Space-Born Super Hero Part 17: Captain Marvel #14

Welcome back to "Space-Born Super Hero" and my ongoing look at the pre-Jim Starlin days of Marvel Comics' Captain Marvel. Today I'm looking at Captain Marvel #14: "When a Galaxy Beckons!" by Gary Friedrich and Frank Springer (inks by Vince Colletta). Captain Marvel has just saved Carol Danvers from the Man-Slayer but --oops!-- he's still wanted for treason and the soldiers at the Cape have been ordered to shoot on sight. Carol begs the Captain to surrender and clear his name through due process, but Mar-Vell doesn't think he can "take such a risk! How do I know I won't be shot the moment you leave my side?" Carol promises to vouch for him at his trial. Mar-Vell believes her, but he's not sure why he should bother with human laws when he could simply teleport himself to safety. "Yet, in spite of the love I feel for the slain Una... I am not without feelings for Carol Danvers!"

We switch scenes to a commercial airplane headed to Florida; aboard is Tony Stark, flirting with a stewardess. However on an island in the Caribbean, the Puppet Master has created a doll of Iron Man so that he can control the hero (this is part of a minor crossover with Avengers and Sub-Mariner in which Puppet Master, Egghead and the Mad Thinker have joined forces to take over the world, but the story remains confined to each individual title; at the time, Roy Thomas was writing the other two titles, not sure why Captain Marvel was roped in). As the Puppet Master plays with his Iron Man doll, Tony Stark is compelled to kill Captain Marvel; he enters the airplane's lavatory and dons his Iron Man armor then exits the airplane (which has a double airlock hatch, fortunately for the other passengers). But why does the Puppet Master want Captain Marvel killed? Is he the same person in the Caribbean who sent the Man-Slayer?

When Iron Man swoops in to the Cape and declares he's after Captain Marvel, Carol refuses to abandon the hero; Iron Man resolves he'll simply have to destroy her as well; he stuns Carol with his repulsor rays, then begins a slugfest with Captain Marvel. The soldiers at the Cape move in to aid Carol: "Miss Danvers' life is worth more than a thousand missiles!" says one soldier. Mar-Vell grabs the lasonic disintegrator which wrecked the Man-Slayer last issue and fires it at Iron Man, but it only stuns Iron Man for a few moments; Mar-Vell tries to increase the weapon's power, but accidentally wrecks his own weapon; shoddy Kree manufacturing. It seems Puppet Master is after the Cape's rocket because Egghead (over in Avengers) is using a space station and he wants to defend his ally. Tony Stark finally suffers a heart attack and collapses; realizing the man in the armor is wounded, Captain Marvel ends the fight and asks the Cape's soldiers to get medical help for Iron Man. Good work, Mar-Vell! It's nice to see our hero behaving nobly.

Angered by Iron Man's failure, the Puppet Master throws his Iron Man doll at a computer bank; it causes an explosion which would seem to kill the Puppet Master (if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you). To avoid further questions, Captain Marvel teleports away; Iron Man soon recovers from his heart attack and leaves the ambulance he was placed in. Mar-Vell finds himself in outer space, simply wandering... not certain where he's going (kinda like his series). Suddenly, Zo's voice appears and angrily demands Mar-Vell fulfill their bargain: get revenge on Yon-Rogg, already! His new instructions are for Mar-Vell to return to his home planet in the Kree galaxy. So, for the first time, we're going to see the Kree's home! We actually haven't seen the Kree galaxy beyond what was visible over Ronan's shoulder in various video calls. Zo shows Mar-Vell his home galaxy and tells him in the days ahead, "they hold for you the balance between life and death!"

Thoughts: So the Man-Slayer story comes to a rather muddled finish; the Black Widow turns up in Avengers #63, which is where the Egghead/Puppet Master/Mad Thinker plot is firmly established and the Thinker is identified as the one who sent the Man-Slayer. It's an odd kind of crossover for Captain Marvel as it doesn't really explain how to follow the storyline. Still, it led to a guest appearance by Iron Man, who is the first big guest star in this series since the Sub-Mariner.

Although Zo has made his return, I'm actually intrigued for once; the Kree haven't been very fleshed-out at this point and I'm interested to see Mar-Vell visit his homeworld and see his people's culture given some definition beyond would-be conquerors. However, the best part of this issue is the art by Frank Springer, who really goes to town with the outer space imagery - he's proving more adept at this book than I first supposed; I actually prefer Springer's art here over that of Gene Colan's earlier work.

Next: Mar-Vell's gone home, but it's a working vacation. Captain Marvel #15!

Space-Born Super Hero Part 16: Captain Marvel #13

Welcome back to my issue-by-issue examination of Marvel Comics' Captain Marvel in his pre-Jim Starlin days. Today I'm up to Captain Marvel #13. The previous issue was the farewell of writer Arnold Drake, who left just as a weird new status quo was introduced. This issue's story is titled "Traitors or Heroes?" and is written by Gary Friedrich with artist Frank Springer (inks by Vince Collettta). As we open, Captain Marvel and Walter Lawson have both been charged with treason (not sure how a non-US non-human citizen can be guilty of treason?). Mar-Vell realizes he's in a quite a fix now - he was already an outcast among the Kree, now it seems he's an outcast among humans too. While back at the Cape, the inert Man-Slayer suddenly gets back up and resumes its path of destruction towards the rocket (yep, like all the other robots in this series it can self-repair).

