Captain Marvel #9 // Review
Writer Kelly Thompson continues to explore the human side of Captain Marvel as her powers fade. And she relies on the people in her life to help her stand firm. Artists Carmen Carnero and Tamra Bonvillain contribute some cute interactions between Carol and Rhodey. To create a story that's not as action-packed as Captain Marvel's usual fare. But one that's more emotionally meaningful instead. The installments creative team is rounded out by VC's Clayton Cowles as the letterer.
Things haven't been great for Carol since her return to the superhero scene, and it looks like her life's going to get worse before it gets better. She's still falling from grace in the public eye and falling from such great height is dangerous, especially when you can no longer fly. To try and save her reputation, Carol and Rhodey take to the sewers to track down Minn-Erva who claims she can help. Meanwhile, Jessica (Spider-Woman) and Tony race to figure out why Carol's powers aren't working.
The interactions between Carol and Rhodey felt much needed for both characters. They both need some downtime to rest, recover, and enjoy their relationship. It's great to see the couple reconnect with each other, and grab some rest. But there's a plot to move forward so they can't rest for long. From finding weird Kree tech to hunting down Minn-Erva's secret sewer lair. Thompson sets up a lot of plot threads that will push Carol to her limits both physically and mentally.
Bonvillain's coloring is well balanced. Scenes in the sewer, where Rhodey and Carol are searching for Minerva, are dark but not to the point where you can't make out the details of the scene. Carnero has clean linework and mostly has a good amount of detail in each panel. Occasionally there's less detail given to individual characters in larger scenes, but it balances out.
While Captain Marvel might be benched from fighting until her powers are sorted out, her story is far from boring. The creative team is exploring Carol as a well-rounded character; one who isn't fully human in her biology, but still fully human in her struggles and vulnerability. It's a side of the Captain that can be easy to forget about. As she's seen punching holes in spaceships and one-shotting monsters, but it's a side that we need to be reminded that she has.
