Captain Marvel No. 3 review: The revolution will not be televised

Captain Marvel is stuck in the toxic wasteland of Machus. Can she rally the Carol Corps one more time?

Captain Marvel No. 3

Writer: Kelly Thompson

Artist: Carmen Carnero

Colorist: Tamra Bonvillain

Cover: Amanda Conner & Paul Mounts

This Isn’t How She-Hulk Intended to Drop In!

After returning from a sabbatical, Captain Marvel was quickly sucked into a scheme which bridges two dimensions. Nuclear Man has opened up a portal over Roosevelt Island, transporting it into another dimension where time runs faster and in which he is the master of a dystopian nightmare. Carol selflessly pursued Machus once he kidnapped a journalist as a “war trophy,” and quickly found herself leading a woman’s rebellion that includes her pals Spider-Woman, Hazmat, and Echo! The only man of the group, Som, is shrouded in mystery.

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Yet another one of her friends and teammates, She-Hulk, has breached the portal. It seems to repel men from the outside world, which includes most of the Avengers. Jennifer Walters was able to cross the divide, and seemed poised to turn the tide of battle. Unfortunately, the same power-sapping energy which has effected Hazmat and Jessica Drew has also drained Jen of her gamma-strength. Carol is forced to perform a desperate rescue in the middle of battle against Metal-Men.

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Once Walters is safe, Carol has time to process what she’s learned during this battle. Machus’ robot minions have called Som “prince,” and seek Carol’s capture for the sake of Machus’ loins. As a clear reference to the infamous Avengers No. 200 from 1980, the notion of people wishing to kidnap, “marry,” and impregnate her against her will gets Captain Marvel rightly angered. Behind the flashy powers and pedigree, Danvers has endured and survived a lot of abuse and trauma.

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Can the Guy With the Mohawk Be Trusted?

As time goes on, Som continues to be an enigmatic figure. Despite his pure intentions, he carries with him one secret after the next. Even worse, he only reveals them when circumstances, or others, force him too. He confirms that he is, indeed, Nuclear Man’s son. His name is literally shorthand for “son of Machus.” Much like the Norman Osborn/Green Goblin, Machus merely sees his son as an extension of himself and his own terrible legacy, not as an independent being.

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This puts Captain Marvel and her allies in a difficult position. On the one hand, Som’s ties to their enemy plus his tendency to keep secrets make it difficult to trust him. On the other hand, their rebellion avidly relies on his intelligence of Machus’ forces, and he’s too good a soldier to merely lock up. Even Som’s recapture by Nuclear Man could prove to be a critical breach of their strategies thru him. As a result, Carol has to straddle a tightrope between needing Som without putting too much blind faith into him.

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Captain Marvel has more to worry about than Som. While she’s glad to be reunited with her fellow Avenger and A-Force member in Jennifer Walters, her lack of powers gives Carol someone else to worry about. There is still the mystery of why most of the super-heroines there have had their powers weakened or erased, yet Carol hasn’t. It seems nobody has figured out that all of the heroines without powers have radioactive power. Hazmat, the other person there named “Jennifer,” also frets about being overshadowed by the legendary Jade Giantess.

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Admiral Ackbar Is Always Right!

As both a superhero and a soldier, Carol knows that she can’t lead a revolution on defense. So she rallies her forces together and gives a speech that Captain America might be impressed by. Not only do they have to shatter Machus’ control, but they know his stronghold is where the rest of the men who were on Roosevelt Island are being held prisoner. In a manner in which only a montage will suffice, Carol and her super-friends train and coordinate the other women of the movement, to try to put together a fighting force capable of launching a counter-attack.

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It’s a task that Captain Marvel takes solemnly, and seriously. Building an army from ragtag survivors won’t be easy, especially not with dwindling supplies. And above all, Carol feels responsible for the fates of everyone there, and is unwilling to sacrifice anyone — not even Som. Against her suspicions, Carol chooses to trust him, even after Echo’s tail of him yields little new information. When Som offers a way into Machus’ headquarters, it is too good to pass up.

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Yet Carol’s no rookie, and knows a trap when she sees one. Taking Som and Spider-Woman with her, she expects a shoe to drop. As security alarms blare all over, Som reveals what may be his biggest, baddest secret. It was he who suggested Nuclear Man target Carol in the first place. While the radioactive sexist just wanted “breeding stock,” Som considered her the only heroine capable of defeating his father. Although she’s hardly thrilled, she realizes that Som was desperate, and not entirely mistaken. Carol can physically match Machus, and has rallied a revolt against him.

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The Roots of Mahkizmo!

