi characters, and maybe he decided the
"Space-Born" tag was hurting the character?)
Anyway, the splash
page depicts a scene from the previous issue in which Mar-Vell slugged it out
with Prince Namor-, the Sub-Mariner. "Why are the sensational Sub-Mariner
and our ALIEN ANTI-HERO still locked in heated conflict, even though the fight
ended LAST ISH?" asks the caption. It turns out that this is a video
recording being viewed by Yon-Rogg and the other crew members of the Kree
expedition-- and its purpose, as far as Yon-Rogg is concerned, is to provide
evidence proving that Captain Mar-Vell is a traitor to the Kree! Some of
the Kree are inclined to give Mar-Vell the benefit of the doubt, assuming that
Mar-Vell was simply overwhelmed by the superior power of the Sub-Mariner.
(At this point our "alien anti-hero" really didn't have much in the way of
special abilities besides the protection and flight ability provided by his
spacesuit uniform, and a vaguely defined degree of super-strength compared to
Earthmen..) But the yucky Yon-Rogg contends (more or less correctly, as it
happens) that Mar-Vell was consciously plotting to "trample upon his allegiance
to our far-flung galactic EMPIRE!" He wants Ronan the Accuser, the one-man
Kree kangaroo court (who was earlier defeated by the FF) to declare Mar-Vell
guilty of the ultimate crime of being "un-Kree!" In the privacy of his own
thoughts, Mar-Vell acknowledges that he did indeed , amidst the battle with
Namor, destroy the experimental germ-warfare bomb he was assigned to plant in
Earth's ocean. Asked for her own judgment, Una, the female Kree
medic who is Mar-Vell's true love, gives a spirited defense of his innocence and
heroic service to the Kree cause. But Yon-Rogg is not displeased, since he
figures that Una's obvious affection for Mar-Vell will taint her testimony and
eliminate her as a credible defense witness in Ronan's eyes.
But Ronan
decides that Mar-Vell's previous record of loyal service outweighs, for now, the
"anger and concern" elicited by some of his recent suspicious actions. To
the frustration of Yon-Rogg and the temporary relief of Mar-Vell and Una, Ronan
"decides not to decide", putting off a final verdict and commanding Mar-Vell to
prove his loyalty by his "future actions". One of the actions required of
him will be to eliminate the threat of a hospitalized, coma-bound Earthman named
Jeffrey Logan who may have learned of Mar-Vell's alien origins in a previous
story. Mar-Vell manages to convince Ronan that, rather than simply killing
the human, it will attract less dangerous attention to employ a Kree "mind
eraser". And so, Mar-Vell takes off from the orbiting Kree spaceship to
return to Earth. "Once more into the void of space Capt. Mar-Vell
hurtles-- equipped with every protective device of the supreme science and
technology of Kree-- but ALONE and UNWANTED on the world he may one day be
ordered to DESTROY! For nothing can protect him from the carbon wheel of
LONELINESS that may grind even a steely KREE soul into dryest DUST!" (I
noticed quickly when Arnold Drake started writing for Marvel that much of his
dialogue and captions had a deep-purple tinge that wasn't so much present in the
more familiar scripting of Stan Lee and Roy Thomas. As a teenage fan at
the time, though, I kind of liked this.)
Meanwhile, somewhere
under Earth's sea, a submarine belonging to an unidentified foreign power
(probably Soviet Russia, but by this time Marvel was more disinclined to use
explicitly Communist villains than it had been a few years earlier) releases a
new weapon intended to threaten the U.S. and its space effort centered at "The
Cape". The weapon is not a torpedo or missile, but a living, vaguely
humanoid creature; "Now, there stalks, the METAZOID!" The creature
ruefully reflects (in more of Drake's purple prose), "Here walks the most
MISERABLE of living beings! Neither man nor beast, I live only to do the
bidding of those who MADE me thus! For once done, I am promised LIBERATION
from this ugly guise-- and the return of my OWN face and form! But is the EVIL I
must now perform an honorable price for some selfish share of
happiness?" It seems this creature was once a man found guilty by
some Eastern nation of "anti-state activity" and offered the chance to redeem
himself by volunteering for an experimental treatment to adapt his body
chemistry for survival "on the alien conditions of almost ANY PLANET! And
if we FAIL, we have lost nothing but a CONVICTED TRAITOR!" The experiment
quickly goes out of control, but the result, though not exactly what the enemy
scientists had in mind, isn't displeasing to them. The hapless convict is
turned into a massive, blue-skinned humanoid being with "the metabolism of 50
men" and "strength and survival factors (that are) equally phenomenal!"
The creature (it's not clear where exactly he gets the moniker "Metazoid") is
informed that he has been inducted into his nation's "glorious army," and that
his first mission, rather than exploring a new planet, will be "the capturing of
a leading U.S. missile expert!" And the expert they want is none other
than Dr. Walter Lawson, the man who is actually dead but whose identity is
serving as a refuge for Captain Mar-Vell of the Kree! And so, the Metazoid
crawls ashore near The Cape and cold-cocks a US Army sentry, while engaging in
more guilt-ridden, masochistic musings; "What CRIMES will a man not condone--
what PUTRID ACTS will he not embrace-- what NAKED TERROR will he not blind
himself to-- in order that he may gain some TWISTED shadow of personal--
FREEDOM!"
And meanwhile, his target, "Dr. Walter Lawson," is also
the target of a pointed interrogation by The Cape's security chief, Carol
Danvers. (Some time later, her association with Captain Mar-Vell would
lead to her gaining the Kree-based super-powers and the name of Ms.
Marvel. She would later be known by other names such as Binary and
Warbird, and, the last I heard, has herself inherited the name of Captain
Marvel, which Marvel Comics is determined not to surrender even if it can't
settle on a character to bear the name.) Carol wants to know why Walter
Lawson's personal file is bare of any previous photographs of him! The
true reason is that Mar-Vell destroyed the photos when he took over the identity
of the dead Lawson-- apparently the real Lawson didn't actually look like the
white-haired Mar-Vell. "Lawson" manages to evade her questions by saying
that he is "a missile expert, not a photographic model" and hinting that Carol's
suspicions of him are a symptom of insecurity because of her status as a woman
in what is normally a man's profession. (But you'd think
that a real security expert, male or female and even in an era long before the
Internet, would have means to seek out previous photographic records of Lawson
besides whatever was in his employment file.)
"Walter Lawson" sets
out, riding in a taxicab driven by a friendly fellow named Chester, for the
local county hospital where he intends to use the Kree "mind eraser" on the
hotel clerk who in an earlier issue may have learned about "Captain Marvel's"
alien origin. Though the eraser is untested on humans, Mar-Vell hopes it
will do the man no harm other than a "disturbing feeling one has lost a piece of
the past". But he is being stalked by the mutated Metazoid, who somehow
manages to jump on top of the taxicab and ride along without Mar-Vell, Chester
or anyone else hearing or noticing. The remarkably unobservant locals also
don't pay attention when the Metazoid crashes through a hospital wall to
confront "Lawson" and demand that he accompany the creature. "Lawson" has
his own reasons for wanting to avoid attention, but "if Walter Lawson,
scientist, can NOT fight-- Captain Marvel, super-hero of Earth, CAN!"
"Lawson" makes a seemingly suicidal leap away from the Metazoid, and before it
can pursue, the creature is accosted by hospital guards who have finally noticed
the strange goings-on and aren't sure whether they are fighting a "nutty lab
animal" or an "escaped hallucination from the alcoholic ward"! The
Metazoid brushes aside the guards, only to be attacked by the green and white
clad apparition calling himself "Captain Marvel". Mar-Vell is baffled by
his opponent, since Kree researches on Earth indicate that creatures with such
strength "ought to have died with Earth's prehistoric eras!" Nonetheless,
our quasi-hero expects his own enhanced Kree strength to win the day, but
discovers an annoying attribute of his foe; "My fists-- they STICK to this beast
as to wet DOUGH! I cannot FREE myself! What MADNESS is this?"
