Captain Marvel vol. 5 #19Captain Marvel vol. 5 #19
Title: “And Then I Woke Up…”
Writer: Peter David
Penciller: Chriscross
Inker: Anibal Rodriguez
Colors: VLM
Editor: Tom Brevoort
Marv wakes up face down on a grassy field. The rain pours down his face and wakes him up. Marv says that the last thing he remembered was watching Rick lose an arm, and then Walker making Rick very old. Marv says that he remembers watching it all from the Microverse, and that it seemed like a dream. Marv decides that it must have been a dream. Marv says that he is awake now and seemingly in a cemetery. Marv also notes that he isn’t getting anything from his mental link with Rick. Marv says that he doesn’t understand any of this. He looks up and sees the name on the headstone in front of him. It reads:
Melissa Joan Gold
“Songbird”
Died in the line of duty
Beloved wife of Genis Vell, aka
“Captain Marvel"
Mother of Mimi and Ely
Marv says that this is crazy. He says that he has a wife and children. He says that Songbird used to go by the name of Screaming Mimi, but wonders where Ely came from. Marv realizes that his mother’s name is Elysius and that Ely could be short for that. Marv wonders if he is dreaming again. He decides that must be it. He says that this is just a nightmare and that no matter what happens in a nightmare that they can’t do any lasting damage. A shadowed red figure with glowing red eyes comes up behind Genis. The figure grabs Genis by the head. He says that he can’t believe that he came back there. He says that he made it known far and wide what he would do to him if he came back there, but that his ego just couldn’t let him stay away. The figure holds Captain Marvel into the air by the throat. He says that thanks to Marv that Songbird is dead. He says that Marv managed to convince the others of his innocence, but that they know better. Marv says that this is some sort of mistake. The man says that it is Marv’s mistake. He tells Genis to give his father his regards. Genis says, “Your fingers… what happened to…?” A bolt of lightning crashes.
Genis wakes up face down in a bed with the lights off. He hears a grunt. Marv asks who is there. The voice recognizes his voice and tells the lights to come on. A very pregnant Songbird lies next to Genis. She says thank god he is home. She says that she thought he was out fighting the Sin Seers and didn’t think he would be back in time. Songbird says that she was just sleeping and woke up with her water broken. She says that contractions are only a minute apart and that this baby wants out. Genis is stunned and questions, “Songbird?” Songbird says that considering that she is about to deliver his second child that it’s a little late to switch back to professional names. Songbird screams in pain and says that the baby is coming. Genis tells Melissa to tell it to go back. Melissa asks when Genis went from being cosmically aware to being cosmically thick. Genis moves into position and tells her to breathe and push it out. He says that he will catch it. Melissa asks him if he is going to catch it through the covers. She tells him to move the sheets and that it isn’t like he has never seen it before. Genis does as he is told. Melissa screams as the baby comes out and windows all over the place shatter. Melissa holds the new baby and asks Genis if she ever told him that she loved him. Genis says that he is sure that she has, but that in many ways this seems like the first time. Songbird says that at least she didn’t blow out all the windows this time. Genis realizes that she must mean Mimi’s birth. He says that he guesses that this is Ely. Melissa says that she thought that if it was a boy that he wanted to name it Marv after his father. Melissa says that she likes Ely much better. Genis says that he thought that his mother would have liked it. Suddenly Elysius is standing in the doorway and says that Genis is acting like she isn’t there to rejoice at him giving her a grandson. She tells Melissa “well done”, but says that the palace architect there on Titan is likely to tear his hair out considering how tough she is on the windows. Elysius asks Marv what is the matter and says that he looks like he has seen a ghost. Genis goes cosmic blue and asks his mother how she could be there. Melissa reminds Marv that his mother lives there. Marv says that she died. Elysius jokes that time heals all wounds. Melissa asks Marv if he bumped his head while he was fighting the Sin Seers. Genis asks how she came back to life. Elysius says that he should know since he was there. Genis trips on the blankets and hits his head.
Genis wakes up face down on a floor. A voice
says that he has found him and says that he thought that he had
disappeared with the Magus. Marv looks up and says,
“Starfox!” Starfox says that they are alone now and
that he can call him Eros or even Uncle Eros if he has to. Eros
says that of course they are alone because Marv pretty much
annihilated everyone who stood against him. Eros asks Marv where
he got this notion that his mother could be brought back to life
anyway. Eros says that Marv was always too parent-obsessed and
tells Marv to deal with reality. He says that Marv thinks that
having parents will make him normal, but that the way he was
created kind of excludes that. He tells Marv to get married and
have some kids. Marv asks if he isn’t married. Eros says
that of course he isn’t. Marv says that he is going to
though and he will have a boy and a girl. Eros says,
“That’s the spirit!” Marv says that Elysius is
going to live again too. Eros sighs and says that they were doing
so well. Marv says that Eros has to believe him. He says that he
is jumping to different points in his life going backwards, and
that he can’t sense or communicate with Rick. Eros asks if
he means the terran that he used to be molecularly bonded to.
Genis says that Eros speaks as if it were past tense. Marv asks
if they are freed from each other, and says that he has to know.
A serious look comes over Marv’s face and says that he
knows. Eros asks what he knows and says that he seems tense. Marv
says that he is cosmically aware and asks how long he thought
that he could fool him. Marv decks “Eros”. Marv demands
to know what is going on here. 
“Eros”
transforms back into Magus and Magus says, “You’re the
one who’s cosmically aware! You tell me!” Marv leaps
towards Magus and says that Magus if the one behind all this and
asks how he got to be there. Magus says that Marv either feigns
ignorance better than anyone or he is simply too stupid to live.
