Captain Marvel vol. 5 #31Captain Marvel vol. 5 #31
Title:"Wish List”
Writer: Peter David
Penciller: Derec Aucoin
Inker: Derec Aucoin
Colors: Chris Sotomayor
Editor: Tom Brevoort
A young Marlo stands before a mirror doing chest expansion exercises. She keeps repeating that she “must increase my bust”, but decides that it is ultimately futile. She says that she will probably never have breasts and just be flat for the rest of her life. Outside her window, Jimmy Richman calls out to Marlo from a tree he is standing on. Marlo tells him to get down, but Jimmy says that he isn’t Jimmy but that he is Captain America. Jimmy is wearing a blue shirt with an “A” on it and holding a blue trash can lid with a star on it. He says that he is on the rooftop looking for trouble. Marlo says that he is right about looking for trouble. She says that her mother will kill her when she sees him up there. Jimmy tells her to come out too and that she can be Bucky. Marlo says that Bucky was a boy, but Jimmy says that Bucky could be a girl. Marlo says that Bucky could never be a girl and that it is just stupid. Jimmy says that you can see the whole neighborhood from up there and that Marlo knows that she loves super heroes. Marlo starts climbing out and says that she will come out, but that she wants to be Wonder Woman. Jimmy says that Wonder Woman never hangs with Captain America. Marlo says that they should since they both have the “whole flag costume thing”. Jimmy tells Marlo to watch out, but the limb Marlo is on snaps. Marlo leaps back towards the house and grabs the rain gutter. The piece Marlo is hanging on breaks off and Marlo falls from the roof. Marlo’s mother is getting out of her car as she watches Marlo plummet to the ground. She runs to Marlo and Jimmy is apologizing and saying that this is all his fault. Marlo’s mother asks Jimmy if all children have a death wish. Jimmy says that he will get down, but she tells him to stay where he is and that she will call the fire department and an ambulance. She tries to wake Marlo and asks her if she can hear or speak. Marlo’s eyes open and she weakly says, “whoooaaa… that was sooooo awesome…”
At Golden Orange comics, Marlo lies dead on the floor. The customers are gathering around discussing calling 911 and asking who knows CPR. Someone says that JMS went for an ambulance and asks what happened. Someone else says, “Marlo was just standing there crabbing about something, and suddenly just collapsed like she’s dead!” Al kneels next to Marlo and says that she is not dead. Someone points out that she is not breathing. Al checks but cannot find a pulse. Al starts doing CPR and one of the customers says that it is sick that he is copping a feel now. Al tells him to shut up and that he was pre-med for two years. Al shouts for the paramedics and tells Marlo to “c’mon”.
Sly has a green mohawk and a spiked leather jacket. He says that it will be one heck of a party. Marlo has one tuft of red hair on her otherwise shaved head. She is wearing a spiked collar and says that it sounds wicked. Sly says that it won’t be as wicked as her. They kiss. Sly cuts it off and says that they should save some for after the party. Marlo suggests during the party, and Sly says, “whatever”. Marlo rides on the back of Sly’s motorcycle. They come to a blocked off railroad crossing. Sly asks if he should try it. Marlo’s eyes are wide as she tells him that he can make it. Sly asks if she is sure, but Marlo just keeps chanting for him to “do it”. The train starts blowing its horn and Sly and Marlo break through the guardrail as they pass in front of the train. The conductor starts shouting at them as they ride away laughing. Later at the party, Sly is saying that he could smell the oil from the train’s engine, and that Marlo was laughing. Sly is chopping up lines of cocaine. Marlo asks if that is good stuff. Sly says that the guy says that it doesn’t get better than this. Marlo says that she is going first, but Sly says that it is his money and his junk. Marlo says that if he loved her, but Sly says that she is too nuts to be loved. Marlo asks the woman she is sitting with if she hears how he talks to her. The woman agrees with Sly and says that Marlo is a nutjob. Marlo says that she says that like it is a bad thing. Sly has just taken the cocaine and Marlo asks him how it is. Sly keels over and smashes through the coffee table. The woman says that was her mom’s favorite coffee table and that he is so paying for the table. Marlo calls to Sly and then says that he isn’t moving. They start freaking because Sly is dead. The woman says to call somebody, but someone else asks who they should call since the cops will want to know how he died. As everyone clamors about, Marlo holds Sly’s head and looks down into his eyes. Marlo says “whoaaaa…” as she looks at him.
One customer says that he never knew anyone that died before except his grandmother. Another customer says not to talk like that and that she is not going to die. A third customer says that he hopes not and that it would suck for him. They ask what he means and the guy says that if she died that they would close the store and that the next store is three miles away and that they don’t discount new comics there. The other customers look at each other and then throw the guy out on his ear. They tell him to “discount that, jerkweed”. Moondragon looks down at the “jerkweed” and then flies over him. One customer tells Al that a paramedic is there. Al says that he didn’t hear any sirens. The guy says that she is dressed all in white. Moondragon tells Al to step aside and that he cannot save her. She says that perhaps she can. Al recognizes Moondragon as the “chick in our ‘gorgeous women in skimpy comic book costumes contest”. Al says that this is not the best time, but Moondragon says that she doesn’t have time for this and tells him to back away. Al backs away. Moondragon tells him to go sit down and stay out of trouble. Al says that he will do that. One customer remarks at the Jedi mind trick that Moondragon just pulled. They start wondering if she had a light saber, but Moondragon tells him to shut up.