Even if he doesn't like his new form, the Metazoid is convinced that his
stick-to-it-iveness and other exceptional abilities will inevitably defeat this
costumed upstart, freeing him to continue seeking out his prey "Walter
Lawson". Mar-Vell makes a jet-powered leap into the sky, hoping to defeat
his enemy by an aerial assault, but the Metazoid hangs on like a limpet and
batters at his foe. And overhead, Yon-Rogg watches on a viewscreen and
roots for the Metazoid, hoping that the creature will eliminate his arch-rival
once and for all!
The Metazoid's super-strength and unbreakable grip are
indeed more than a match for Mar-Vell's Kree abilities and
weaponry. Mar-Vell bitterly reflects that after being sent to
"subvert the growing scientific and military power of an advanced people," he
appears to be doomed by "a monstrous brute that has barely stepped from the dark
cave of evolution!" (He doesn't realize that the Metazoid is actually a
product, however inadvertent, of human "scientific and military power".)
Perhaps, thinks Mar-Vell, "Yon-Rogg will strike a medal for this beast-- my
ASSASSIN!" He also doesn't realize that the only reason he is not
already dead is the inner humanity of the creature he battles, who doesn't want
to be an "assassin" even though that appears to be the only way to accomplish
his mission and win his outward humanity back.
Mar-Vell's
jet-powered suit is unable to hold the weight of both himself and the Metazoid
aloft, and both crash back to Earth. When they land in such a way that the
Metazoid's body cushions the fall enough for Mar-Vell to survive, our hero
begins to get a glimmer that maybe his foe isn't a primitive bent on his death
after all. But both of them still have missions they must fulfill, at
whatever cost to the other! And now, suddenly, Mar-Vell has an idea how to
defeat his foe. He lures the Metazoid into the hospital's radiology lab,
where he bombards the Metazoid with radition from an X-ray device. The
Kree warrior has recalled another foe once battled by the Kree, the "Vintar of
Galaxy-7". These alien beings were of "a non-finite cell structure" that
"nothing could penetrate or destroy". But at the last minute, the Kree
space fleet tried attacking the Vintar army with "giant X-ray cannons" and
discovered that that one form of radiation was the only thing that could cause
this enemy to "crumble". And so it is with the Metazoid, whom
Mar-Vell quickly discovers is not only defeated but dead! (Though one
might wonder how he can be so sure that such a bizarre life-form is actually
dead. I don't recall the Metazoid ever reappearing, though.)
Regretfully, Mar-Vell suspects the truth about his foe; "Could it be that IT,
like CAPTAIN MAR-VELL, was on some grim and ghastly mission at which its SOUL
rebelled? Was it.. or HE... a mere PAWN in some larger, deadlier game-- a
victim of men MORE ruthless but LESS courageous than he?" You got it, Marv, but
you'll never know for sure, as you still have to complete your mission of
insuring that the "mind erasure" on the human Jeremy Logan has succeeded.
As he confirms that the eraser has done its job without harming the patient,
hospital orderlies burst in and demand to know what he-- viewed by many as a new
superhero but nonetheless sought by the police-- is doing there. "I was
merely checking this man's BLUE CROSS coverage, Doctor! My apologies to
the police, but tell them CAPTAIN MARVEL had no time to WASTE!" As the
doctors check on Logan and find him awakening from his coma, albeit without some
of his memories, Mar-Vell rockets back into the sky, headed for the Kree
ship. As an image of the tragic and tortured Metazoid appears behind him
in the clouds, Mar-Vell wonders if he really is guilty of the treason of which
the evil Yon-Rogg accuses him. "Will you let a few brief moments on the
soil of an alien world rob you of your PROUD identity? You are MAN
OF THE KREE-- and THAT you must never FORGET!" And the final caption warns
him to "beware the rising TIDE of understanding and sympathy for your
ENEMY-BY-EDICT! For in those surging waters, you yourself may well be
DROWNED--!!"
Mar--Vell's position as an alien agent with divided
loyalties indeed put him in a tough position-- and not one that writers (Drake
remained on the strip through issue #12 and then was replaced by another Marvel
second-stringer, Gary Friedrich, for #13-15) could maintain indefinitely.
Eventually in issue #11, Yon-Rogg got the goods on Mar-Vell and put him before a
Kree firing squad, but our hero was (supposedly) rescued by a super-alien named
Zo who offered Mar-Vell greatly increased super-powers and revenge on Yon-Rogg
in return for becoming his servant. Then Zo turned out to be a "humbug"
(read his name backwards) and with CM #17, the book was taken over by Roy Thomas
and Gil Kane, as it was evidently decided to try to salvage the strip with a
return of first-line talent and a completely revised premise. That was
when Mar-Vell-- gifted with a new, primarily red costume-- was exiled in the
Negative Zone and empowered to return to Earth temporarily by changing places
with perennial teen sidekick Rick Jones. (All of which gave him a certain
slightly suspicious resemblance to the original Captain Marvel, with his red
costume and juvenile alter ego.) That version was cancelled after
three issues, briefly revived and cancelled again after two more-- then revived
again to feature early work by artist/plotter Jim Starlin. Eventually Starlin,
who had sort of a death fixation, killed off Mar-Vell by the mundane means of
cancer, in the noted "Death of Captain Marvel" graphic novel. Through it all,
though-- at least in my present-day opinion-- Captain Mar-Vell himself never
really became an interesting character in his own right worthy of carrying on a
famous name. Meanwhile, DC revived the real Captain Marvel under the
SHAZAM! logo, but Marvel stubbornly hung on to the Captain Marvel trademark and
has applied the name to one character after another without any of them finding
great success (though I liked the African-American energy powered heroine who
was part of Roger Stern's AVENGERS run in the 80's).
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Showing posts with label Captain Marvel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Captain Marvel. Show all posts
Captain Marvel #17: "And A Child Shall Lead You!"
Captain Marvel #17
"And A Child Shall Lead You!"
October, 1969
STAN LEE: Editor
ROY THOMAS: Writer
GIL KANE: Artist
DAN ADKINS: Embellisher
ARTIE SIMEK: Letterer
The Supreme Intelligence is speaking to Mar-Vell. The Kree warrior had
returned to Earth for revenge on Yon-Rogg... but this has been delayed
--!! In his travels, Mar-Vell now finds himself trapped in the heart of
the Negative Zone!! As he wonders if he is beyond hope, the overmind of
the Kree Galaxy tells him about a possible way out... "And A Child Shall
Lead You!"
The Kree man now sees through the eyes of the Supreme Intelligence... and
watches as a costumed teenager runs along the alleys of the city. The
youngster is Rick Jones, not much older than Mar-Vell when he first
became an officer. The youth is well on his way to manhood. Rick pauses
only to greet a stray pooch, and senses a kindred soul. The boy has been
searching for his partner and wants to know why Captain America has been
avoiding him. The teenager's unease would hardly be abated if he know
that it is the Red Skull who has used the Cosmic Cube to change places
with the Living Legend of World War II.
These bits of information would be learned about much later. After
bidding goodbye to the pooch, Rick continues to stake out Cap's hotel,
and knows that the Avenger has forbidden anyone from seeing him. The
teenager sees a familiar figure walking onto the adjacent rooftop, and he
is eager to solve this particular mystery. Rick Jones wishes to speak
with Captain America, but it would seem that the shield-slinger has no
desire to speak with the youth. SKAK! The costumed teenager receives
the back of the hero's hand, instead.
