The Death of Captain Marvel

The Death of Captain Marvel (1982)
Written and illustrated by Jim Starlin

Karen: I'm reviewing this legendary story from my original graphic novel copy. I'm almost afraid to scan images from it, as it has become very worn and fragile from the many readings I've made of it. I guess it's time to buy a new one. But it would be worth it, as this is a story worthy of being read again and again. [Note: thankfully, Doug had a digital copy of this and so all images were provided by him, thus saving my poor old copy from any further damage!]
Doug: Digital copy? Did I just get thrown under the bootleg bus? Yikes! Hey, true confession time -- Karen's asked me to assist in making this one of our award-winning "partner reviews". I'm going to tell you right here and now that I am totally riding her coattails today. I had not read this story before last Friday! I know, I know... I never got around to buying this, and although I've been eyeballing the Marvel Premiere Classic hardcover (which contains the original story where Mar-Vell defeats Nitro and is exposed to the carcinogens) I've yet to pull the trigger.

Karen: In The Life and Art of Jim Starlin, Starlin says that he struggled with the plot for this book for some time, initially having Mar-Vell die in a stereotypically heroic fashion. However, Starlin's father had died of cancer about six months earlier, and that fact made its way into the story. He embraced the idea and delivered the plot to Marvel, and Jim Shooter loved it. So Starlin went ahead and got the book together. Interesting note: he broke a finger right as he was to begin inking the book. He wound up having to tape a pen in his hand in order to do the inking -and even so, he could only manage short strokes! The art does have a bit of a rough edge to it, but overall it's still spectacular.

Doug: This may seem like a weird comment, but I thought the art in this story exuded "'80's" art -- it sort of had a Giffen/LaRocque/Leonardi feel to it. None of those artists are bad, mind you, and at times this book was simply beautiful -- just an observation.
Karen: The story opens with Mar-Vell recording his autobiography, in hopes that his adventures may prove useful to others. It's a nice way to recap his past. Eros (better known as Starfox now) walks in on the Captain's recording session and remarks that he's a bit young to be writing a memoir. "Perhaps, but you never know..." Mar-Vell remarks.
Doug: As a relative novice to all-things-Starlin, I really felt welcomed by the ease of this story. It was certainly a heavy subject to deal with, but there were no barriers to my accessibility. This also was quite touching from the very start.

Karen: Mar-Vell, Eros, and Mentor, father of Eros and Thanos, have taken a spaceship out past Pluto where Thanos' space ark floats, lifeless. Mentor and Eros plan to return Thanos' petrified body to Titan. As the trio gaze upon his form, Mar-Vell realizes that the platform the mad titan stands upon was not there before. His cosmic senses alert him to the presence of others, aliens who attack the men. I was a bit amused how Mar-Vell spends a couple of pages during the fight laying out one attacker after another, all the while carrying on a philosophical monologue in his head. At the end of the fight, they discover that the aliens are the last remnants of Thanos' army -and they worship him, awaiting his resurrection. Mentor goes off on them, stating that his son was a psychopath who didn't give a damn about any of them. As they are scooted off the ship, Mar-Vell begins coughing violently. Mentor says he'd like to run a medical exam on him, but Mar-Vell ominously says that he believes it will only confirm was his cosmic awareness has already told him.

Doug: I appreciated the flashbacks throughout this story. The two-part epic that ran through Avengers Annual #7 and Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2 was a mind-blowing story at the time and really my only deep brush with Starlin's cosmic opera. The scene where Mar-Vell so matter-of-factly tells Mentor what is wrong with him, and that's it's terminal was such an example of courage and heroism. Here was a guy who'd faced down the reaper countless times, yet could so rationally discuss his impending doom.
Karen: Back on Titan, Mentor's devices confirm the truth that Mar-Vell has known for a few weeks: he has cancer. It's the result of a battle he had with a maniac called Nitro (back in Captain Marvel #34), when he had to seal a canister of nerve gas with his bare hands. The gas acted as a carcinogen. It's only due to his nega bands and their photonic energy that Mar-Vell didn't die sooner. The Titans have no cure for the disease. Mar-Vell seems to accept the situation, but Mentor is frustrated by it, particularly given that Mar-Vell and Elysiuis, who had once been his enemy, are now lovers. In a wordless segment, Mar-Vell tells Elysius of his condition. Starlin does a very nice job with expressing their emotions simply through their expressions and body language.