Magus says that if Marv is too stupid to live that he will be
happy to accommodate him. Marv grabs Magus and says that he may
not know what is happening or how he got there, but that he does
recognize the face of evil and that he knows enough that when he
is confronted with it that he should punch it as soon as
possible. Marv headbutts Magus’ face. Magus wipes the blood
from his nose and says that Marv’s power has grown
significantly, but that he has resources that Genis hasn’t
dreamed of. Marv turns just as Moondragon leaps into the air and
kicks him in the face.
In the present day, Marlo asks why Rick won’t wake up. Marlo says that Thanos said that he would help him, but that he still looks so old. She says that he said he would find a way to restore Rick. Marlo turns to Thor for confirmation, but Thor says that Thanos just said that he would try. Marlo asks Thor who asked him. Thor starts to say that it was her, but instead apologizes for upsetting her. Marlo says that Thanos did find him some clothes lying around, but that other than that he hasn’t done anything. Thanos says that Marlo doesn’t understand. If Walker had just aged him that he could reverse that with cellular regeneration, but that this is something more complex. He says that Walker bent time around Rick and sent Rick into his own future while keeping him in the present. Thanos says that there is a temporal flux around Rick that he is having trouble breaking. Marlo asks what about banging the nega bands together. Thanos says that Captain Marvel’s predicament is no less dire. Thor says, “’Predicament?’ Of what do you speak , mad one?” Thanos reminds Thor that he no longer has any use for any of them, and that anything he does for them is from a sense of honor and generosity. He warns Thor about calling him mad. Thanos says that what is happening is that he is trying to reverse the temporal flux, however these efforts are feeding through the nega-bands through Jones’ molecular structure and into Captain Marvel. Even though Genis is in the Microverse he is experiencing the same future time streams, a localized temporal storm. Thanos says that they are both probably experiencing their own futures, and though much of it is real how much is subjective. Thanos says that something has to give and then hopefully Rick will wake up.
Genis wakes up face down in the raining
Microverse. A young Rick tells him to get up. Genis asks how they
can be in the Microverse together. Marv asks if any of this is
real. Rick starts yelling that Marv asked him if this is real. He
says that he used to know what a real life was. He said that he
had a real life and then one day he snuck onto a field where they
were testing a gamma bomb. Rick says that the next thing he knows
reality and he are like this. Rick holds his two index fingers
straight up. He says that “never the twain shall
meet…” Genis says that he isn’t following this.
Rick says that following is his thing. He says that he followed
the Hulk, Captain America, the Avengers, Rom, and then the Hulk
some more. Rick says that he just saw his own future and that he
is going to be a sidekick until he is an old man. Rick says that
he has been forced to ricochet around his own life and see things
that he didn’t want to see. Genis says that he was in the
same boat. Genis starts to say that he knows how Rick feels, but
Rick cuts him off. Rick says that just because they are in each
other’s heads that does not mean that Genis knows how he
feels. Rick says that he is sick of being punished for one
mistake he made as a teenager. He says that he is sick of playing
the hand he was dealt. Rick says that he literally can’t
even look into a mirror without seeing a superhero. Genis tells
Rick to shut up. Genis asks Rick if he thinks that he is fed up.
Genis says that he is tired of Rick’s whining and
condescension. He says that this isn’t his ideal existence
either. He says that he used to have a life. He says that he had
lovers, booze, his own place, and his own stuff. Genis says that
at least Rick has an apartment and a woman that loves him. Genis
says that he has nothing but the clothes on his back. Genis says
that he hasn’t even slept in a bed in ages. He says that he
exists to be cosmically aware, fight bad guys, and listen to Rick
complain. He says that if Rick is sick of his face to do
something about it. Genis turns off his power so they can fight. 
Rick punches
Marv in the face and then one in the stomach. Genis tries to hit
Rick, but Rick blocks it. He says that following Captain America
around is paying off. Rick twists Genis’ arm behind his back
and throws him to the ground. Rick goes to kick Genis, but Marv
catches Rick’s foot and flips him. Marv charges into Rick
and they tumble down a hill and into a thicket.
In the real world, the elder Rick screams in pain. Thor tells Thanos to stop this. Thanos says that he no longer can and that it has become a thorny predicament.
Rick and Marv sit on the ground. Rick sarcastically says that was a nice move. Marv asks how he was supposed to know that there was a thicket at the bottom of the hill. Rick says that Marv is cosmically aware, but Marv reminds Rick that cosmic awareness is a power and they were fighting with no powers. Genis says that if it makes Rick feel better he thinks that he broke his nose. Rick says that he broke a knuckle if it makes Genis feel better. Genis says that it doesn’t. Rick says that he isn’t feeling to good about the nose either. Genis says that he is sorry that this isn’t the life Rick wanted. Rick says that he is sorry about the bed thing. He says that he should have thought of that, and says that sometimes they can switch up so that Marv can sleep in his bed sometime. Genis asks if he can sleep with Rick’s wife sometime, but says that he was just joking. A light flashes around Rick and he disappears.
Thor controls the temporal storm and withdraws the cosmic forces freeing Jones. Rick drops into Marlo’s arms. Thanos tells Thor that he did well. Thor says that he needs no thanks from Thanos, but says you’re welcome anyway. Marlo asks Rick if he is okay. Rick says that he is old, has one arm, and is still stuck with Marv. Rick says that at least he has Marlo to wake up to.
Legacy rating: 9.5 out of 10
This is the issue that finally made me want to do a Captain Marvel site. I love this issue though I wish we could have had the chance to see Rick’s future as well as Marv’s, but this isn’t a critique so much as it is a tribute to how cool this issue is. Chrisscross does a great job this issue. All the “impact blasts” don’t really obscure the fighting (except when they crash into the thicket). His art tells a great story, and his style remains at a high level. He is definitely coming into his own.