The backhanded slap has done something to Rick's head, for he is soon on
his way to Avenger's Mansion, where he is greeted by Jarvis. The
faithful butler is startled to learn what has happened between the boy
and his partner. After packing his costume, he offers Jarvis a meek
farewell, and assures him that Earth's Mightiest Heroes need not shed any
tears for him.
Rick Jones remembered the part he had played in the origin of the
Incredible Hulk. He was the one who Doctor Banner asked to look after
him, as well as leading the ham radio hobbyists in the Teen Brigade.
This was not enough for the orphaned boy, who would soon find himself
heeding the call --
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE! Now alongside a Thunder God, a transistorized titan,
a modern-day goliath, and the resurrected hero from an earlier decade, it
would not be so long before Rick disappear from their midst. It was the
Hulk who had needed him once more... but the day came when the bestial
brute would lash out at his only friend. The teen's life was saved by
Captain America, who decided to turn the Hulk's sidekick into his own
partner. This proved to be beyond the Avenger's abilities, and Rick
found himself alone once again.
The teenager is about to embark on a great adventure, but without the
benefits of an Avenger's I.D. card. Wherever he ends up, it will be on
his own terms. After two hours of trying to thumb a ride, a truck slows
down, and Rick sees that his own luck has started to change. The moment
has arrived for Mar-Vell to act.
The diesel truck drops off the hitchhiker in a deserted area, with only a
headache for company. After feeling the wind bearing down on him, the
youth starts to head for shelter, and then sees that he is not alone.
The glowing figure before him is all-too familiar.
Amid the lightning, Captain America reaches out to Rick Jones, then turns
to run in the opposite direction. Not wanting to be left alone again,
the teenager goes off in pursuit of the star-spangled hero.
As fast as he runs, the image of Captain America remains a few steps
ahead of Rick Jones. Not so much a living being, but a phantom memory
which continues to elude him.
The glowing figure continues in the lead, with the teenager refusing to
admit defeat. He sees that "Cap" has entered a nearby cave, and knows
that this might be some sort of trap.
As he runs into the cave, the faint glow is his only lead to the end of
the dark tunnel. Strange equipment... eerie lightning... and graven
images of beings from another world greet his gaze. The glowing Avenger
is waiting for him in the doorway, where the answers may be found.
Once inside, the costumed figure disappears before Rick's eyes, but
before it fades completely, "Cap's" hands point out towards a pair of
bracelets. They seem to be pulsing with light energy and he cannot
resist the urge to try them on. The bracelets fit as though they were
made for him, and Rick Jones sees the face of a stranger before him.
When it asks him to slam his wrists together as hard as possible, the
youth does as he is bidden.
KTANG! He can feel something happening to him -- as if he were no longer
Rick Jones -- but instead, Captain Marvel!! The Kree warrior is now free
from the Negative Zone! Free!
It is now the teenager sidekick who finds himself in a weightless state
of the Negative Zone. Unlike Mar-Vell, Rick Jones will not remain
trapped there for long. Thanks to the Nega-Bands, the bracelets which
provided the escape from the radiation which had transported him there.
He had believed the bands to be forbidden, as does Yon-Rogg, for the
Nega-Bands grant the wearer great powers. Mar-Vell's archenemy would
covet such power, and has lusted for them during his long trip to Earth.
It was he who caused the death of Medic Una, she who had loved Mar-Vell.
The Kree warrior confronts his former commanding officer. He gauges the
distance between himself and Yon-Rogg, as he would against the accursed
Skrulls. The commander pauses only to make certain that his shot will
count... or else it will be his only one. As he does so, Mar-Vell closes
in!!
Still suffering some side-effects from his stay in the Negative Zone, the
Kree warrior is too late, but he manages to survive a blast from a proton
gun. Although his own voice is filled with fear, Yon-Rogg manages to
cause a rockslide with his weapon. The boulders do not hold back
Mar-Vell for long. As he flees towards the waiting ship, the commander
remembers how he had trailed the youth -- the instrumentation tracking
Mar-Vell's mental energies. It was at this deserted Kree outpost where
Yon-Rogg had sought power, but must now make his escape like an
Earth-dog.
If he is not the one who wears the Nega-Bands, the Kree commander will
make certain that no one else will. VAROOOOMM The Kree cruiser has
achieved liftoff, with Mar-Vell unable to pursue it on foot. With the
Nega-Bands in his possession, it isn't long before the Kree Warrior
learns that he now has the power of flight. Yon-Rogg's cruiser is fast
approaching escape velocity, and Mar-Vell's chances for revenge are also
fading rapidly.
With the Kree warrior in pursuit, Yon-Rogg sees on the monitor how the
mud ball has made Mar-Vell soft, and sees a chance to end his life.
EEEEEEEEEEEE The sounds of a woman's screams are heard in the night sky,
as Carol Danvers is thrown from the fast-moving ship. As he reaches out
for her, the Kree warrior knows that the Earth woman must live, even if
Yon-Rogg makes his escape. It is then that he hears not the sound of
breathing, but of ticking!! The figure in his arms is not Carol Danvers
-- nor is it remotely human. It is a bomb about to exploooo...
The sheer force of the explosion would have turned another person to so
much atoms, but Mar-Vell is still alive -- alive! He has begun to fall
-- with the Nega-Bands no longer supporting him! Once he has regained
his senses, the Kree Warrior is able to remain aloft again. The
bracelets enable the wearer to channel mental energy into the physical...
just as his own atoms in the Negative Zone were exchanged with the
positive ones of Rick Jones. Even with these newfound powers, he was
unable to get his revenge. The silver-haired Kree hears the voice in his
mind calling out...
Rick wonders when he'll be allowed to get out and stretch his legs.
Mar-Vell assures him that it is not his intention to imprison him for
life. KTHANG! A slamming of wristbands and Rick Jones is once again
among the living. After the exchange of atoms, both warrior and youth
have sensed a meeting. They now know one another intimately and share
each other's dreams. The teenager knows that their paths will cross
again with that of Yon-Rogg... even if it takes them the rest of their
lives...! "And it may, Rick Jones... it may..." "...Unless Yon-Rogg
finds the two of you first!!"
On the cover of Captain Marvel #17 by Gil Kane and Dan Adkins, both
Captain America and Rick are struck by the sight of the Sensational New
Captain Marvel.
When we meet Mar-Vell in the Negative Zone, the Supreme Intelligence is
keeping him company, and one wonders when the moment will come when the
Kree man will snap.
The pooch is as friendly and as frisky as the one which hangs out with
Gunner and Sarge.
Captain America's run-in with the Red Skull and the Cosmic Cube lasted
from Captain America #114 (June, 1969) to Captain America #119 (November,
1969).
During the course of the story, we get to see up the nostrils of the
characters, and marvel at the art of Gil Kane.
The Simekian sound effects must have left a ringing in many a reader's
ears.
Rick Jones first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 (May, 1962).
The teenager was there when Captain America was found by Earth's
Mightiest Heroes in Avengers #4 (March, 1964).
After being threatened by the Hulk, Rick's life was saved by the
star-spangled Avenger in Captain America #110 (February, 1969).
Justice, like lightning, and Captain America e'er shall appear.
The lightning and the unearthly statues harken back to the origin story
of another boy and another Captain Marvel.
Instead of a magic word, two Kree bracelets enable Rick Jones to change
places with Captain Mar-Vell.
Trapped in the Negative Zone, the teenager probably feels like sitting on
the Rock of Eternity.
In the space of one panel and a lengthy caption, the Kree warrior could
have jumped his former commanding officer before he uttered his third
"Yon-Rogg."
I wonder if Rascally Roy had seen Vincent Price in "Doctor Goldfoot and
The Bikini Machine" before sitting down to write this story?
The Kree commander's taste in exotic, explosive weaponry would explain
his lust for power and how Yon-Rogg deals with loneliness on those long
trips to Earth.
