Captain Marvel vol. 5 #11Captain Marvel vol. 5 #11
Title: “Together Again for the First Time!”
Writer: Peter David
Penciller: Jim Starlin
Inker: Al Milgrom
Colors: Steve Oliff
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Captain Mar-Vell tells Thanos that the path of destruction that he has cut through the universe ends here. He says that his null-field bomb has been smashed, he has been mortally wounded, and his power source has been destroyed. Mar-Vell says that there is no use trying to make some grandstand play because he is done. Thanos is watching over a monitor. Blood is flowing from Thanos’ back and chest. Thanos says that he is just getting warmed up. Mar-Vell says that it is not too late to end this with some shred of dignity. Thanos tells him to worry about himself. Mar-Vell’s face goes starry. He says that something is wrong. Mar-Vell flies off and asks Thanos what he has done now. Thanos says to himself that he hasn’t actually done anything, but that he has always known how to take advantage of any situation. Mar-Vell flies out to a tear in reality waiting for whatever menace Thanos supposedly has coming after him.
In out reality, Rick Jones is making funny faces at Marv by reflecting off Surfer’s chest. Marv says that Rick is being very mature. Rick says that he just saved the day, and stopped the senseless killing of an Earth girl. He says that he thinks that he is entitled to have a little fun. Surfer asks Marv what Rick is saying, and Marv lies and says that Rick is apologizing for acting like an idiot. Surfer asks Moondragon if she is sure that she is with them voluntarily. Moondragon says that she is starting to wonder. She says that she is wondering about the nature of Kelly’s skewing probability powers. Moondragon says that Kelly was first coming into her powers when Marv merged with Jones and became cosmically aware. Marv sees what Moondragon is getting at and says that because of Kelly things happened differently than they should have. For example Rick and Marv switch within the Microverse instead of the Negative Zone. Moondragon says that Marv was probably particularly vulnerable to disruption because his cosmic awareness stems from the very core of realities. Surfer says that her powers caused further problems. Surfer points to a tear in the fabric of reality. Surfer says that if left unattended the consequences could be dire.
Marv says that he senses something in there that he can’t describe. Jones asks if it is the sound of millions of voices crying out in terror and being suddenly silenced. Marv says no so Rick asks how important it could be. Marv says that he is going in. He tells Surfer and Moondragon that if he hasn’t come out in a reasonable amount of time for them to come in after him, or to seal the tear in reality if necessary.
Lorraine and Marlo walk through the new Comic Book Castle. Marlo says that everything is on sale and they just opened. Marlo wonders how they can afford this. One of the help comes up dressed in full body armor. He is speaking in “Ye Olde English”. Lorraine says, “Yea verily, were I alive I would lose mine lunch.” Marlo introduces herself as the owner of Golden Orange Comics. She asks who runs this place. The guy says that he doesn’t know his name, but that he is simply called “The Enchanter”. The man’s helmet keeps snapping shut. Marlo yells at Lorraine, but Lorraine says that it wasn’t her. She says that she is a spirit not a poltergeist.
Rick is sitting in the Microverse as Genis investigates the tear in reality. Marv says that this thing has an actual gravitational pull though not as strong as a black hole. Rick tells Marv not to get too close to it. Marv says that he is getting sick of Rick always telling him what to do. Marv says that he knows Rick has more experience, but that he was doing just fine before Rick showed up. Marv says, “uh oh”. Rick shouts for Marv to fight it, but Marv says that it is too strong as he swirls out of reality. Rick tries grabbing at the water. He says that Marv can’t do this to him. Rick tries to reassure himself by saying that they all die and come back, but then remembers that they all die and come back… except for Marv’s father.
Marv finds himself in another reality. He
spots a giant ship and starts to move towards it. Mar-Vell says,
“So! Thanos has one more trick up his sleeve…”
Mar-Vell charges Genis and punches him. Mar-Vell says that he
doesn’t need anything up his sleeve except his arm. Genis
realizes that his father just punched him in the face. Genis
says, “You’re dead!” Mar-Vell misinterprets this
as a threat instead of an observation. He hits Genis again.
Mar-Vell says that he is going to have to do better than threats.
Genis blasts Mar-Vell and tells him to shut up and listen to him.
Mar-Vell notes that Genis has photonic energy like he does.
Mar-Vell says
that is very impressive if he were of the mind to be impressed.
Genis is slammed through the wall of the ship. Genis says,
“Stop it, I said! I don’t want to hurt you!”
Mar-Vell asks Genis if he thinks he can hurt him. Genis says that
he has to start thinking about how something sounds before he
says it. Genis looks around and says that it looks like there was
a major battle there, and he thinks that Mar-Vell is still
fighting it. Genis wonders if he was sent back in time, but
realizes that it isn’t it. Genis tries to talk to Rick, but
then realizes that he can no longer hear Rick. Mar-Vell barrels
into Genis’ back and asks if he is waiting for instructions
from Thanos.