Doug: I could feel Starlin's thoughtfulness throughout the entire story. It really is more like a movie than a book. Camera angles and pacing, cuts from one scene to another, everything has a purpose.

Karen: Mar-Vell seeks out Rick Jones on Earth, fearing that their former symbiotic relationship might have allowed Rick to develop cancer too. Mar-Vell's acceptance of his eventual death angers Rick, who vows to find a way to stop it. Rick gathers a group of Avengers (Thor, Iron Man, Black Panther, Beast, Wonder Man, Vision, and Yellowjacket) and asks them to find a cure for his cancer. They all try to explain how difficult such a task would be, but Rick perceives this as a cop-out and storms off, saying that maybe they just don't want to face anything that they might not be able to beat. It leaves the men to ponder if they've used their abilities wisely.

Doug: I don't know how old Rick was supposed to be by this time, but he's played somewhat as the headstrong youth we've known since his days on the gamma test field. But it still seemed very much realistic -- perhaps because Rick was so in-character. Not everyone's reaction to such terrible news is low-key. Some people act out in anger. I thought this scene showed Starlin's real power as a storyteller. As you mentioned above, the scene between Mar-Vell and Elysius was done without words; this scene was filled with words. Each scene was comparatively emotional but at totally different levels. By the way, did you find it odd that Thor was along for the scientist-hall-of-fame ride? Are we to assume that he retained all of Dr. Don Blake's skill and knowledge while in his immortal form?Karen: The contrast between those two scenes is wonderful. As for Thor, he did sometimes exhibit medical know-how, although it does seem odd that he would retain that. Back on Titan, Mar-Vell has begun to show signs of his illness; there are circles around his eyes and a certain gauntness to his face. Although he says he has grown thin, he still looks pretty muscular as Starlin has drawn him. He's traded in his red and blue fighting togs for a life support vest. In a touching scene with Eros, Mar-Vell tells him that he's always known that Eros has cared for Elysius, and hopes he will be a friend to her after he is gone, because she's going to need it. As Mar-Vell walks away, an atypically quiet Eros fights back tears.

Doug: I agree with you as to Mar-Vell's appearance here (and to the end) -- if there was one complaint it's that Starlin left him a bit too hero-looking as we were told he was failing.
Karen: Mar-Vell has begun recording his memoirs in earnest. When he begins to discuss Elysius, a number of emotions wash over him; regret, sadness, and finally anger at the thought that they would have so little time together. Despite all of his triumphs, he's come to recognize that this is a battle he'll lose, and it's a hard thing for such a warrior to accept.

Karen: Meanwhile all of his super-hero friends, including the Avengers and Reed Richards and Dr. Strange, have continued to search for some cure. Unfortunately they are rebuffed at every turn by his nega bands. It seems that the photonic energy which has kept him alive throughout his illness is also somehow preventing his treatment. I thought this was a bit weak but of course there had to be a reason the greatest minds on Earth could not help him.

Doug: Again, a small criticism: I thought the nega-band thing was a bit of a cop-out and served to lead the reader to believe that if these Marvel eggheads hadn't had that as a road block, then they could have whipped Mar-Vell's cancer. Something about this just didn't sit right with me.
Karen: As the Captain grows weaker and becomes bed-ridden, the heroes of Earth -and beyond -all come to Titan to play tribute. There's a full page shot of a ton of heroes coming down stairs and just about anyone you can think of is there -Avengers, FF, X-Men, Defenders, Inhumans -heck, even Iron Fist and Power Man! The one glaring exception I thought was Ms. Marvel. Where was she? Or, was this at the time when she was without powers or her memory? That might have been the case.