After the explosive "Carol Danvers" goes off, Mar-Vell could have saved
his life by talking to himself, and end up landing on some soft word
balloons to break his fall.
Rick Jones is given the chance to "shake his groove KTHANG" in the battle
of the Nega-Bands.
In the "Mail It To Mar-Vell" letters page, Peter Sanderson, Jr. of
Milton, Mass writes:
"Hail O Marvel-lous Masters:
I don't know where you're taking us with CAPTAIN MARVEL, but I'm sure
I'll like the trip. Whereas some editors would let CM continue forever
in his former state, always narrowly evading execution by the Kree, you
people had the common sense to realize you've exhausted that theme. You
also realized that in order for CM to battle the Kree, his powers had to
be increased.
But what happens when CM begins serving Zo? Will Mar-Vell again have
attacks of conscience and try to both obey Zo and not kill any innocent
beings? Will Mar-Vell battle to save Earth from the Kree while Earth
looks upon him as a menace for stealing that missile? If he does, then
first won't he have to escape from Zo - and if so, how? Will Zo have
Mar-Vell leave Earth? Will space villains prove as colorful as Earth
super-villains? If Mar-Vell does leave Earth he should, like Thor,
return every so often. Whatever you do, I wish you luck."
The editor replies:
"And,with the list of problems and decisions that you just tossed our
way, Pete, we're gonna need it!
Actually, as you've no doubt noticed, several of your points have been
resolved, now that the secret of Zo has been revealed. But, others
remain - and still more may be lurking just around the corner. We'll
just have to ask you to stick around for a few more issues, lad, and see
if you don't end up thanking us for the ride! Fair 'nuff?"
This issue is one of Hoy Murphy's favorites, and mine as well.
I've been looking for this particular bit of treasure ever since I read
What If #12: "What If Rick Jones Had Become The Hulk?" (December, 1978).
It was in this issue where I first read about Rick Jones's meeting with
Captain Mar-Vell. The creative team was Don Glut, Sal Buscema, Bill
Black, George Roussos, and Bruce D. Patterson.
Like Dave Blanchard, I read the Giant-Size Captain Marvel issue (which I
got last year at Wondercon) and was impressed by the Gil Kane art.
David Edge pointed out the Mar-Vell/Rick Jones interaction and I liken
this to the Green Lantern/Green Arrow relevancy issues done by Denny
O'Neil and Neal Adams.
Tom Lammers liked the Captain when he first appeared in Marvel
Super-Heroes, but then the character degenerated/regenerated into other
incarnations before too long.
Our Pal Hoy remembers that several pages were cut out from the Giant-Size
Captain Marvel issue.
I agree with Hoy that Roy and Gil did right by Mar-Vell, as they did with
Adam Warlock.
Who is the number one fan of Hank Pym, the Ant-Man? Our Pal Hoy or Our
Pal Tom?
Allen Smith remembers the art of Kane, Starlin, Milgrom, and Broderick,
as well as the day the Mar-Vell died.
Jack Selegue swiftly pointed out that while there's death, there's also
life model decoys, too.
Ed Coyote remembers the Thomas/Kane Captain Mar-Vell, then tries to
forget about the Wayne Boring/Mike Esposito version, and segues into the
art of Jim Starlin.
JK Carrier remembers Rick Jones being on candid camera time, while
Mar-Vell was busy chewing up the scenery in the Negative Zone.
Even with cosmic awareness and a change in hair color, the Kree Captain
was surrounded by a family of characters by the time of Starlin.
This Review Is Dedicated To Our Pal Hoy Murphy
Steve Chung
"And A Child Shall Review You!"
"And A Child Shall Lead You!"
October, 1969
STAN LEE: Editor
ROY THOMAS: Writer
GIL KANE: Artist
DAN ADKINS: Embellisher
ARTIE SIMEK: Letterer
The Supreme Intelligence is speaking to Mar-Vell. The Kree warrior had
returned to Earth for revenge on Yon-Rogg... but this has been delayed
--!! In his travels, Mar-Vell now finds himself trapped in the heart of
the Negative Zone!! As he wonders if he is beyond hope, the overmind of
the Kree Galaxy tells him about a possible way out... "And A Child Shall
Lead You!"
The Kree man now sees through the eyes of the Supreme Intelligence... and
watches as a costumed teenager runs along the alleys of the city. The
youngster is Rick Jones, not much older than Mar-Vell when he first
became an officer. The youth is well on his way to manhood. Rick pauses
only to greet a stray pooch, and senses a kindred soul. The boy has been
searching for his partner and wants to know why Captain America has been
avoiding him. The teenager's unease would hardly be abated if he know
that it is the Red Skull who has used the Cosmic Cube to change places
with the Living Legend of World War II.
These bits of information would be learned about much later. After
bidding goodbye to the pooch, Rick continues to stake out Cap's hotel,
and knows that the Avenger has forbidden anyone from seeing him. The
teenager sees a familiar figure walking onto the adjacent rooftop, and he
is eager to solve this particular mystery. Rick Jones wishes to speak
with Captain America, but it would seem that the shield-slinger has no
desire to speak with the youth. SKAK! The costumed teenager receives
the back of the hero's hand, instead.
The backhanded slap has done something to Rick's head, for he is soon on
his way to Avenger's Mansion, where he is greeted by Jarvis. The
faithful butler is startled to learn what has happened between the boy
and his partner. After packing his costume, he offers Jarvis a meek
farewell, and assures him that Earth's Mightiest Heroes need not shed any
tears for him.
Rick Jones remembered the part he had played in the origin of the
Incredible Hulk. He was the one who Doctor Banner asked to look after
him, as well as leading the ham radio hobbyists in the Teen Brigade.
This was not enough for the orphaned boy, who would soon find himself
heeding the call --
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE! Now alongside a Thunder God, a transistorized titan,
a modern-day goliath, and the resurrected hero from an earlier decade, it
would not be so long before Rick disappear from their midst. It was the
Hulk who had needed him once more... but the day came when the bestial
brute would lash out at his only friend. The teen's life was saved by
Captain America, who decided to turn the Hulk's sidekick into his own
partner. This proved to be beyond the Avenger's abilities, and Rick
found himself alone once again.
The teenager is about to embark on a great adventure, but without the
benefits of an Avenger's I.D. card. Wherever he ends up, it will be on
his own terms. After two hours of trying to thumb a ride, a truck slows
down, and Rick sees that his own luck has started to change. The moment
has arrived for Mar-Vell to act.
The diesel truck drops off the hitchhiker in a deserted area, with only a
headache for company. After feeling the wind bearing down on him, the
youth starts to head for shelter, and then sees that he is not alone.
The glowing figure before him is all-too familiar.
Amid the lightning, Captain America reaches out to Rick Jones, then turns
to run in the opposite direction. Not wanting to be left alone again,
the teenager goes off in pursuit of the star-spangled hero.
As fast as he runs, the image of Captain America remains a few steps
ahead of Rick Jones. Not so much a living being, but a phantom memory
which continues to elude him.
The glowing figure continues in the lead, with the teenager refusing to
admit defeat. He sees that "Cap" has entered a nearby cave, and knows
that this might be some sort of trap.
As he runs into the cave, the faint glow is his only lead to the end of
the dark tunnel. Strange equipment... eerie lightning... and graven
images of beings from another world greet his gaze. The glowing Avenger
is waiting for him in the doorway, where the answers may be found.
Once inside, the costumed figure disappears before Rick's eyes, but
before it fades completely, "Cap's" hands point out towards a pair of
bracelets. They seem to be pulsing with light energy and he cannot
resist the urge to try them on. The bracelets fit as though they were
made for him, and Rick Jones sees the face of a stranger before him.
When it asks him to slam his wrists together as hard as possible, the
youth does as he is bidden.
