Posted in: Comics, Marvel Comics | Tagged: a-force, Abigail Brand, alpha flight, avengers, captain marvel, Carol Danvers, Margaret Stohl, Marvel Comics, marvel legacy, michele bandini, puck, sasquatch, The Ultimates
Marvel Legacy Captain Marvel #125 Review: Alpha Flight Takes Off Once More
With the fall of Alpha Flight, Captain Marvel and her crew must decide what to do next. Earth still needs defending, but no one is willing to pay for another full-fledged space station at the moment.
Meanwhile, a shape-shifter is seen entering Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. Is it that shape-shifter?
Bean visits Carol once again, and something has changed. Bean's energy form looks different, and she warns Captain Marvel that bad things are on their way. Carol may need to unite her crew sooner than she realized.
One thing that definitely helps Captain Marvel work is how likable the ensemble cast of characters is. While Carol Danvers could easily carry a book alone, Brand, Puck, Sasquatch, Wendy, and the cadets are all really likable and charming people. It's easy to enjoy reading about them, and they support the fearless leader Captain Marvel well.
The story is interesting, even if Bean isn't exactly my favorite point for which a Captain Marvel plot to center around. I also long to see Carol Danvers cut loose, and this comic doesn't quite deliver on that yet. She's among the most powerful heroes of Earth, but you don't get to see her unleash as often as say Thor, Hulk, or the Thing.
However, the comic is good at making you want to see Alpha Flight pick itself off the ground and get back into the sky. That helps keep the comic compelling, even if the mystery of Bean may not quite do it for you.
That's not to say Bean isn't a likable character too; she's just not that great of a plot-focus. However, writer Margaret Stohl makes it work.
Michele Bandini's art is quite good. It's expressive and works well for humorous scenes. He's great at action scenes too, and his work has a definitively comic book-feel, too. Erick Arciniega is a solid color artist too, and he grooves off of Bandini's work well.
Captain Marvel #125 may not shake things up too much for Carol and Alpha Flight, but it is a good new beginning for the book. It relies a lot on what's been established, but it's still moving in a new and compelling direction to keep both old and new readers engaged. This one gets a recommendation. Definitely give it a read.