Captain
Marvel vol. 5 #0Captain
Marvel vol. 5 #0
Title: “Halftime”
Writer: Peter David
Penciller: Chriscross
Inker: Anibal Rodriguez
Colors: Tom Smith
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Rick Jones sits in a diner trying to stare at his reflection, but instead he just sees the reflection of Genis. The waitress says that Rick must be an actor because only actors for that long. Rick isn’t really listening, but he snaps out of it. The waitress says that he seems a little down. Rick says that he is meeting his soon to be ex-wife. The waitress recognizes Rick and says that he is that Jones guy. Rick says that his name is Will Smith. The waitress says that if he needs anything that he should just call for her- Linda Hamilton. Rick thinks to himself that he wants to work it out with Marlo, but he doesn’t know how to tell Marlo that he is molecularly bonded to Captain Marvel.
Marlo is sitting on a bus in traffic. She thinks to herself that she could have walked there faster. Marlo wonders if Rick really thinks that they could work it out. She lifts the head of the drunken man who is asleep on her shoulder and puts a newspaper on her shoulder before putting his head back down. Marlo wonders who is craziest; Rick’s friends for dressing up in tights, Rick for taking the same risks without any powers, or her because she still loves Rick.
“Linda Hamilton” returns to Rick’s table with a menu for him. Rick starts freaking out as blood is pouring down the waitress’ face. He grabs a napkin, presses it to her forehead, and starts shouting for a doctor. “Linda” tells Rick that the napkin is clean. She says that whatever Rick is on is going to land him in a cell with Robert Downey Jr. Suddenly the window shatters. Rick grabs “Linda” and dives to the floor. The waitress starts shouting at Rick again. Rick thinks she is being an ingrate until he looks back and sees that the window is still in one piece. Rick talks to Genis inside his head. He asks Genis if he saw it too. Genis says that he sees the world through Rick’s eyes so of course he saw it. Rick asks if it might be some sort of illusion caster. Captain Marvel says that is impossible because their cosmic awareness would see through it instantly. Rick hears something outside and runs towards the door.
Outside Rick sees a giant dragon looking
creature. Genis tells Rick to let him out, but Rick says that he
has been at this game longer than Genis has and that he can
handle himself. The dragon roars into Rick’s face. Rick
smells the beast’s breathe and decides that maybe he ought
to let Captain Marvel out. Rick bangs his bracelets together and
shouts, “Shazam!” 
Genis asks him
what he said, and Rick explains that it is something Gomer Pyle
used to say. Captain Marvel starts to fly around with the dragon.
Genis sees a kid about to be crushed and flies down and saves the
kid. The kid tries to tell Genis that there is no trouble, but
Genis interprets that as the kid just having confidence in him.
Genis flies off. He picks up a bus and flies into the air. The
bus coincidentally is the one that Marlo is on. Genis puts the
bus down. Rick tells Genis that he should have a battle cry. Rick
tells Genis what to say and Genis shouts,
“O-wha-tahgoosiam”. Genis says that sounds catchy.
Genis takes a blast at the dragon. Inside the restaurant the
window explodes and “Linda” is now bleeding profusely
as Rick had foreseen.
Marlo tells the bus driver to let her off and that she can stop him. Marlo asks Genis what kind of crazy supervillain he is. Genis spots Marlo and says, “ Whoa. Hel-lo.” Rick tells Genis in his head that is Marlo and to not even think of it. Genis recalls that he met Marlo when he did “Catching Up with the Joneses”. Marlo remembers him to and says that he was Legacy or something. She says that she thought he was a good guy. Genis says that he is a good guy, and that he is saving them. Genis looks over and only sees the giant crater in the ground where he just blasted and no monster at all. He sees the window broken and the bleeding waitress. Genis tells Marlo that he is known as Captain Marvel now, but that his friends call him Genny. He says that believe it or not he saved people there today. Marlo just tells him to get out off there. Captain Marvel flies off and shouts, “O-what… tagoo… siam!”
Legacy rating: 7 out of 10.
An excellent start. Peter David says that he wanted the people who got #0 to feel like they got a real story without depriving those who couldn’t get a hold of one. I think he succeeded admirably. The story is entertaining while introducing the characters and opening a mystery for the regular series.
Chrisscross has a decent opening as well, but with this being the first time with the characters he seems to be working on the look.