KTANG! He can feel something happening to him -- as if he were no longer
Rick Jones -- but instead, Captain Marvel!! The Kree warrior is now free
from the Negative Zone! Free!
It is now the teenager sidekick who finds himself in a weightless state
of the Negative Zone. Unlike Mar-Vell, Rick Jones will not remain
trapped there for long. Thanks to the Nega-Bands, the bracelets which
provided the escape from the radiation which had transported him there.
He had believed the bands to be forbidden, as does Yon-Rogg, for the
Nega-Bands grant the wearer great powers. Mar-Vell's archenemy would
covet such power, and has lusted for them during his long trip to Earth.
It was he who caused the death of Medic Una, she who had loved Mar-Vell.
The Kree warrior confronts his former commanding officer. He gauges the
distance between himself and Yon-Rogg, as he would against the accursed
Skrulls. The commander pauses only to make certain that his shot will
count... or else it will be his only one. As he does so, Mar-Vell closes
in!!
Still suffering some side-effects from his stay in the Negative Zone, the
Kree warrior is too late, but he manages to survive a blast from a proton
gun. Although his own voice is filled with fear, Yon-Rogg manages to
cause a rockslide with his weapon. The boulders do not hold back
Mar-Vell for long. As he flees towards the waiting ship, the commander
remembers how he had trailed the youth -- the instrumentation tracking
Mar-Vell's mental energies. It was at this deserted Kree outpost where
Yon-Rogg had sought power, but must now make his escape like an
Earth-dog.
If he is not the one who wears the Nega-Bands, the Kree commander will
make certain that no one else will. VAROOOOMM The Kree cruiser has
achieved liftoff, with Mar-Vell unable to pursue it on foot. With the
Nega-Bands in his possession, it isn't long before the Kree Warrior
learns that he now has the power of flight. Yon-Rogg's cruiser is fast
approaching escape velocity, and Mar-Vell's chances for revenge are also
fading rapidly.
With the Kree warrior in pursuit, Yon-Rogg sees on the monitor how the
mud ball has made Mar-Vell soft, and sees a chance to end his life.
EEEEEEEEEEEE The sounds of a woman's screams are heard in the night sky,
as Carol Danvers is thrown from the fast-moving ship. As he reaches out
for her, the Kree warrior knows that the Earth woman must live, even if
Yon-Rogg makes his escape. It is then that he hears not the sound of
breathing, but of ticking!! The figure in his arms is not Carol Danvers
-- nor is it remotely human. It is a bomb about to exploooo...
The sheer force of the explosion would have turned another person to so
much atoms, but Mar-Vell is still alive -- alive! He has begun to fall
-- with the Nega-Bands no longer supporting him! Once he has regained
his senses, the Kree Warrior is able to remain aloft again. The
bracelets enable the wearer to channel mental energy into the physical...
just as his own atoms in the Negative Zone were exchanged with the
positive ones of Rick Jones. Even with these newfound powers, he was
unable to get his revenge. The silver-haired Kree hears the voice in his
mind calling out...
Rick wonders when he'll be allowed to get out and stretch his legs.
Mar-Vell assures him that it is not his intention to imprison him for
life. KTHANG! A slamming of wristbands and Rick Jones is once again
among the living. After the exchange of atoms, both warrior and youth
have sensed a meeting. They now know one another intimately and share
each other's dreams. The teenager knows that their paths will cross
again with that of Yon-Rogg... even if it takes them the rest of their
lives...! "And it may, Rick Jones... it may..." "...Unless Yon-Rogg
finds the two of you first!!"
On the cover of Captain Marvel #17 by Gil Kane and Dan Adkins, both
Captain America and Rick are struck by the sight of the Sensational New
Captain Marvel.
When we meet Mar-Vell in the Negative Zone, the Supreme Intelligence is
keeping him company, and one wonders when the moment will come when the
Kree man will snap.
The pooch is as friendly and as frisky as the one which hangs out with
Gunner and Sarge.
Captain America's run-in with the Red Skull and the Cosmic Cube lasted
from Captain America #114 (June, 1969) to Captain America #119 (November,
1969).
During the course of the story, we get to see up the nostrils of the
characters, and marvel at the art of Gil Kane.
The Simekian sound effects must have left a ringing in many a reader's
ears.
Rick Jones first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #1 (May, 1962).
The teenager was there when Captain America was found by Earth's
Mightiest Heroes in Avengers #4 (March, 1964).
After being threatened by the Hulk, Rick's life was saved by the
star-spangled Avenger in Captain America #110 (February, 1969).
Justice, like lightning, and Captain America e'er shall appear.
The lightning and the unearthly statues harken back to the origin story
of another boy and another Captain Marvel.
Instead of a magic word, two Kree bracelets enable Rick Jones to change
places with Captain Mar-Vell.
Trapped in the Negative Zone, the teenager probably feels like sitting on
the Rock of Eternity.
In the space of one panel and a lengthy caption, the Kree warrior could
have jumped his former commanding officer before he uttered his third
"Yon-Rogg."
I wonder if Rascally Roy had seen Vincent Price in "Doctor Goldfoot and
The Bikini Machine" before sitting down to write this story?
The Kree commander's taste in exotic, explosive weaponry would explain
his lust for power and how Yon-Rogg deals with loneliness on those long
trips to Earth.
After the explosive "Carol Danvers" goes off, Mar-Vell could have saved
his life by talking to himself, and end up landing on some soft word
balloons to break his fall.
Rick Jones is given the chance to "shake his groove KTHANG" in the battle
of the Nega-Bands.
In the "Mail It To Mar-Vell" letters page, Peter Sanderson, Jr. of
Milton, Mass writes:
"Hail O Marvel-lous Masters:
I don't know where you're taking us with CAPTAIN MARVEL, but I'm sure
I'll like the trip. Whereas some editors would let CM continue forever
in his former state, always narrowly evading execution by the Kree, you
people had the common sense to realize you've exhausted that theme. You
also realized that in order for CM to battle the Kree, his powers had to
be increased.
But what happens when CM begins serving Zo? Will Mar-Vell again have
attacks of conscience and try to both obey Zo and not kill any innocent
beings? Will Mar-Vell battle to save Earth from the Kree while Earth
looks upon him as a menace for stealing that missile? If he does, then
first won't he have to escape from Zo - and if so, how? Will Zo have
Mar-Vell leave Earth? Will space villains prove as colorful as Earth
super-villains? If Mar-Vell does leave Earth he should, like Thor,
return every so often. Whatever you do, I wish you luck."
The editor replies:
"And,with the list of problems and decisions that you just tossed our
way, Pete, we're gonna need it!
Actually, as you've no doubt noticed, several of your points have been
resolved, now that the secret of Zo has been revealed. But, others
remain - and still more may be lurking just around the corner. We'll
just have to ask you to stick around for a few more issues, lad, and see
if you don't end up thanking us for the ride! Fair 'nuff?"
This issue is one of Hoy Murphy's favorites, and mine as well.
I've been looking for this particular bit of treasure ever since I read
What If #12: "What If Rick Jones Had Become The Hulk?" (December, 1978).
It was in this issue where I first read about Rick Jones's meeting with
Captain Mar-Vell. The creative team was Don Glut, Sal Buscema, Bill
Black, George Roussos, and Bruce D. Patterson.
Like Dave Blanchard, I read the Giant-Size Captain Marvel issue (which I
got last year at Wondercon) and was impressed by the Gil Kane art.
David Edge pointed out the Mar-Vell/Rick Jones interaction and I liken
this to the Green Lantern/Green Arrow relevancy issues done by Denny
O'Neil and Neal Adams.
Tom Lammers liked the Captain when he first appeared in Marvel
Super-Heroes, but then the character degenerated/regenerated into other
incarnations before too long.
Our Pal Hoy remembers that several pages were cut out from the Giant-Size
Captain Marvel issue.
