Classic Review: Marvel Masterworks- Captain Marvel Vol. 2

Quick Summary

Pros: Many of the stories in this book are enjoyable on their own. The artwork looks great in nearly every chapter.

Cons: The individual stories here do not flow into one another well and contain far too many shifts in the status quo. Plot points are introduced and dropped or introduced and executed in a lackluster fashion far too often.

Overall: Though this volume has some appeal to it, it also has enough problems to really take away from this appeal. This collection has a poor overall narrative, randomly drops the ball on previously introduced plot points, and experiences far too many dramatic changes to the status quo. These are problems that are too significant for a few solid stories and some good-looking artwork to cover up. This book may still be worthwhile for diehard fans of Captain Marvel but isn’t likely to truly appeal to many readers just looking for a good Silver Age comic collection.

Story

Marvel Masterworks: Captain Marvel Vol. 2 has its fair share of problems and really struggles with holding on to the reader’s interest. On an individual basis, many of the stories here range from average to slightly above average. They contain thrilling exploits and, typically, contain a unique moral quandary. However, as a whole, these stories jump around so much that it severely damages the overall narrative. Over the course of this book, Captain Marvel switches up his powers and loyalties multiple times and does so quite inconsistently. This creates a narrative where the reader is never quite sure if the important plot point they just read will still be important a few pages later. In the end, this book is alright and is an interesting spotlight into the past but isn’t something that most readers should seek out for pure entertainment purposes.

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Starting out with the positives, it is easy to say that many of the stories in Captain Marvel Vol. 2 are enjoyable on their own. The fight against the Man-Slayer is exciting, the Not Brand Echh chapter is a hilarious parody, and the bond between Rick Jones and Mar-Vell leads to some interesting character development. However, the two standout moments in this collection are Mar-Vell’s chaotic trip through the cosmos in Captain Marvel #15 and his final confrontation with the Supreme Intelligence in Captain Marvel #16. These issues form a satisfying arc that is everything one could ask for from a spacefaring superhero.

Unfortunately, problems start to arise throughout Captain Marvel Vol. 2 with the way these individual stories flow into one another. The very beginning of the collection has Mar-Vell in pretty much the same position he was in during the previous volume, then things are dramatically altered and he becomes an errand boy for a space wizard, then this plot point is revealed to be a lie and he is back to his role as a cosmic superhero. Then, in a bizarre final twist, he is randomly thrown into the negative zone and forced to share a body with Rick Jones. All of these plotlines have appeal on their own but jumping from one to the next in such a fashion is not pleasant at all.

These rapid changes to the status quo aren’t just inconvenient though, they also have negative repercussions on the stories. Plot points, like Captain Marvel’s power to create illusions or Yon-Rogg’s ability to revive Una, are introduced and then dropped without any explanation whatsoever. However, the most serious offense here is the lackluster final showdown between Captain Marvel and Yon-Rogg. This is a fight that has been teased since the series began, yet it goes by so quickly and with such little fanfare that it ends up feeling completely inconsequential. These problems add to the already existing problems in Captain Marvel Vol. 2 and make for an even more troubled reading experience.

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Art

Though the story has its fair share of problems, the artwork in Captain Marvel Vol. 2 is consistently positive from start to finish. The collection starts out with a couple of chapters from Dick Ayers and, then, Frank Springer. These hold over a consistent quality and style from the previous collection and match what is going on well. Then, Tom Sutton and Don Heck provide back to back chapters that take the work from the relatively normal world of planet Earth to the crazy expanse of the cosmos. These chapters are the artistic high-point of the collection and are a great example of how cool comics from this era could be. Finally, Gil Kane takes over for the last few issues and portrays a more lean and action-ready Captain Marvel. Together, all of these chapters help create a visually pleasing book that is enjoyable all the way through.

Continuity

Marvel Masterworks: Captain Marvel Vol. 2 continues the story from Marvel Masterworks: Captain Marvel Vol. 1 (Review).

The story here continues in Marvel Masterworks: Captain Marvel Vol. 3 (Review).

This volume also makes references to other comic books, detailed below:

• Black Widow’s fight against a mystery enemy, in Captain Marvel #12, continues on in Avengers #63, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Vol. 7.
• Iron Man’s recent adventures are mentioned in a narration bubble. These adventures are told in Iron Man #14, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Iron Man Vol. 6.
• The Puppet Master’s plans here started in Sub-Mariner #14, collected in Marvel Masterworks: The Sub-Mariner Vol. 4, and continue in Avengers #64, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Vol. 7.
• Ronan’s defeat by the Fantastic Four is mentioned here. This took place in Fantastic Four #65, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four Vol. 5 (Review).
• Captain America’s unusual actions in this volume are further explained by Captain America #116, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Captain America Vol. 4.
• Many elements from Rick Jones’s life are mentioned throughout this book. These include:
  • His partnership with the Hulk, from Incredible Hulk #3, collected in Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk Vol. 1.
  • The beginning of his association with the Avengers, which began in Avengers #1, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Vol. 1 (Review).
  • The beginning of his association with Captain America, which began in Avengers #4, collected in Marvel Masterworks: Avengers Vol. 1 (Review).