Mar-Vell is still in hiding as 'Walter Lawson' at the same hotel; what, and this wasn't the first place Carol Danvers' security team checked to find him? There's been enough time to publish magazines with Lawson's face on the cover calling him a traitor, but not to stakeout his hotel room? 'Lawson' has added a beard and glasses to help disguise himself but when he hears the Cape is under attack by the Man-Slayer again, he dons his battle-suit to stop it. However, things are different this time: the Man-Slayer has regained consciousness and is quite chatty (again, like all robots in this series) but it seems it is no longer under the control of the mysterious man in the Caribbean from last issue. Consequently, Man-Slayer has begun to question its orders; it knows it should destroy the rocket, but can't understand why. In its confused state, Captain Marvel has an easy time gaining the upper hand; the Man-Slayer doesn't even recognize Mar-Vell or understand why the hero is trying to stop it.

Amazingly, the Man-Slayer has a 'repulsor ray' in its hands, which I think is the first time someone other than Iron Man has used that weapon. So, is there a Stark Industries connection behind this robot (my curiosity has been piqued)? The soldiers at the Cape are confused at Captain Marvel's aid but finally decide to obey orders and try to shoot him down. Irritated, Mar-Vell decides to teleport to the Helion and see if he can pierce the security barrier protecting Yon-Rogg. One soldier is amazed by Mar-Vell's disappearance and remarks to a comrade, "It's like somethin' outta them Doctor Strange comics you're readin' all the time..."

Just as Mar-Vell arrives near the Helion, he sees it dock with a Kree supply ship, creating an opening in the Helion's force field. Seizing the opportunity he boards the craft and goes hunting for Yon-Rogg. Confronting his hated enemy, he tells Yon-Rogg, "You cannot imagine the anguish I have suffered while awaiting this moment, but..." however Yon-Rogg cuts him off and reminds him how he shifted his affections to Carol Danvers. Yeah, what about that, Marv? "This was in the line of duty, Colonel." Is he saying he kissed Carol in the line of duty? Cool story, bro. All at once, Yon-Rogg attacks Mar-Vell and begins besting him in hand-to-hand combat. "Nobility has always been... your greatest weakness!" Yon-Rogg gloats. Yeah, even though Mar-Vell is now vastly more powerful than before, the non-superhuman Yon-Rogg mops the floor with him. All of a sudden, Yon-Rogg decides now is the time to retroactively claim he was in a love triangle: "Had she never met you, she might well have loved me!" Yon-Rogg declares.

I have to admit, I always thought there Was a love triangle between Una, Yon-Rogg and Mar-Vell because of how the three are tied together in Mar-Vell's backstory, but it's only here, two issues after Una died that Yon-Rogg claims he had affection for her. And the big revelation here is that Yon-Rogg claims the Helion has a device aboard which can restore Una to life, which Yon-Rogg intends to use so Una will marry him. He might well be lying about the whole thing, but it does at least give Mar-Vell a reason not to kill him where he stands. To get Mar-Vell off the ship, Yon-Rogg shows him footage from the Cape (not sure how Yon-Rogg can monitor places on Earth without the wrist monitor Mar-Vell wore), showing the Man-Slayer about to attack Carol Danvers. "I will leave you to watch, Captain... and to suffer... then, in good time, I will kill you!" Um, yeah, Yon? Can I call you 'Yon'? You've been trying to kill Mar-Vell since his first appearance. You're very bad at it.

Mar-Vell grabs a switch on a wall which causes a giant device to fall from the rafters and crush Yon-Rogg (I suppose an Acme-brand anvil would have been too on-the-nose). Yon-Rogg survives this and Mar-Vell is confident his foe's injury can be healed "in the rejuvination tubes". Sure hope Una wasn't the only medical officer on the Helion. Mar-Vell turns his attention back to the Cape: "For, though I do not know why, I feel I must save Carol Danvers... or die in the attempt!" You don't know why? 13 issues in and you're still trying to find your motivation, Marv? After all that Carol has done for you? Anyway, grabbing a weapon from Yon-Rogg's arsenal (the lasonic disintegrater) Mar-Vell teleports to the Cape. The Man-Slayer is confident Mar-Vell won't shoot the gun at it for fear of hitting Carol, but Mar-Vell tells her he has to. "What happens to me doesn't matter," Carol replies, "...now that I know you care!" Mar-Vell's gun blasts one of the energy cables connected to the robot's head and renders it inert; for good, this time? Carol takes a bad jolt from the blast but survives and gives Mar-Vell a hug; I guess she forgives him for stealing that rocket a few months earlier. However, the soldiers on the base move in to arrest Mar-Vell, forcing Carol to make a decision... which will have to wait until next issue.

Thoughts: An improvement over the last few issues; if you didn't check the creator credits you might think Arnold Drake were still writing, but that's basically because Friedrich is careful to use the same characters and characterizations as Friedrich (aside from Yon-Rogg's claim of love for Una). Friedrich also helps salvage the book's current status quo, taking steps to restore Mar-Vell and Carol's friendship and giving Mar-Vell a reason not to have Yon-Rogg killed. He does seem to have forgotten about Mar-Vell's new power of casting illusions, but that was an odd power to give Marv in the first place.

Another recurring trend in Captain Marvel is to assign an artist who struggles to convey a science fiction setting; Gene Colan, Don Heck and Dick Ayers each struggled at times with the sci-fi trappings and I don't find Frank Springer to be all that at ease with it either, but he puts a lot more effort into detailing the environments of the Helion than his predecessors. There's reason for hope in this series... that is, if Friedrich & Springer were going to hang around for very long...

Next: Did someone say "repulsor rays"? Iron Man guest stars in Captain Marvel #14!