CAPTAIN MARVEL #31
"Wish List"
Mildly Recommended (6/10)
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Marvel Comics
Writer: Peter David
Artist: Derec Aucoin
Colors: Chris Sotomayor
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Price: $2.50 US/$4.00 CAN |
David offers up a nice, tidy little character study in this issue, and in the process, he also delivers an accessible issue. Mind you, the more cosmic aspects of the plot didn't really click for me. Back in the plus column, though, was another solid job from fill-in artist extraordinaire Derec Aucoin. This is a good jumping-on point for this series, but oddly enough, it's not exactly representative of the book's usual strength.
Marlo Jones is lying dead on the floor of her comic-book shop... for no apparent reason, no less. As the young guys in the shop try to revive her, Marlo flashes back to key moments in her life. All revolve around danger -- or to be more accurate, around the men who have led her down dangerous paths throughout her life. Moondragon establishes telepathic contact in order to guide Marlo back to the living world, but also to warn her of a new danger, one she poses to all reality.
Lately, Derec Aucoin has shone, and oddly enough, it's been in fill-in capacities on such books as DC's Adventures of Superman and CrossGen's Meridian. Here, he proves once again that he's the go-to guy in the industry when you need some stunning art, even if it's just for a single issue. I'm pleased than he's landed the regular art gig on Adventures of Superman, giving readers the chance to enjoy his work on a monthly basis.
David delves into what makes Marlo Jones tick, something even she hasn't been completely aware of. The scenes flashing back to her youth add a greater depth and credibility to her character. Mind you, by the time we reached the second example, I already saw the pattern emerging, and it detracted from the impact of the personal revelation. Furthermore, the groaningly literal interpretation of her "death wish" element took away from the personal tone of the story as well.
Peter David's punny humor is something I usually enjoy, but what little of it is to be found in this script didn't make me smile as usual. There was something missing from this issue, and that was the zaniness of the banter between pairs of characters. Usually, it's Rick and the title character, and sometimes the exchanges are between Marlo and Lorraine. The same sharp back-and-forth just isn't there between Marlo and Moondragon in this issue.
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