Captain Marvel vol. 6 #10Captain Marvel vol. 6 #10
Title: "Coven: part two ‘Tango’d Web”
Writer: Peter David
Penciller: Ivan Reis
Colors: Chris Sotomayor
Editor: Tom Brevoort
An alien is running down an alleyway looking for a place to hide. He trips over a trash can and then informs a rat, who he mistakenly believes is the dominant species on the planet, that his master is too much. A blast hits the ground near the alien’s feet and the rat runs off. A large red, and much scarier, alien wants to know what he has been telling the “local fauna” about him. He says that he doubts he would appreciate it. The scared alien says that he wasn’t saying anything. The large scary alien informs, Tlaango, that he is testing his patience and his dominance. He says that he appreciates neither.
Marv and Coven watch as Tlaango’s master chases him down the alley. Marv says that they will be an excellent case. Coven says okay, but says that Marv is cosmically aware. He says that Marv already knows all the facts of the case and how it will turn out. He asks why bother. Marv says that if facts aren’t in evidence that he will ignore them. He says that other judges do it all the time. He says that he is insane and asks what their excuse is. Marv adds that he knows all the ways that it could turn out, but the way is actually turns out is the intriguing part. Coven asks how Marv got them to New York. Marv says that it was in a mysterious way. He says that he likes to move in those. Marv says that it puts him in the right frame of mind to deal out justice. Coven asks if he means Godlike. He says that he thought that he was simply insane. Marv says that he is, and that is what makes him Godlike. Coven asks if he knows God is insane. Marv says to just look at the human reproductive system, from the ridiculous positions in conception to the birthing where something the size of a bowling ball passes through a hold the size of a lemon. He says that if God loves his creation that it is a sick and demented love, but that there is no shortage of that around. Coven says that they have company.
Spider-Man swings down the alley following the sounds of a woman screaming. He sees what is actually happening and says that it is an alien who just screams like a woman. Tlaango’s master is over him about to whip him with some kind of energy whip. Spider-Man asks if the two of them are into some sort of “whack job psycho-sexual thing” or if someone is actually in danger. The master turns and says, “Tell me your name, future dead earth creature.” Spider-Man says that his name is J. Jonah Jameson. The master swings his whip and strikes the wall. He says that he is not worth killing, and to get lost before he tries to hit him. Spider-Man leaves. The master turns back to Tlaango. Spider-Man’s web suddenly hits Tlaango and Spidey says that he forgot something.
Spider-Man runs along the roof of a building carrying Tlaango. Tlaango says that Spider-Man shouldn’t have done that and that his master will be most angry. Tlaango’s master hits the building and knocks it over. Spider-Man swings away as the building falls on the master. Tlaango says that Spider-Man doesn’t understand his master. Spider-Man says that he understands bullies, and that he even clobbered a few. Spider-Man says that he takes it that a building falling on him won’t stop him. Marv and Coven float nearby. Marv says that this is definitely an excellent test case.
Tlaango’s master uses his whip and
catches Spider-Man’s ankle. Tlaango asks if he mentioned
that his master’s whip stretches. Spider-Man says,
“Belatedly, yeah.” The master says that he tried to be
merciful, and that J. Jonah Jameson should have taken advantage
of his generosity. Suddenly, Spider-Man’s spider sense goes
nuts. He falls to the ground and says that it must be a danger of
a cosmic level. A danger like no other. Marv floats there. He
tells Spider-Man to stop and that he is embarrassing him. The
master asks Marv if he is a friend of Jameson. Marv says that he
is misinformed. He says that his name isn’t Jameson, but
Spider-Man. He says that Spider-Man isn’t his friend, and
that he isn’t either. Marv tells him to lower his whip. The
master asks if he is insane. Marv says, “Why does everyone
keep asking me that? Didn’t anyone get the memo?” The
master tries to whip Marv, but Marv says that he was hoping he
would try that. 
Marv uses the
whip as a conduit for his energy which he uses to zap the master.
The master drops to the ground unconscious. Spider-Man says that
his spider-sense is going insane and asks who Marv is. Captain
Marvel introduces himself, but says that Spider-Man can call him
“your honor”. Marv kicks Spider-Man.