Unfortunately, even with the best of intentions, Som totally led Carol into a trap. While the Metal-Men are still no match for her, it seems like Nuclear Man has another ally at his back. It turns out to be a figure both Carol and Kelly Thompson know very well. The southern belle of the X-Men herself, Rogue, has appeared. Is she yet another heroine who just so happened to be on Roosevelt Island? Or is this a parallel earth version, without any of the mercy of the original?

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Kelly Thompson, to a degree, is in familiar territory here. As indicated in previous reviews, it is not uncommon for her to offer an opening arc on a superhero comic with a plot revolving around a misogynist villain. The big difference between Captain Marvel and both Hawkeye and West Coast Avengers is that in this, Thompson didn’t have to create a new villain or heavily alter an old one. Machus the Nuclear Man has represented that toxicity since his debut in Fantastic Four No. 151 in 1974. His original code-name used to be “Mahkizmo,” after all.

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At the time, Mahkizmo was intended by writer Gerry Conway as a natural opponent to Thundra, who at the time represented “extreme feminism.” After all, the “woman’s liberation” moment was being played out on the streets in the 1970s and Marvel then, as now, drew inspiration from real life events. The biggest difference was that while Thundra at least had the moral high ground and at worst had to learn to compromise, there was never any compromise with Mahkizmo.

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Which Are Worse; Robot Minions or Online Trolls?

Somehow, this arc has become looped into the general “controversy” surrounding Captain Marvel, at least if “controversy” is defined as “a lot of little men are intimidated by assertive women online.” So perhaps it is best to get into what this story is not. It is not an indictment on “all men.” Neither Carol nor anyone in the story lashes out against masculinity in general, and avidly talk of their male allies who they want to save. Carol even risks her life in trusting Som. Secondly, Nuclear Man is not intended to be representative of “all men” any more than Red Skull is. He’s an evil man who enslaves others, kidnaps people and mistreats his son. He is nothing like Rhodey, or Rogers.

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A story in which a superhero finds themselves transported to a hellish dimension in which they rally the locals in righteous revolt is old hat. Mark Waid and Chris Samnee literally did this exact plot in Captain America last year. Planet Hulk has defined the titular character for years after he performed a similar feat. But even in smaller ways or shorter stories, nearly every male superhero has done this story at least once, from Superman to the Flash to many in between. Why is it suddenly “controversial” or “preaching” if a woman does it? Perhaps the answer in the minds of some is, sadly, obvious. Few fans minded when Ben Grimm would tell Machus how lame he was.

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While there is a lot of familiarity to this story — especially in its tribute to Mad Max: Fury Road — Thompson does deliver on some notable things in her execution. Although her Carol isn’t without doubt or introspection, she also has less insecurity than, say, Kate Bishop. Even when worried about the fates of her allies, Carol almost can’t help but inspire them. Her interactions with Som show that while Carol is no fool, she is willing to trust genuine actions or intentions over suspicion.

Great Dialogue Matched by Stunning Art!

As usual, there is some of Thompson’s trademark dialogue here and there. In between the crises, Hazmat gets to fret about being overshadowed by the appearance of She-Hulk. The reunion of the A-Force founders is good stuff, as Jennifer Walters once again proves she can do more than turn green. The usually cynical Echo finding herself inspired by Carol also makes for some good stuff. Even Som showcases a man who is obviously conflicted, yet trying to do the right thing and be better than his roots.

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The artwork by Carmen Carnero is nothing short of amazing. Enhanced by the colors of Tamra Bonvillain, Carnero proves once again she is more than worthy of a big-time superhero book. The action sequences and explosions are as spectacular as in any action movie, yet she also captures subtle emotion too. Carol has at times been accused of being too stoic, and Carnero captures the full range of reactions from her, from determination to doubt to even a hint of sass. It’s no wonder that Marvel Comics signed her to an exclusive contract to lure her from DC Comics last year!

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A Blemish Can’t Ground This Captain!

In fact the biggest demerit is an error in grammar. On the last panel of page eleven, Carol states in relation to the power loss of Hazmat and Walters that, “it’s tied to that damn energy barrier that keeps us all on this island.” This is a simple typo, and not the fault of Kelly Thompson; errors amid deadlines are not uncommon for a professional writer. The fault is on editors Sarah Brunstad and Wil Moss for not catching it. It isn’t a deal breaker but it does risk taking a reader out of the story. Carol’s habit for discussing her suspicions of Som while he is within earshot is also a tad odd.

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Next. Carol Travels a Fury Road in No. 2!. dark

Overall, this is proving to be an exceptional kickoff for Marvel Comics’ biggest solo heroines on what may be the start of her peak in popularity. It is a shame that real life events prove that Thompson’s continued focus on toxic masculinity being a clear and present danger isn’t mere repetition, but an insight into our current moment. It’ll remain to be seen what to make of Rogue, but it certainly does establish a showdown between the two which is a long time coming! While her regular setting from the debut was a great start, this arc showcases what Carol is all about.

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