The Final Charge Against Nuclear Man In Captain Marvel #5
by Josh Davison
[*Mild Spoilers Ahead!]
Captain Marvel’s powers and psyche have been absorbed by Rogue of the X-Men. However, Rogue has let Carol take control so that they can fight the Nuclear Man, who previously had control over Rogue. Time is of the essence though, as the Nuclear Man revealed that he sent a bomb to Captain Marvel’s allies. Plus, Rogue’s psyche will take control soon, so Carol must destroy Nuclear Man’s mind-control device before that happens. Outside, Spider Woman. She-Hulk, Echo, and Hazmat are fighting against Nuclear Man’s robot army.
Captain Marvel #5 brings the first story arc of the series to a close. Captain Marvel and her friends are putting everything on the line to beat back the Nuclear Man and reclaim Roosevelt Island.
Like previous issues of Captain Marvel and most of Kelly Thompson’s books, #5 is a lot of fun. The dialogue is solid and often quite funny, but the comic still knows how to get serious. We get to see great characters like Spider Woman and She-Hulk play off one another, and we get to see our heroes but the hurting on Nuclear Man.
The book as a whole is a treat for those interested in the complicated history between Captain Marvel and Rogue. This issue forces Carol and Anna Marie to see if they can put aside their differences and past conflicts not only for their own wellbeing but also for the fate of New York.
Carmen Carnero continues to be a powerhouse artist. The action scenes are intense, the shadowing is used quite well, and the detail work is especially good. We get to see some of our heroes cut loose too, and that allows for some great splash panels. Tamra Bonvillain’s color work is dynamic and overall quite brilliant. Carnero and Bonvillain make for a wonderful artistic team.
Captain Marvel #5 brings the first arc to a close with a cosmic bang. Carol and the other heroes trapped on Roosevelt Island must fight with everything they have, even if their powers don’t work. Nuclear Man continues to prove a nasty and cruel villain, and that makes it even more satisfying when he gets stomped to the ground. This one gets a recommendation. Check it out.
Captain Marvel #5 comes to us from writer Kelly Thompson, artist Carmen Carnero, color artist Tamra Bonvillain, letterer VC’s Clayton Cowles, cover artist Amanda Conner with Paul Mounts, and variant cover artist Maxx Lim.
