Marvel Read-Through: The Death of Captain Marvel
In 1979, Jim Shooter had the idea for Marvel to release graphic novels in a larger size than the standard comic issue, inspired by European, specifically French, comic formats. The first of these was released in 1982 and has become one of the most beloved and classic Marvel comics of all time. The Death of Captain Marvel is far more than a standard giant-size one-shot issue. Jim Starlin challenges the grand superhero death with a story that sees the titular hero, his friends, and even his enemies coming to terms with his inevitable death to cancer. It is beautifully told, exploring different aspects of grief while celebrating life set to stunningly gorgeous artwork. And this is one of the rare occurrences of a comic book dwath actually sticking. Equally devastating as it is uplifting, The Death of Captain Marvel is a comic that deserves every bit of praise it has received.
Way back in Captain Marvel #34, Mar-Vell came into contact with a carcinogenic gas. The carcinogenic nature of the gas was not revealed until this graphic novel, but early on we learn that Mar-Vell is dying of cancer and is running out of ideas to find a cure. His old friends Mentor and Starfox, are also unable to cure the disease due to his Kree biology. Mar-Vell’s closest friend, with whom he used to be quantumly entangled, Rick Jones does not take the news well and asks Earth’s brightest minds to aid in the search for a cure. Again, they are unsuccessful and the rest of the book sees every character accepting Mar-Vell’s upcoming death and saying goodbye in their own ways.
Besides Mar-Vell himself, Rick gets the most focus. At first angry that Mar-Vell has accepted his fate, Rick blames him for not even trying and shuns his best friend. He comes around by the end and remains by Mar-Vell’s side until his death. It is an emotional arc for one of Marvel’s most consistent non-powered pals, and Starlin’s writing hits the reader hard as Rick explodes at his friend. The scene when Rick comes to apologize say his goodbyes is horribly sad. These two have been through so much together and now all they can do is wait for Mar-Vell to succumb to his disease. The next most prominent character is Mar-Vell’s love interest, Elysius. This is a character I had never heard of until I read this comic. Despite my lack of connection with the character and her relationship with Mar-Vell, Starlin’s writing once again made the emotions connect with me. Her silent acceptance and philosophical talk with Mar-Vell about the joys of life were standout moments for me. I doubt I’ll see her character again, but this one appearance won me over. I found myself mourning the relationship I didn’t know existed only a few minutes earlier.
The cavalcade of heroes paying their respects to Captain Marvel is a vast roster. Even a representative of the Skrulls shows up to honor such a worthy foe. Marvel’s biggest names get speaking roles. From Spider-Man to Captain America, each hero that has a personalized moment with Mar-Vell has their own way of dealing with the grief. It is a masterful exploration of all the ways one can react in the face of a death of a loved one. It all culminates in Mar-Vell’s own acceptance. As he fades into a coma he ends up coming face-to-face with his arch-nemesis Thanos. A battle to the death ensues, until Mar-Vell realizes it is an illusion created by his own psyche learning to accept his fate. The Thanos illusion and Death herself walk Mar-Vell into oblivion. It is a touching moment.
The thing that stood out to me about this climax is the lack of a true action sequence. Captain Marvel slips into a coma and dies from cancer. He does not go down in a blaze of glory saving the world, or in battle defeating a great enemy. It is a complete inversion of the usual superhero death. There is no fanfare, no epic moment, just a quiet, peaceful death for one of Earth and the universe’s greatest protectors. Maybe Captain Marvel never caught on as a popular character, so Starlin decided he was the right one to be killed off, but in the end his death feels big and impactful despite his lack of popularity. He is far from one of my favorite characters, but I shed a tear as I turned the last page to see everyone mourning silently at his grave. That’s the beauty of Starlin’s writing and art.
Every single page was a work of art. I would love to read this printed on high-quality paper as it was originally presented rather than digitally. It is the epitome of comic book art conveying story, character, and emotion. Only an artist as talented as Starlin could pull this off. In a medium where death is rarely permanent and doesn’t always carry the weight it should, this one does. He hasn’t played a big role in a while, but I think I might actually miss Mar-Vell based solely on this one book.
Issues Read:
The Death of Captain Marvel #1 (also published as Marvel Graphic Novel #1)