As they tussle Genis says that this is what Rick would call a “classic misunderstanding brawl”. He tells Mar-Vell that he and Rick trade bodies the way that they used to. Genis tells Mar-Vell that he is his son. Mar-Vell says that is a pretty lousy ploy. Genis says that it is no ploy and makes Mar-Vell an offer. He says that he is going to bang his bands together and bring Rick forth, but that if it doesn’t work that Mar-Vell can blast him into next week. Mar-Vell waits. Genis bangs his bands together, but just as his mental link no longer works in this dimension the change also no longer works. Genis nervously says that this is very ironic because he was just telling Rick that he would do fine on his own, and now here he is alone and not doing fine. Mar-Vell starts walking towards Genis. Genis says that Rick also told him that if he stops fighting in a “classic misunderstanding brawl” that it would put an end to it. Genis says that should be easy because if there is one person that he doesn’t want to fight with it is Mar-Vell. Mar-Vell says that he shouldn’t have threatened him. Genis says that it wasn’t a threat, but when he tries to clarify what he meant he trails off. Mar-Vell wants to know what he was going to say. Genis says that in his universe Mar-Vell died of cancer. Mar-Vell is stunned and asks how Genis knew that he has cancer. Mar-Vell starts to say that he contracted it in a fight, but Genis finishes his sentence and says that it was a fight with Nitro. Mar-Vell says that apparently the cancer will be fatal. Genis says that he is sorry.
Marlo is spotting all of her regulars in Comic Book Castle while Lorraine is checking out the guys. Marlo says that she has a big problem here. Lorraine says that she is the one with the problem as she has impulses and no body to act them out with. Marlo decides that she needs to have an event to get her customers back. She then realizes that her readers all like books about superheroes and decides to get a genuine hero, Captain Marvel, to come to her store for a signing.
Genis says that he calls himself Captain Marvel as a tribute to him. Mar-Vell says that he is flattered. Mar-Vell confirms that Elysius is Genis’ mother and asks if he and her did it together. Genis tries to explain that it was after Mar-Vell died, and then says that it is all chalked up to “Titan Super Science”. Mar-Vell asks how Elysius is. Genis says that she is fine and speaks well of him often. Genis asks about Elysius here and Mar-Vell says that she couldn’t be better. The two are suddenly interrupted by Thanos. Thanos looks like the Magus from our reality and Genis asks if that is Thanos. Mar-Vell asks if they have Thanos in his dimension. Genis says, “well… yes and no”. Thanos says that he has something for Mar-Vell after Mar-Vell takes it out of him. Thanos says that Genis missed the big battle. Thanos reveals that he has been mortally wounded, stabbed through the stomach with the Black Knight’s sword. Thanos mentions as an aside that the tear in the fabric of reality if it isn’t closed soon will expand and destroy all life on both sides of it. He says that would be poetic justice. Thanos says that he likes poetry almost as much as he likes death. Thanos recites, ”Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, it seems to me most strange that men should fear… seeing that death, a necessary end will come when it will come…” Thanos collapses on the sword and pushes it all the way through his back.
Mar-Vell says that Thanos is right, and that
the tear has to be sealed. Mar-Vell says that photonic blasts
should be able to do it, but Genis says that it has to be done on
both sides. He says that it is getting wider, and that if they
wait too long that they won’t be able to do it. Genis says
that it is too soon, and that there is so much that he wants to
say and ask. Genis says that he doesn’t want to leave him.
Mar-Vell says
that he never will. Mar-Vell holds and hugs Genis and says,
“I’d tell you to make me proud, but I know you already
have… son.”
Moondragon spots Marv returning. Marv starts sealing off the rift. Rick asks where Marv went and says that he nearly had a heart attack. Marv says that he doesn’t really want to talk about it right now. Marv says that he just “grew to appreciate a little of what everyone in my life, and of my life, has given me. Rick says that he isn’t following him. Marv says that is good because it is usually the other way around. Moondragon starts to call Marv “Genis”, but then corrects herself and asks Captain Marvel if he is okay. Marv flies up and kisses Moondragon on the lips. Marv says that life is too short for hesitations and missed opportunities.
Later in the other dimension, as he lies on his deathbed Mar-Vell thinks to himself that he has a son. Mar-Vell thinks to himself that he couldn’t bear to tell his son the truth that Thanos had already succeeded in large measure. Mar-Vell says that his greatest victory was also his greatest failure. Mar-Vell killed Thanos and saved the rest of the universe, but that our entire galaxy was killed first. Unlike our dimension where Mar-Vell is surrounded by all kinds of friends as he dies, this dimension’s Mar-Vell lies alone on his deathbed as he is the only surviving member of the galaxy. Mar-Vell says that he thought he was going to die alone and forgotten, but then he met Genis and to know that somewhere out there a piece of he and Elysius will live on and remember him is more than he could ask for.
Legacy rating: 10 out of 10
You can’t ask for a better issue of Captain Marvel than this. Peter David tells a touching masterful tale, and to see it illustrated by the legendary Jim Starlin just makes it perfect. Starlin was to Captain Marvel what Peter David is to the Hulk, or Frank Miller was to Daredevil. It’s nice to see some respect shown to a legend of the industry that helped make the industry possible to exist today. Can’t forget to tip my hat to Al Milgrom, another legend, though I’m not always a fan of his work he does a phenomenal job inking. It really makes me wish that Starlin and Milgrom were available to do every issue.