In the Microverse, a woman wipes Rick’s head and tells him that it is going to be all right. Rick awakes and says, “E… Epi… Epiphany…?” He looks up and sees the woman. He asks who she is. She says that she is Falya, and that she is a Jonesy. Another woman asks Rick if they should take him to his bed. Rick asks who she is. She says that she is Marilla, and that she is a Jonesy. Rick asks what she is talking about, but then sees all the women in the room and asks what they are all doing in his getaway home. Rick grabs his head in pain. The women swarm around him in concern. Rick tells them to back off, and asks who all of them are. They start to tell him, but Rick asks if they are going to say that they are all Jonesys. They says that they are. Falya explains that his music has touched their hearts. She says that they were inspired by his words and have come to him. Rick says that is very nice of them. Falya says that the movement is more than just them. Rick asks what she means. He runs to the window and sees scores of beings outside his home. Rick says, “It’s Rickstock. I’m a freakin’ rock God.”
Rick appears to Marv. Marv asks him how it is going. Rick says that he has a groupie movement on his hands. Rick sees Coven and says that he tried to kill him. Rick says that Marv kills people who look at him cross-eyed, and asks why Coven is still alive. Rick sees Spider-Man and asks what Marv is up to. Marv sits behind a mock bench. Spider-Man is sloped next to Tlaango. Coven sits near the master. Coven says that court is now in session. Marv says, “The right honorable me presiding. All who have business with this court, let them approach and be heard.” Marv waits and says that he doesn’t see any approaching. Coven points out that they are still unconscious. Marv wakes them up. The master starts to rise, but Coven knocks him back down and tells him to sit down. The master says, “I’ll do no such thing! This is an outrage! Do you know who I am? Do you?” Coven’s eyes glow with cosmic power. He says, “I said… sit down. This is your first and only warning.” Rick asks if Marv did something to Coven. Marv says that Coven seemed deserving. Rick says that he is a murderer and a lunatic. Marv asks what his point is. Spider-Man asks if Marv powered up a homicidal lunatic. Marv says that he had an obligation to. He says that with great power comes great responsibility. He asks Spider-Man if he agrees. Spider-Man says, “Yeah. I do. But on the other hand… with too much power… can come too much responsibility.” Marv says, “I like that. That’s deep. I’m going to put that on a t-shirt.” Marv tells him to offer a defense of why Tlaango shouldn’t be with his master, or he will blow him to bits. Spider-Man starts going on about why slavery is wrong. Suddenly Tlaango says that he isn’t a slave. Spider-Man asks, “What?” Tlaango says that he isn’t a slave and that he never said he was a slave. Spider-Man says that he kept calling him master. Tlaango agrees. Spider-Man asks if he is his teacher or something. Tlaango says that he isn’t. He says that he thought that Spider-Man understood when he said what he did when he first saw them. Spider-Man thinks. His head sinks and says, “Oh my God, it is a whack-job psycho-sexual thing.” Tlaango says, “They… don’t have those here?” Marv asks Spider-Man if that concludes his defense. Spider-Man says that he is done. Tlaango starts to say that he was just getting too rough, but Spider-Man tells him to leave it alone. Marv says that for what it is worth that his “too much power” line was thought provoking. Spider-Man asks if he can leave. The master stands up and asks if this farce is at an end. Marv says that this isn’t a farce, and that they take their justice seriously. The master says that if he wants justice that he should see when he gets to his homeworld. He says that he is filing a grievance with his government, and that he is going to tell them about his “fool court”. Coven leaps onto his back. He says that he was told one warning, and that as an officer of the court that he can’t abide contempt. Coven snaps his neck. Tlaango runs to his master and says that he is so sorry. Coven says that he could get to like this. Marv smacks his gun, acting as his gavel, and says that court is adjourned.
Legacy rating: 7.5 out of 10
Well the jokes are pretty good, but the issue stand alone isn’t particularly outstanding plot wise. Fortunately this is a four parter and this will all make sense later on. Reis continues to excel. His “master” character is particularly interesting visually. 4 out of 5 for the art.