Ah, yes! The original Captain Marvel: Mar-Vell of the Kree. Who else remembers this guy? A few years back I would’ve fought for this guy to be the star of the new movie, maybe even grumbled when Kevin Feige confirmed that Carol would be the lead, but a lot changes in a few years. For my money the original Captain Marvel has never had an ongoing in the spotlight while I’ve been collecting (Ms. Marvel had far better odds at the time). I also never really cared for the character anyway (once again, Ms. Marvel had the edge). So really me vying for him in the first place makes no sense. I still respect the guy though! So I’m giving him his due. Here goes!
#spoilers
His first appearance unfolded in a couple issues of Marvel Super Heroes, concluding in the first of his initial ongoing. In it we witness his arrival to Earth on a recon mission in response to humanity’s repeated denial of the Kree’s might (usually courtesy of the Fantastic Four). We’re also introduced to the villainous Yon-Rogg, Mar-Vell’s superior who aims to bring about our hero’s ruin in order to claim the latter’s love, Una. It’s a classic Stan Lee love triangle.
Mar-Vell infiltrates a missile base, taking over a human guise named Walter Lawson, and then meets none other than… Wait for it….. Security Head CAROL DANVERS. Damn! Good for her. Even early on she was a person of authority. Maybe it’s been slightly retconned or she jumps careers, but it was a pleasant surprise. I didn’t expect to see her so early on.
At the same time Mar-Vell meets Carol, we get to see Sentry 459 being probed at the base after its fateful encounter with the FF. Doesn’t take long to clue into what’s about to happen. Yon-Rogg learns of the Sentry and revives it in hopes of killing Mar-Vell, and so begins an enormous battle.
It’s a solid start, and a run I’ll continue dipping into this month. It’s a sci-fi extravaganza with all the bells and whistles. If you have the opportunity to absorb some of the roots of Captain Marvel, do not hesitate to do so.
TL;DR: Yet another sizzling, spectacular story from the House of Ideas!
TL;DR Comics 