Product Description: He made a big Return during Civil War, but how'd he get here in the first place? Watch the wonders of Mar-Vell right from the start in stories reprinted for the first time in more than 25 years! Earth's newest protector faces such forgotten furies as Mandroid, Man-Slayer, and the Metazoid - along with the Super-Skrull, Ronan the Accuser, and more of the deadliest dynamos from three galaxies! Plus: the start of his lifelong bond, molecular and otherwise, with professional sidekick Rick Jones! But where there's Rick, can a jade-skinned giant be far behind? Also guest-starring Iron Man and Namor the Sub-Mariner - and introducing Carol Danvers, later known as Ms. Marvel! Collects Marvel Super-Heroes #12-13 and Captain Marvel #1-21
Interesting beginning Captain Marvel is another character I'm not as familiar with, so this collection was a great start to introduce him. There is great promise shown in the initial issues, especially with the Gene Colan art, but it fades as it goes. There are some confusing plot lines, such as just what Mar-Vell's mission is and why he feels the need to defend humans when he is a Kree military officer. It has a very sudden death of Mar-Vell's love interest, then the chance that she could be resurrected, and then that idea is dropped. Plus, Mar-Vell's transformation into his new powers and costume are somewhat forced. Still, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would have thought, and it is worth a read.
Space soap opera One of Marvel's greatest creations is the alien Kree race, and with ESSENTIAL CAPT. MARVEL we get to see some of the inner workings of that interstellar empire. However, most of the action takes place right on Earth, specifically near the "Cape" in Florida, presumably Cape Canaveral. Capt. Mar-Vell is sent to examine humanity, but ends up becoming infatuated with its people and culture. The soap opera-ish tit-for-tat between Mar-Vell, Colonel Yon-Rogg and Medic Una gets a bit weary at times, but it's all good fun. Gene Colan's spectacular pencils grace the early reprints; it's a shame he didn't remain. However, the equally impressive Gil Kane has art chores on the waning issues so all is not lost.
It's fairly easy to see how readers may have lost interest back-when in what was a very promising start for the title. The writers seem to have gotten bored approx. mid-way through the book's collection, and end up squandering great opportunities. The fates of Yon-Rogg and Una were incredibly anti-climactic, and the transformation of the Capt. into his commonly known garb was muddled. Still, this book is one of the better Silver Age collections of a second-tier character, and mediocre scripting gets a positive bump from above-average art.
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