Doug: If Galactus had been paying attention, this would have been a great time to try to feast on the Earth. Who was minding the store back on terra firma? Stories like this become time capsules, too, don't they? Check out the roll call, the costumes, etc. Etrigan the Demon, Kitty Pryde in her school uniform, Power Man and Iron First you mentioned...
Karen: Everyone wants to say good-bye and pay their respects. Mar-Vell keeps asking for Rick but he hasn't come. I felt the scene with The Thing and Spider-Man at Mar-Vell's bedside was especially well done. Ben is reminiscing about a fight with Mar-Vell when Spidey just becomes overwhelmed and has to leave. As Spidey flees the room, the Beast catches up with him and they have a talk. Who should arrive at that moment but Rick. When he sees Mar-Vell in bed he breaks down, sobbing at his side. Ben and the Torch clear out of the room and close the doors, telling everyone, "They're going to want to be alone for awhile."

Doug: The Spider-Man vignette further humanized this story.
Karen: Eventually things settle down and Mar-Vell receieves another set of visitors: Drax the Destroyer and Moondragon. Drax, who has died before (he was a rarity in comics back then) tells Mar-Vell that death really isn't all that bad, but the Kree warrior says he's in no hurry to find out. Drax then ushers in someone to see Mar-Vell: a hulking Skrull soldier named General Zedrao. In a strangely touching scene, the Skrull soldier explains that Mar-Vell has been the Empire's greatest enemy. "You are quite possibly the greatest warrior who ever walked the stars," he says, before presenting the ailing Kree-man with the Royal Skrull Medal of Valor. The general salutes and leaves, leaving everyone a bit stunned, except for Rick. The boy is furious that Mar-Vell's greatest enemies saw fit to honor him on his deathbed, but his own people have ignored him. Mar-Vell, ever the voice of reason, reminds Rick that he turned on his own people. But regardless, he doesn't care about medals, it's the friends he has with him now that matter. Shortly after this, the captain falls into a coma.

Doug: So at first I thought that maybe the Hulk was the one guy they had to get special clearance for when everyone landed on Titan; should I now assume that it was the Skrull general? I did enjoy this scene -- I thought it was one of the best tributes.

Karen: As the heroes gather around his bedside, pondering how unfair it all seems, down deep in the bowels of Titan, someone stirs. It is Thanos. Some part of him has returned, to face Mar-Vell one last time. Whether this occurs on some higher level of existence, or in Mar-Vell's unconscious mind, who can say? The mad Titan looms over Mar-Vell's bed, lamenting how weak he has become. He yanks off the sheets and demands that he rise. Suddenly, Mar-Vell is back in his red and blue suit, full of vigor. He tells Mar-Vell he has returned for one last great battle, at the heart of Mar-Vell's universe -which is depicted as a giant heart. The two go at it in a topsy-turvy world reminiscent of a Ditko Dr. Strange landscape. Old foes return to harass Mar-Vell, who punches them into pieces. All the while, Thanos rails on about forcing Mar-Vell to accept reality, to accept death. Life is finite, he tells the Captain. Finally, a purple-robed woman - Death - appears.

Doug: That we are left uncertain as to the reality of this scene was a triumphant poetry on Starlin's part.

Karen: Mar-Vell seems to accept that even he cannot escape death. Thanos tells him not to fear her. He replies that he doesn't, and he no longer needs her to be cloaked in illusion. With this he passes his hand over her face, revealing a skull. Mar-Vell and Death embrace as Thanos watches. Suddenly the huge beating heart stops. The threesome hold hands and turn to walk off towards a brilliant white light. On Titan, Mentor pulls a sheet over Mar-Vell's body and say, "He's gone."
Doug: This was as moving a comic book death as there has ever been. Gwen Stacy, Jean Grey, and Kara Zor-el come to mind as others that were done quite well. That Mar-Vell has stayed dead is a tribute to this story.

Karen: I can't really do this book justice. Even today, I find it very affecting. Despite all of his travels, his power, his glory, Mar-Vell dies like so many of us: from an illness. I think it was a brilliant idea, even if I hated to see the character go. But if Marvel was insistent on killing him off, they couldn't have received a better story. Our mortality weighs heavily on us; as we struggle to get through our lives, to accomplish things, enjoy ourselves, and be with those we love, death is always just out of view, hanging on the edges of our vision. We all have to face it, often many times over, as we lose those we love, and even lose our own lives. Starlin's portrayal of Mar-Vell's struggle to fight for his life, and then his final acceptance of his death, was perhaps the best anyone has ever done on the subject in mainstream comics.