I had a request for a Captain Marvel guide, so here you go! Carol Danvers has been since the 1960s. In recent years with the help of some amazing women artists, writers, and editors, she’s become Marvel’s foremost and well-known female superhero with her own movie coming out supposedly in 2019.
Carol Danvers wasn’t always Captain Marvel, that title held by many others in Marvel’s space themed comics, including the original Mar-Vell, a Kree warrior who died from cancer and one of Carol’s early love interests, his son Genis-Vell, his daughter Phyla-Vell, and the amazing Monica Rambeau. Carol has also had a complicated history at Marvel, becoming a feminist icon in the 1970s while also including one of the worst, grossest storylines that Marvel ever produced. (The Rape of Ms. Marvel)
Since 2012 when she shed her skimpy outfit, swapped out Ms. Marvel for Captain Marvel, and launched a solo title written by Kelly Sue DeConnick, she’s become an even more beloved heroine, especially among new readers and female readers looking for stories about other strong women in comics. I recommend starting with her solo series, especially Captain Marvel vol 7, before tackling any of the team comics.
For more guides on how to start reading Marvel comics and info on all the events I talk about, check out my Beginner’s Guide to Marvel Comics.
What you need to know: Carol Danvers is an ace fighter pilot who was inspired by a hero female fighter pilot Helen Cobb, a former US. Air Force officer, and worked for both the CIA and NASA. She had a relationship with the original Captain Marvel, Mar-Vell, and was caught in a blast from a Kree device that gave her similar powers. She is a long standing Avenger who has taken key roles in Avengers stories, including standing with Iron Man during Civil War, and leading the conflict in the new Civil War II event. She has used many monikers including Ms. Marvel, Binary, and Warbird, but took up the mantle of Captain Marvel in 2012. She has a close friendship with Spider-Woman/Jessica Drew that I absolutely adore, and has had romantic relationships with Mar-Vell and James Rhodes/War Machine.
Powers: The explosion left Carol a hybrid human/kree with super strength, speed, enhanced agility, resilience, and flight. She can shoot energy from her fists, she has a precognitive sense, and can absorb energy. She also has a Binary form where she possesses full cosmic awareness and incredible power, though it is difficult to maintain.
Ms. Marvel vol 2 #1-50 (2006) - While there’s a lot of great reading for Carol in the earlier stories, I’m going to start you with her second solo series that’s set around Civil War (which I encourage as a must read, especially for Carol’s story) and Secret Invasion.
MIGHTY AVENGERS VOL 1 #1-36 (2007) - After Civil War, the teams fractured until 2010. The Mighty Avengers were the team that did support Iron Man and signed the Registration Act, founding up Captain America’s supporters who didn’t want to be soldiers for the US government. This includes Ms. Marvel who was staunchly against Captain America’s side and for the Registration of all superheros.
NEW AVENGERS VOL 1 #1-64 (2005) - After Civil War, the other main Avengers team was the New Avengers, which included Hawkeye, Captain America (Bucky Barnes), Luke Cage, Spider-Man, and other heroes who refused to follow the Registration Act. In issue #48, Carol defected from the Mighty Avengers and joined the New Avengers who fought against Norman Osborn’s takeover in Secret Invasion and Dark Reign.
NEW AVENGERS VOL 2 #1-34 (2010) - Once the Avengers reunited in the Heroic Age, Luke Cage took over the New Avengers and his team included people like Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, Daredevil, and Ms. Marvel.
Captain Marvel vol 7 #1-17 (2012) - The Marvel NOW! relaunch of Carol Danvers as Captain Marvel, written by the fantastic Kelly Sue Deconnick is a great place for new readers. Start here, this is a really easy place for new readers to jump on and get to know Carol.
AVENGERS VOL 5 #1-44 (2013) - If you’re going to try and jump into the Avengers, vol 4 set during Heroic Age or vol 5 set during Marvel NOW! are both easier places for new readers. During this series, Carol rejoined the main Avengers team.
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE #1-25 (2013) - Launched during Marvel NOW!, this series was supposed to be a good entry point to new readers because it focused on the Avengers characters you see in the movies and introducing the comic based characters, including Captain Marvel.
Guardians of the Galaxy vol 3 #1-27 (2013) - Carol briefly joins the Guardians of the Galaxy, but she’s not a main player on the team.
Captain Marvel vol 8 #1-15 (2014) - Serving as the counterpoint to Carol’s galactic adventures with the Guardians of the Galaxy, this series, also by Kelly Sue DeConnick, focuses on Captain Marvel’s heroics on earth and takes you up to Secret Wars.
Captain Marvel and the Carol Corps #1-4 (2015) - During Secret Wars where all realities collided, Carol had her own pocket universe mini-series about an alternate reality in Battleworld.
A-FORCE VOL 1 #1-5 (2015) - Hey, everyone loves all-female teams of Avengers right? Absolutely! During the Events of Secret War, an all-female team fights in one of the many Battleworld fragments, a so called “feminist paradise”
A-FORCE VOL 2 #1-Current (2015-ONGOING) - More all-female Avengers with Captain Marvel and She-Hulk! Please buy this series since it’s ongoing.
THE ULTIMATES VOL 4 #1-Current (2016-ONGOING) - An ongoing series that contrary to its name, doesn’t take place in the Ultimates Universe. After the events in Secret War and how all the multiverse became one new universe, Captain Marvel, Black Panther, Miss America Chavez, and Monica Rambeau formed a team to handle enormous cosmic level threats. Please buy!
Captain Marvel vol 9 #1-Current (2016-ONGOING) - The currently published Captain Marvel solo series that has Carol taking over S.W.O.R.D., an organization like S.H.I.E.L.D. except that it handles threats from space! Please buy to keep this going.
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