Customer Reviews

Captain Marvel Volume 4: Odyssey TPB

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After the "insane" storyline that filled the previous 3 volumes of this series, we see the return of the "normal" Genis. His sister (wanting to be the new Captain Marvel, if he would just give up the name) is still here. We also see the return of Marlo, Magus, Moondragon, and a few other surprises. The main baddie of this story makes it even more intense (not gonna spoil it for you). But let me say, the ending to this storyline is probably the most powerful of any comic in the last decade. What "The Death of the Phoenix" did for the X-Men, this could have done for Captain Marvel. Unfortunately, by the time this came out the book was well on its way to cancellation, so nobody really caught it.

The only downside to this excellent story is the final issue, sort of an "Epilogue" to the series that really wasn't the least bit necessary. You come out of an incredibly intense storyline, followed by an unforgettable ending, and then they throw this strange light-hearted farewell in there that wasn't necessary. I wish the series had ended one issue sooner. I mean, Genis came back in Thunderbolts #1 (died again, but still...) so it wasn't necessary for the "go into the light" scenario.

All in all, this is the best of the 4 volumes of CM available in this series. It has everything that made the series great: time travel (ala Avengers Forever), great sub-plots, TONS of action, and character growth (again, the ending shows a maturity in Genis that we'd never seen up to that point). I highly recommend it...just skip the final story in it.

After Peter David's (too?) protracted study of Genis' madness and what it means viz good, evil, reality, God, etc., things finally pay off in this volume -- just in time for the title's cancellation. A terrible pity, because it seemed like the book was ready to seriously take off in a more enjoyable direction.

Unlike other reviewers, I actually kind of liked the denouement issue, acknowledging the series' end, leaving plenty of threads to be pulled by other authors should they choose, but also acknowledging that it would be up to them, not to David, to pull them.

This trade paperback wraps up the Peter David storyline of Genis-vel's return from insanity. I loved the charachters, the story, and the art. I only gave a 4 star review because I was slightly dissapointed with how fast the end unraveled and how unceremoniously Genis was taken away from us. However, all hope is not lost, because I believe the "door" remains open for more exploration into this charachter and his companions. All in all, it's a beloved part of my collection that I will go back and visit often.