Every once in a while, a writer comes along that’s just perfect for the title they’re given, like Ed Brubaker on Captain America. Kelly Thompson is that writer for Captain Marvel, and issue #27 is another strong indicator of why.
The issue opens with Carol refusing to move from bed after her breakup with Rhodey. Right from the start, Thompson’s humor is on display with Jessica Drew as she bursts through the window to convince Carol to move. The chemistry these two have as a duo is always a treat and their dynamic is pure joy to read. It only gets better when the rest of the crew — Monica Rambeau, Hazmat, and Lauri-Ell — show up.
These pages aren’t just fun, they’re a great character study for who Carol is. Her breakup with Rhodey was just another example of how this character never believes she can be good enough, often self-sacrificing in her personal life. When Carol says she’ll distract herself by fighting aliens and monsters, it’s the perfect exemplification of who she is and how she handles this grief. If those panels didn’t get the message across enough, Jessica says it herself after a hilarious speed-dating exchange.
Marvel Comics
It’s these panels that prove just how well Kelly Thompson knows Carol’s character and how far she’s willing to push her. It’s clear this arc doesn’t end here and it’s just as clear that Rhodey was good for Carol, but perhaps she needs to fight for him instead of self-sabotaging her own happiness. This arc is exciting, in part because it’s clear Thompson will be pushing past Carol’s comfort zones to develop her character, having her discover what happiness means for her and why she constantly self-sabotages.
The interactions with Stephen Strange are fun, mostly because we know it’s going nowhere. It’s always fun to see a superhero hook-up like this that reads more like something used as fun trivia facts in the future rather than a real exploration of any kind of relationship. It makes sense for where Carol is right now and how she approaches her often-messy personal life. As a meaningless fling, it’s oddly fun and an obvious stepping stone in a much larger picture.
Captain Marvel #27 is just pure fun, and it’s hard to read the issue without smiling a few times. From the cast’s chemistry to the comedy of Jessica Drew’s disastrous but well-meaning attempts to cheer up Carol, this comic is kind of like a slice of life issue after the big plot.
Seeing David Lopez on Captain Marvel again is just a treat. His art is always expressive and it’s nice to see him back on the book after all this time. Thompson’s writing is pitch-perfect, exploring Carol’s character, setting up a larger plot, and introducing some fun dialogue.
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