Ok, yes, I am a terrible, horrible person.  I’ve been sitting on the first two collections since I got them from the author in November.  This should also serve as your disclaimer that I got them from Kelly Sue DeConnick herself, so consider yourself disclaimed.  Honestly, with everything that happened around then, I just wasn’t in a comic book mood. But this Wednesday I took them with me to band practice, and started reading the first one while we waited for our guitarist to show up.

Then every time we had a break in the music for tuning, or because the guys wanted to noodle on the instrumental parts, I sat down with the collection and kept reading.

So, I finished the first collection before we finished band practice.  Then I started on the second.  And stayed up past my bedtime to finish it.

I very nearly emailed Kelly Sue with the header, “God Damn It, Kelly Sue!  Comics Shouldn’t Make Me Cry!”

I cried at the ends of the first two issues, and it was good crying.

I love how Kelly Sue writes Carol Danvers.  She isn’t a pushover, she’s ambitious, she’s brave, but she isn’t the ball-busting bitch that so many other writers have made her out to be.  Honestly, I kind of quit watching the Avengers: Earth Mightiest Heroes cartoon (she’s still Ms. Marvel in this) because of how she was written, and it just grated on me.  However, in these comics she’s so human, and so real.  Her friendship with Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman) feels natural, and real.  Her relationship with Tracy feels real as well.  And her banter with Captain America.  And Monica Rambeau!  So excited to see female superheroes working with other female superheroes!!!!!

I will full on say that I adore this comic and will be buying all the rest.

Her portrayal of Helen Cobb reminded me of my first Grad School advisor Beverly “Chainsaw” Heckart, who if she sees this may well teleport to right behind me and smack me in the back of my head.  Dr. Heckart was awesome and one of my most favorite professors ever, so that is one of my highest compliments.

The second collection focuses on Captain Marvel’s headaches, and how she copes with people trying to ground her, with potentially not being as invincible as she’s gotten used to thinking of herself as being.

One of the things I love about this series is that it shows her trying to balance her real life with being an Avenger.  Trying to get her cat to the vet, and being distracted by dinosaurs rampaging through Manhattan, trying to make it appts and getting sidetracked by everything, her landlord trying to evict her because she, and the attention she brings to his building, scares him.  And even though she does shoot photonic blasts and flies, it feels very real and grounded.

So, hopefully I haven’t come off as a complete stalker or anything, but after years of being bitterly disappointed by the female characters in comics, I am so delighted with this book.  I mean, we had to quit collecting comics about 5 years ago due to finances, but honestly, I’d been cutting books from my pull list left and right to try to get away from the kicking boot of sexism in comics.

I hadn’t realized how much I missed comics until I started reading this comic.

So, yes, I unequivocally, unreservedly recommend Captain Marvel.

If you like the blog or the podcast, or want to pledge to help fund my new Captain Marvel addiction, please, please, please donate to keep us going.  Donations go to pay for the podcast hosting and website domain, primarily.

Oh, and Honey Badger’s first two songs are available for download here, for free or pay what you want.  We’re also part of a larger compilation to benefit a local venue, with a song written by yours truly.  Check it out (we’re track 16).  

Remember we’ve got the GGR Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook page.

And, as I said before, we just got a Marvel Unlimited subscription, so expect more comic reviews in the near future, including the new NIGHTCRAWLER !!!!  SQUEEEE!!!!!!