I agree with Hoy that Roy and Gil did right by Mar-Vell, as they did with
Adam Warlock.
Who is the number one fan of Hank Pym, the Ant-Man? Our Pal Hoy or Our
Pal Tom?
Allen Smith remembers the art of Kane, Starlin, Milgrom, and Broderick,
as well as the day the Mar-Vell died.
Jack Selegue swiftly pointed out that while there's death, there's also
life model decoys, too.
Ed Coyote remembers the Thomas/Kane Captain Mar-Vell, then tries to
forget about the Wayne Boring/Mike Esposito version, and segues into the
art of Jim Starlin.
JK Carrier remembers Rick Jones being on candid camera time, while
Mar-Vell was busy chewing up the scenery in the Negative Zone.
Even with cosmic awareness and a change in hair color, the Kree Captain
was surrounded by a family of characters by the time of Starlin.
This Review Is Dedicated To Our Pal Hoy Murphy
Steve Chung
"And A Child Shall Review You!"
Captain Marvel #36: "Watching and Waiting..."
Captain Marvel #36
"Watching and Waiting..."
January, 1975
S. Englehart
Starlin & CO.
T. Orzechowski
B. Mantlo
R. Thomas
On the moon, the Watcher is viewing an image of Captain Marvel. On
Earth, Al Milgrom begins pencilling his first issue, working to produce
the next chapter in Captain Marvel's life, and time grows short. Ah, the
pleasures of making comic books. On planet Earth, grown men are pulling
at their hair, see the deadline on the wall, and yell for a reprint. In
the Blue Area of the Moon, the Watcher begins to smile.
Marvel Super-Heroes #12
"The Coming of Captain Marvel!"
December, 1967
Stan (The Man) Lee and Gene (The Dean) Colan
Embellished By: Frank Giacoia
Lettered By: Artie Simek
Relished By: Steve Chung
It is dawn as a Kree warship makes its way towards an unsuspecting planet
Earth -- one which has just crossed over half a universe from its
homeworld. Yon-Rogg orders Captain Mar-Vell to don his battle suit,
with Medic Una giving him the necessary breathing potion. The medic
wonders about the rest of the landing party, but the Kree captain will be
the only one on the mission. Both of them know that the Colonel is in
love with Una, and as long as this is so, he will do everything he can to
keep them apart. The medic also knows that alone on such a mission,
Mar-Vell is not expected to come back alive.
Yon-Rogg orders the medic to prepare the breathing potion, which the
Captain drinks down without further delay. The potion will enable him to
breathe without his helmet for sixty minutes. The security belts are
fastened and the ship's aura of negativism is activated.
SHOOOM! Before the ship can reach the ground, a light beam solidifies,
and cushions the impact of the landing. The Colonel tells the Captain to
depart, but Mar-Vell knows that he is allowed 30 seconds to say his
goodbyes. Una promises to be faithful, and as he dons the protective
helmet, Mar-Vell vows to return to her. The medic weeps and hopes that
the Supreme Intelligence will watch over her beloved. He knows that her
love will strengthen him for the journey.
Alone on an alien world, the Kree Captain knows that his air-jet belt
will enable him to defend himself against the inhabitants. Since Earth's
gravity is lighter than on homeworld, his strength will be greater than
any earthling. This is true as long as Mar-Vell continues to wear his
uniform. He is carrying Earth-styled clothing in a carry-all cylinder,
and his own strength will decrease in direct proportion to exposure to
Earth's atmosphere.
The Captain sets his mind on the mission involving Earth, where Kree
Sentry #459 has been destroyed. When Ronan the Accuser arrived to
investigate the matter, he was beaten by the Fantastic Four. Mar-Vell
must succeed where the Accuser has failed. The memories end, as the Kree
Captain comes upon an isolated missile base. With their radar, the
radiation factor in his battle suit may be detected. Even as he leaves
the area, the countdown begins... blast off!
BUHROOM! The roar is felt and smoke is seen ,as the missile heads
skyward, but soon changes direction. The flight is scrubbed and the
self-destruct command is implemented. This was no malfunction, systems
were go, and an investigation is soon underway.
The Geiger counter detects radiation in the area, and must have affected
the missile's guidance system. Mar-Vell knows that he only has minutes
before they can figure out what's happened. In the weightless gravity,
he begins to leap, and hopes to be out of the area. The Kree Captain is
not ready for battle, but his movements have just been spotted.
It's not a bird... it's not a light plane...it's some sort of flying man!
The security units scramble for their jeeps and all are aware what
happened during the test. They soon sight the flying figure and open
fire.
SPTEEE! The air-jet belt and light gravity enable Mar-Vell to avoid the
deadly shot. Not willing to endanger his mission, the Kree Captain
resorts to using his universal beam blaster. With the safety off, he
sets it at a wide-angle arc. RRRRRRRAK!
BTOWWW! SPTWEE The black light catches Mar-Vell's attackers and blinds
them temporarily. He is able to make his escape, thanks to his beam
blaster. Although mankind has learned to deal with atomic energy, they
lack familiarity with the most basic weapon in the Kree galaxy.
At a nearby highway, the Kree Captain changes to some Earth-style
clothing and will be able to breathe without his helmet for one hour. He
is given a lift to the next town. Fortunately, Mar-Vell was given some
of the local currency so that he could find shelter at a hotel. The desk
clerk asks him to sign the register and the white-haired man uses the
name of "Marvel." After entering the room and resting on the bed, he
wonders what will happen with Una and Yon-Rogg. As he places this
thought out of his mind, Mar-Vell's wrist begins aching.
Yon-Rogg is responsible for the Captain's sudden paralysis, as the Kree
ship begins the transferral.
The wrist monitor has been sent and Mar-Vell is able to move once more.
Only the Colonel can have the monitor removed, and the Kree Captain will
never truly be free.
BEEEE BEEEE BEEEE A signal from the Kree homeworld is now being received
on the wrist monitor. The Imperial Minister of the Supreme Intelligence
reminds Mar-Vell what's at stake and it will mean his life if he should
fail. With the hour up, the Kree Captain dons his battle helmet, and
rolls up the curtain. With no sign of the Kree ship, Mar-Vell is now
truly alone -- with the fate of a world on his shoulders.
This was the origin of the Kree man's arrival on Earth. He came from
space, garbed in the colorful uniform of the warrior, and would soon pass
judgement. The actions of Colonel Yon-Rogg led to the death of Una...
causing Mar-Vell to become a fugitive, sought by beings from other
planets. The Kree Captain found revenge, then was cleared by the Supreme
Intelligence itself... bestowing on him a new uniform... mere moments
before being sent into the Negative Zone... where he was stranded...
until he was freed by sharing existence with a teenager named Rick Jones.
The warrior then fought for Earth... until a mysterious being known as
Eon granted him the gift of cosmic awareness... and made the Kree
warrior... into the protector of the universe entire.
Now, the Watcher clenches his fist, and knows that Mar-Vell will soon
learn the location of the Lunatic Legion's base -- on the moon -- in the
Watcher's home. Captain Marvel will arrive and learn the identity of the
one who wishes for his death. Then he, the Watcher, will be forced to
slay Captain Mar-Vell.
On the cover of Captain Marvel #36, the protector of the universe entire
suffers the wrath of the Watcher... a fill-in issue with a reprint?
I miss these Dreaded Deadline Doom issues with fill-ins and reprints by
guest creative teams. In many cases, this was the only way to learn
about issues that I had missed the first time around.
Tom Orzechowski was kind enough to sign this very issue for me.
With the exception of Yon-Rogg and Mar-Vell, the two other men on the
crew are bald.
If they were to make a movie about the early days of Mar-Vell, I'd love
to see Chris Barrie (Rimmer on Red Dwarf) as Colonel Yon-Rogg.
