Written by Brian Reed
Art by Roberto De La Torre; Jimmy Palmiotti; Chris Sotomayor; & Dave Sharpe
Cover Art by Frank Cho & Jason Keith
SUMMARY:
Released by Marvel Comics in 2007, this 136-page paperback compiles Giant-Size Ms. Marvel # 1 and Ms. Marvel # 1-5 (from 2006-2007). Waking up from House of M’s alternate reality, veteran ex-Avenger Carol “Ms. Marvel” Danvers finds that she isn’t Earth’s greatest hero. Still, she aspires to up her game to potentially become the world’s ‘best of the best’ — Marvel’s Top Gun, so to speak. Encouraged by her closest friend, Jessica Drew, Carol seeks to establish a high-profile name for herself – even hiring the biggest-name publicist representing Marvel heroes.
A seemingly routine night patrol pits Ms. Marvel into solo combat against rogue alien forces in rural Georgia, which ends in a tragic catastrophe. Facing The Brood and a formidable alien energy-based threat, an injured Carol finds herself lucky to survive. Yet, the dissolved House of M reality conjures up yet another rematch pitting nefarious British sorcerer Warren Traveler vs. his perceived worst nemesis: Carol. Ms. Marvel will need Doctor Strange’s help and possibly her enigmatic pet cat: Chewie, to thwart the deranged Traveler once more. The final few pages set up Carol’s recruitment into Marvel’s first Civil War.
Guest stars include The Fantastic Four and Jessica “Spider-Woman” Drew, with cameos by Captain America, Sharon Carter, Emma Frost, Scott “Cyclops” Summers, & Iron Man.
Note: This title is also available in hardcover.
REVIEW:
Standing out most is Marvel’s assignment of a top-flight art squad to imbue Best of the Best with stellar visuals. Unsurprisingly, reality mirrors art, as Carol’s desired rise to first-tier status parallels Marvel’s efforts to make her its long-sought equivalent to DC’s Wonder Woman. There’s even an off-hand jibe knocking DC’s discarded Supergirl/Linda Danvers incarnation thrown in for good measure to parallel Carol’s ascent from obscurity.
The weakness, however, lies with Brian Reed’s occasionally wonky scripting. The basic storyline is okay re-familiarizing fans with Ms. Marvel as a solo powerhouse. Still, relying upon a forgettable new enemy like the Traveler isn’t likely going to stoke much interest. Reed might have tried depicting Carol’s triumph over Mystique or another major baddie (i.e. Doctor Doom) to better herald Ms. Marvel’s revitalized star power. Aside from a few grisly images, the Carol & Doctor Strange vs. Warren Traveler arc is readable enough, but it doesn’t likely leave one craving more.
More significantly, Reed often succeeds in making Carol likably down-to-earth enough to again headline her own title. The unappealing flip-side is Carol’s self-absorption on becoming a glamorous celebrity super-hero vs. fulfilling any genuine sense of moral obligation to the public. For instance, it’s amusingly plausible to see Carol cringe, as an ultra-controlling publicist repeatedly intrudes into her personal life, complete with a camera crew, no less.
Note: Carol’s 1977-79 debut series ran twenty-five issues.
It isn’t so cute when this same Carol doesn’t bother flinching, let alone express any regret, over at least three thousand innocent people being vaporized in spite of her heroics. This gut punch convey, though a weary Carol understandably wants to get some sleep, that such mass casualties are just part of ‘another rough night at the office’ to be shrugged off. Even if Reed didn’t intend this inference, it’s still a poor reflection of Ms. Marvel’s reckless brand of heroism.
Ultimately, Best of the Best signifies the first step towards Carol’s eventual re-vamping into Marvel Comics’ next Captain Marvel. The excellent artwork, however, can only disguise Volume 1 so much as a less-than-compelling read.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
In full-page format, the covers are included. The Giant-Size one-shot cover artists are: Roberto De La Torre, Cam Smith, & Chris Sotomayor. The Issues # 1-5 cover artists are Frank Cho & Jason Keith. Also included is Issue # 1’s variant by Michael Turner. The last page displays some concept sketches from Roberto De La Torre.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