Antonio welcomes Marlo and Mona to the
casino. Marlo introduces Mona to Antonio. Antonio kisses
Mona’s hand and says that Mr. Fixit’s meeting is
running late, but that he is sure that he will be by soon. Some
guy starts shouting to let him go. Another says that he
can’t treat them this way. Mr. Fixit holds a loser in each
hand. He says, “Actually, I think I can.” Fixit says
that they wouldn’t leave when the meeting was over, and so
his boss felt that he should show them the door personally. One
of the guys pulls out some pepper spray and shoots it into
Fixit’s eyes. Fixit hauls off and wings the guy into a
mirrored wall. Fixit grabs the guy and shouts, “Where do you
get off? Who the hell do you think you are? I could kill you!
I’ll snap your neck like a pretzel! Don’t mess with me!
Nobody messed with me!” Hulk throws them out on the street.
Marlo puts her hand on Joe’s back. 
Hulk spins
around with his fist cocked. He shouts, “Oh you want some?
Fine! Here’s some for…” Hulk sees that it is Marlo
and stops. Marlo asks if he had a rough night at the office. Hulk
asks who that is with her. Marlo introduces Mona and asks if he
remembers that she wanted to introduce her to him. Fixit blows by
Mona and says, “Yeah, charmed. Whatever. Gotta go wash my
eyes out.” Marlo tells him to take his time. Marlo asks Mona
what she thinks. Mona says that Marlo told her that Fixit worked
security, but that he is like a terrifying, violent, scary
monster. She asks what is up with his skin. Marlo asks if Mona
saw the way he tossed those guys around and that it was so cool.
Mona says that he is dangerous, but then realizes that the danger
is what the attraction is. Mona says that Marlo loves it on the
edge. She says that she loves dangerous guys and “staring
right at death and dancing with it”. Marlo says that Mona is
crazy, but Mona says that she isn’t the one dating “It
the Living Colossus”. Mona says that Marlo has a death wish.
A voice says that Mona is right. Marlo turns and sees Moondragon
standing there. Marlo asks who she is. Moondragon says that there
isn’t much time. Moondragon says that the human brain is
like a computer. At death the brain crashes and dumps all the
information it was holding. Moondragon says that is why
people’s lives flash before their eyes. Moondragon says that
in a moment she is going to apply direct heart massage to try and
bring her back, but that before she does that she has to make her
understand. Marlo suddenly remembers Moondragon. Moondragon says
that Marlo has to understand how the universe works.
Moondragon says that certain beings shape reality, as mortals perceive it. She says that one of those beings is Death, who took refuge in Marlo’s body for a time. Moondragon says that it wasn’t happenstance that Death chose her. Moondragon says that Marlo has been calling to death for some time, and that her fascination has caught Death’s attention. Marlo asks why she is in Las Vegas and what happened to the comic book store. Moondragon tells Marlo to shut up and listen. Moondragon says that Death merged with Marlo for a time, and that Death is a primal force within the universe. She says that no one blends with such a being and remains unscathed. Marlo says that she doesn’t want to be scathed and asks how she is scathed. Moondragon says that Marlo has The Death Wish. Marlo asks what that is. Moondragon says that Death can reorder aspects of the universe, reweave it merely with desire and that some of that ability has clung to Marlo. Moondragon says that when Marlo fervently wishes aloud for something that it activates the Death Wish, and that things reorder things to suit her pleasure. Moondragon says that when Marlo wished that she was dead that it happened. Moondragon says that she became aware of this and that is why she moved in with her. She says that she has been monitoring her thoughts in case she inadvertently caused harm. Marlo asks why Moondragon why she didn’t tell her. Moondragon says that she thought that she could control the situation until she was ready to learn of it, but that she underestimated it. Marlo points out that Lorraine asked her to wish her alive, but that it didn’t work. Moondragon says that it doesn’t work when she tries to use it consciously. Marlo says that she has an incredible power, but that it only works when she isn’t trying to use it. She asks how stupid that is. Moondragon says that she could destroy the world with a thoughtless remark, and asks how stupid it is for her to bring her back to life. Marlo says that she gets the point. Moondragon tells Marlo to hold on as this may take a minute.
Back at Golden Orange Comics, Moondragon
reaches into Marlo’s chest and grabs her heart. Moondragon
restarts Marlo’s heart and Marlo leaps up. Al asks Marlo if
she is okay. 
Marlo grabs her
chest and says, “I… I got breasts finally…”
Al says that she has had them for a while and asks why she
brought that up. Marlo says that she has no idea. Marlo starts to
wish something, but catches herself. Moondragon says that it was
a good thing that she caught herself there because having Kim
Basinger’s thighs might be a messy situation if the universe
took it literally.
Suddenly Marv arrives as Doom’s time machine drops him off in Golden Orange comics. He says that now if Rick is right that the rebels of the Maestro’s time will use the machine to bring the Hulk forward. Marv asks Marlo and Moondragon what he missed.
Legacy rating: 6 out of 10
Well it’s an interesting enough story. It was nice to see some back history on Marlo, but 16 pages of this book were spent establishing that Marlo was fascinated with death. Seems a little odd to me that Peter David would follow up the promotional four-parter with an entire issue about a supporting character of the book. Aucoin did a fine job with the art, and I thought that “girl comic” look was kinda cool for this “girl comic”. Still overall this seems like somewhat of a throw away issue.