If a B-movie about Captain Mar-Vell had appeared in the 1960's, I'd like
to have seen Jeff Chandler as the Kree Captain.
The breathing potion looks like a Long Island ice tea to me.
Right now, the only aura of negativism to be seen is on certain comic
book storylines.
Mar-Vell is well-versed on space regulations and I'm sure he would know
about the minimum period for hails between Captains and Medics.
Una invokes the Supreme Intelligence as a protective deity to watch over
her beloved. Since the Kree have been depicted as a militaristic
society, this makes a lot of sense.
The Kree Captain carries a change of clothes in his carry-all cylinder,
not neatly stored in a ring, where it would expand when in contact with
the air. (Holy Flash In The Pan, Batman!)
The air-jet belt is impressive, but a Legion Flight Ring works just as
well.
The universal beam blaster functions in much the same way as the Black
Diamond employed by the villain known as Eclipso.
The art of Alan Weiss appears in the sequences introducing and concluding
the reprint from Marvel Super-Heroes #12.
What could drive the Watcher to commit murder? Maybe they raised his
cable rates?
In the Mail It To Mar-Vell letters page section, Brent Eric Anderson of
Campbell, California writes:
"Dear Jim, Steve, and Roy,
I trotted downtown to ye olde comic shoppe and purchased a small fortune
in magazines, among which was the 34th issue of Captain Marvel. There
shone a fantastic cover by Jim Starlin and I looked inside to find out if
crazy Marvel had changed the interior artist again. Nope, it's still
Starlin with his way-out, world-shattering plots and dynamic,
muscle-bound pencilling, so I bought a copy and lit out for home to read
it. I read six pages and then (FOOM!), in the sixth panel I saw some
crazily written towns' names on a directional mileage sign. I pondered
them for a minute and figured what they said: "This issue is the end."
Well, needless to say, I flipped immediately to the last page, and there
the question was posed, "Well, is this the end of Captain Marvel...
again?" I went back and read the rest of the issue, and I am now in a
quandary:
Is Jim subtly trying to tell fandom that he doesn't intend to write or
draw CM anymore? Or is it just a ruse to get people like me to write? I
truly hope that it's not the former reason, because Captain Marvel when
drawn and plotted by Jim, is one of the few comics magazines I truly
enjoy and look forward to every other month, so you can see I would hate
to see it leave the comic scene. Could you clear this up for me, please?
I would like to comment on Jim Starlin's artwork, at this point. His
layouts and innovations show an immensely fertile imagination, and I
really enjoy the dynamic muscle-bound figures that stretch majestically
across the pages of Captain Marvel in a style reminiscent of some of the
early Gil Kane masterpieces, but Starlin has gone beyond Kane and into
the realm of the Sterankos and the Eisners in illustrative technique.
Although he's not my favorite comic artist, I truly idolize his unique
pulse-pounding genre and story-telling approach and delivery.
I thank you."
Roy replies:
"Oh that Starlin.
Well, as we explained last time, #34 was Jim's last work as the man
behind Captain Marvel. Feeling that perhaps killing off the hero wasn't
a clear enough signal of his impending departure, he did indeed decide to
spell out his intent on those posts (ableit backwards). But he's hard at
work on the second issue of Warlock now. That series has been scheduled,
and you won't be Starlin-less for very long - while we firmly maintain
that you won't have to watch a good thing die in these pages. So
rejoice, pilgrim! Things are actually looking up!"
Roy also wrote:
"See... in one of those foolish foul-ups Merry Marvel is famous for, the
artwork for said story was sent to the wrong party (a totally non-plussed
Don Perlin) and by the time a mailbox-watching Steve Englehart rang an
alarm, it was too late to write and ink and color and edit and engrave
and ship and... well, you get the idea.
But a retrospective on Mar-Vell's life thus far isn't a bad idea at this
juncture in his career, and the framing sequence a bedazzled Bay Area
Bullpen put together overnight might be more than mildly interesting, and
next issue is a beautiful piece of work (and we know, 'cause it's all
been recovered by this time - so things didn't work out all that badly,
after all).
P.S. We'll make it up to ya next summer, though, Marvelite! The
powers-that-be just decided to make CM seven-times-a-year. Now, that
extra issue won't put us back on schedule for nine months, but it's
better than nothing, right?"
At this year's San Diego Comic-Con, Brent Anderson was surprised to see
this issue, and was glad to sign the letters page for me. The Astro City
artist was glad to see that he had won the bet.
Steve Chung
"Watching and Reviewing..."
January, 1975
S. Englehart
Starlin & CO.
T. Orzechowski
B. Mantlo
R. Thomas
On the moon, the Watcher is viewing an image of Captain Marvel. On
Earth, Al Milgrom begins pencilling his first issue, working to produce
the next chapter in Captain Marvel's life, and time grows short. Ah, the
pleasures of making comic books. On planet Earth, grown men are pulling
at their hair, see the deadline on the wall, and yell for a reprint. In
the Blue Area of the Moon, the Watcher begins to smile.
Marvel Super-Heroes #12
"The Coming of Captain Marvel!"
December, 1967
Stan (The Man) Lee and Gene (The Dean) Colan
Embellished By: Frank Giacoia
Lettered By: Artie Simek
Relished By: Steve Chung
It is dawn as a Kree warship makes its way towards an unsuspecting planet
Earth -- one which has just crossed over half a universe from its
homeworld. Yon-Rogg orders Captain Mar-Vell to don his battle suit,
with Medic Una giving him the necessary breathing potion. The medic
wonders about the rest of the landing party, but the Kree captain will be
the only one on the mission. Both of them know that the Colonel is in
love with Una, and as long as this is so, he will do everything he can to
keep them apart. The medic also knows that alone on such a mission,
Mar-Vell is not expected to come back alive.
Yon-Rogg orders the medic to prepare the breathing potion, which the
Captain drinks down without further delay. The potion will enable him to
breathe without his helmet for sixty minutes. The security belts are
fastened and the ship's aura of negativism is activated.
SHOOOM! Before the ship can reach the ground, a light beam solidifies,
and cushions the impact of the landing. The Colonel tells the Captain to
depart, but Mar-Vell knows that he is allowed 30 seconds to say his
goodbyes. Una promises to be faithful, and as he dons the protective
helmet, Mar-Vell vows to return to her. The medic weeps and hopes that
the Supreme Intelligence will watch over her beloved. He knows that her
love will strengthen him for the journey.
Alone on an alien world, the Kree Captain knows that his air-jet belt
will enable him to defend himself against the inhabitants. Since Earth's
gravity is lighter than on homeworld, his strength will be greater than
any earthling. This is true as long as Mar-Vell continues to wear his
uniform. He is carrying Earth-styled clothing in a carry-all cylinder,
and his own strength will decrease in direct proportion to exposure to
Earth's atmosphere.
The Captain sets his mind on the mission involving Earth, where Kree
Sentry #459 has been destroyed. When Ronan the Accuser arrived to
investigate the matter, he was beaten by the Fantastic Four. Mar-Vell
must succeed where the Accuser has failed. The memories end, as the Kree
Captain comes upon an isolated missile base. With their radar, the
radiation factor in his battle suit may be detected. Even as he leaves
the area, the countdown begins... blast off!
BUHROOM! The roar is felt and smoke is seen ,as the missile heads
skyward, but soon changes direction. The flight is scrubbed and the
self-destruct command is implemented. This was no malfunction, systems
were go, and an investigation is soon underway.
The Geiger counter detects radiation in the area, and must have affected
the missile's guidance system. Mar-Vell knows that he only has minutes
before they can figure out what's happened. In the weightless gravity,
he begins to leap, and hopes to be out of the area. The Kree Captain is
not ready for battle, but his movements have just been spotted.
It's not a bird... it's not a light plane...it's some sort of flying man!
