CAPTAIN MARVEL #23
"Ruul of Thumb"
Recommended (7/10)
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Marvel Comics
Writer: Peter David
Pencils: ChrisCross
Inks: Anibal Rodriguez
Colors: Chris Sotomayor
Letters: Comicraft
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Price: $2.50 US/$3.75 CAN |
I'm always surprised and impressed at how well Peter David can combine silliness, serious and ethical themes, sci-fi fun, and down-to-earth characterization in the same script. The humor and philosophical elements of the book never seem to clash, despite being radically different in tone.
Captain Marvel is captured by Ronan the Accuser on the Kree homeworld, and he's thrown into a cell with Una-Rogg, a Kree woman who recently tried to kill him using her seductive powers. Those powers have been eliminated, and she's scheduled to undergo another procedure to remove her ability to experience pleasure, reducing her to the status of all other Kree (or Ruul, as they've come to be known) women: emotionless slaves. Meanwhile, Lorraine continues to make her way across the U.S. to reunite with her family, while Moondragon makes an unusual request of Marlo.
Just as the script achieves an unusual balance between conflicting tones, so does ChrisCross's art. He conveys the energy and dynamics of the cosmic clash between the title character and Ronan, but he also boasts an expressiveness that bolsters the emotion and humor. And it seems as though Chris Sotomayor is doing work on much more than just one book these days, and that's a welcome development, given the strength of his work as a colorist.
The central plot -- featuring Captain Marvel's quest to restore Rick Jones's youth and health -- was quite accessible, and given how convoluted the plotline is, that's no small feat. Unfortunately, other aspects of the book -- like Marlo's connection to Moondragon and Lorraine's attempts to resume her life -- can't make the same claim. I've followed this series on and off, so I picked up on most of it, but new readers would have had some trouble with those aspects of the script. It's too bad, because they are strong and entertaining subplots.
David gives his readers two great reasons to pick up this issue. As always, it's hilarious. Yep, he sure can make with the yuks, but he also offers up a thought-provoking look about how cultures so often mistreat its female members. It's poignant, but not sappy, and it challenges the reader.
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