The security units scramble for their jeeps and all are aware what
happened during the test. They soon sight the flying figure and open
fire.
SPTEEE! The air-jet belt and light gravity enable Mar-Vell to avoid the
deadly shot. Not willing to endanger his mission, the Kree Captain
resorts to using his universal beam blaster. With the safety off, he
sets it at a wide-angle arc. RRRRRRRAK!
BTOWWW! SPTWEE The black light catches Mar-Vell's attackers and blinds
them temporarily. He is able to make his escape, thanks to his beam
blaster. Although mankind has learned to deal with atomic energy, they
lack familiarity with the most basic weapon in the Kree galaxy.
At a nearby highway, the Kree Captain changes to some Earth-style
clothing and will be able to breathe without his helmet for one hour. He
is given a lift to the next town. Fortunately, Mar-Vell was given some
of the local currency so that he could find shelter at a hotel. The desk
clerk asks him to sign the register and the white-haired man uses the
name of "Marvel." After entering the room and resting on the bed, he
wonders what will happen with Una and Yon-Rogg. As he places this
thought out of his mind, Mar-Vell's wrist begins aching.
Yon-Rogg is responsible for the Captain's sudden paralysis, as the Kree
ship begins the transferral.
The wrist monitor has been sent and Mar-Vell is able to move once more.
Only the Colonel can have the monitor removed, and the Kree Captain will
never truly be free.
BEEEE BEEEE BEEEE A signal from the Kree homeworld is now being received
on the wrist monitor. The Imperial Minister of the Supreme Intelligence
reminds Mar-Vell what's at stake and it will mean his life if he should
fail. With the hour up, the Kree Captain dons his battle helmet, and
rolls up the curtain. With no sign of the Kree ship, Mar-Vell is now
truly alone -- with the fate of a world on his shoulders.
This was the origin of the Kree man's arrival on Earth. He came from
space, garbed in the colorful uniform of the warrior, and would soon pass
judgement. The actions of Colonel Yon-Rogg led to the death of Una...
causing Mar-Vell to become a fugitive, sought by beings from other
planets. The Kree Captain found revenge, then was cleared by the Supreme
Intelligence itself... bestowing on him a new uniform... mere moments
before being sent into the Negative Zone... where he was stranded...
until he was freed by sharing existence with a teenager named Rick Jones.
The warrior then fought for Earth... until a mysterious being known as
Eon granted him the gift of cosmic awareness... and made the Kree
warrior... into the protector of the universe entire.
Now, the Watcher clenches his fist, and knows that Mar-Vell will soon
learn the location of the Lunatic Legion's base -- on the moon -- in the
Watcher's home. Captain Marvel will arrive and learn the identity of the
one who wishes for his death. Then he, the Watcher, will be forced to
slay Captain Mar-Vell.
On the cover of Captain Marvel #36, the protector of the universe entire
suffers the wrath of the Watcher... a fill-in issue with a reprint?
I miss these Dreaded Deadline Doom issues with fill-ins and reprints by
guest creative teams. In many cases, this was the only way to learn
about issues that I had missed the first time around.
Tom Orzechowski was kind enough to sign this very issue for me.
With the exception of Yon-Rogg and Mar-Vell, the two other men on the
crew are bald.
If they were to make a movie about the early days of Mar-Vell, I'd love
to see Chris Barrie (Rimmer on Red Dwarf) as Colonel Yon-Rogg.
If a B-movie about Captain Mar-Vell had appeared in the 1960's, I'd like
to have seen Jeff Chandler as the Kree Captain.
The breathing potion looks like a Long Island ice tea to me.
Right now, the only aura of negativism to be seen is on certain comic
book storylines.
Mar-Vell is well-versed on space regulations and I'm sure he would know
about the minimum period for hails between Captains and Medics.
Una invokes the Supreme Intelligence as a protective deity to watch over
her beloved. Since the Kree have been depicted as a militaristic
society, this makes a lot of sense.
The Kree Captain carries a change of clothes in his carry-all cylinder,
not neatly stored in a ring, where it would expand when in contact with
the air. (Holy Flash In The Pan, Batman!)
The air-jet belt is impressive, but a Legion Flight Ring works just as
well.
The universal beam blaster functions in much the same way as the Black
Diamond employed by the villain known as Eclipso.
The art of Alan Weiss appears in the sequences introducing and concluding
the reprint from Marvel Super-Heroes #12.
What could drive the Watcher to commit murder? Maybe they raised his
cable rates?
In the Mail It To Mar-Vell letters page section, Brent Eric Anderson of
Campbell, California writes:
"Dear Jim, Steve, and Roy,
I trotted downtown to ye olde comic shoppe and purchased a small fortune
in magazines, among which was the 34th issue of Captain Marvel. There
shone a fantastic cover by Jim Starlin and I looked inside to find out if
crazy Marvel had changed the interior artist again. Nope, it's still
Starlin with his way-out, world-shattering plots and dynamic,
muscle-bound pencilling, so I bought a copy and lit out for home to read
it. I read six pages and then (FOOM!), in the sixth panel I saw some
crazily written towns' names on a directional mileage sign. I pondered
them for a minute and figured what they said: "This issue is the end."
Well, needless to say, I flipped immediately to the last page, and there
the question was posed, "Well, is this the end of Captain Marvel...
again?" I went back and read the rest of the issue, and I am now in a
quandary:
Is Jim subtly trying to tell fandom that he doesn't intend to write or
draw CM anymore? Or is it just a ruse to get people like me to write? I
truly hope that it's not the former reason, because Captain Marvel when
drawn and plotted by Jim, is one of the few comics magazines I truly
enjoy and look forward to every other month, so you can see I would hate
to see it leave the comic scene. Could you clear this up for me, please?
I would like to comment on Jim Starlin's artwork, at this point. His
layouts and innovations show an immensely fertile imagination, and I
really enjoy the dynamic muscle-bound figures that stretch majestically
across the pages of Captain Marvel in a style reminiscent of some of the
early Gil Kane masterpieces, but Starlin has gone beyond Kane and into
the realm of the Sterankos and the Eisners in illustrative technique.
Although he's not my favorite comic artist, I truly idolize his unique
pulse-pounding genre and story-telling approach and delivery.
I thank you."
Roy replies:
"Oh that Starlin.
Well, as we explained last time, #34 was Jim's last work as the man
behind Captain Marvel. Feeling that perhaps killing off the hero wasn't
a clear enough signal of his impending departure, he did indeed decide to
spell out his intent on those posts (ableit backwards). But he's hard at
work on the second issue of Warlock now. That series has been scheduled,
and you won't be Starlin-less for very long - while we firmly maintain
that you won't have to watch a good thing die in these pages. So
rejoice, pilgrim! Things are actually looking up!"
Roy also wrote:
"See... in one of those foolish foul-ups Merry Marvel is famous for, the
artwork for said story was sent to the wrong party (a totally non-plussed
Don Perlin) and by the time a mailbox-watching Steve Englehart rang an
alarm, it was too late to write and ink and color and edit and engrave
and ship and... well, you get the idea.
But a retrospective on Mar-Vell's life thus far isn't a bad idea at this
juncture in his career, and the framing sequence a bedazzled Bay Area
Bullpen put together overnight might be more than mildly interesting, and
next issue is a beautiful piece of work (and we know, 'cause it's all
been recovered by this time - so things didn't work out all that badly,
after all).
P.S. We'll make it up to ya next summer, though, Marvelite! The
powers-that-be just decided to make CM seven-times-a-year. Now, that
extra issue won't put us back on schedule for nine months, but it's
better than nothing, right?"
At this year's San Diego Comic-Con, Brent Anderson was surprised to see
this issue, and was glad to sign the letters page for me. The Astro City
artist was glad to see that he had won the bet.
Steve Chung
"Watching and Reviewing..."
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