Captain Marvel: First Contact [Paperback]

Peter David (Author), ChrisCross (Illustrator), Ivan Reis (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2003

He is the son of Mar-Vell, once the greatest warrior the galaxy had ever known. Spawned in a test tube and prematurely aged to maturity, Genis now struggles to fill the boots of his late father--the boots of Captain Marvel. Therein lies the problem. For Genis has inherited his father's greatest gift, the ability of Cosmic Awareness, a oneness with the universe that allows him to know what will happen, what may happen, and what should happen to every living thing in the universe. You might think such knowledge would drive a person mad... and you'd be right.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Marvel Entertainment Group (June 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785111042
• ISBN-13: 978-0785111047
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 6.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,804,762 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars About as good as it gets!, July 1, 2003

By 

Justin Ritchie (Vancouver, BC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Captain Marvel: First Contact (Paperback)

If you think of a comic book you may think of Superman or Batman, maybe even the X-Men. This story is about a superhero (if you can call him that) who most people have not heard of. That dosent matter at all. This is one of the best comic book stories I've ever read (and I've read quite a few, Watchmen and Sandman series) The art is amazing and tells the story brilliantly. The writing is even better!

For an idea of how the story is, imagine that suddenly you became God, you could see how everything is in the entire universe and then you could see how everything effects everything else, then you could see how those things turned out, but you still had the same mind. Would you go crazy?

Read this book and you will see! Truly an excellent story!

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Out of this World... and out of touch with reality, September 27, 2003

By 

Hassan Galadari (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Captain Marvel: First Contact (Paperback)

When Peter David began writing this story, the word was out that there would be a competition on what character is going to stay for the long haul. You see Captain Marvel's sales were sliding down near the pit of cancellation when Marvel in all its wisdom decided to test the readers' love and loyalty to the character. There would be three Captain Marvel books, having completely differenct charcaters in them with different premises. That would continue for some months and the better series written by the author would continue. The book by Peter David was the one that showcased the original series and characters. That of Captain Marvel, the son of Mar-Vell, and also that of Rick Jones, sidekick supreme.

What you get is a whacky ride that is uninspired fromthe beginning to the end. It would seem that David was out to explain a certain philosophy he had in his head about what would happen to a person when they get the powers and knowledge of a god. Basically, you'd go crazy and that's why we mere mortals are only that, humans. The first series that David spat out was excellent. You had equal time that covered both Captain Marvel or Genis and that of Rick Jones. Now Jones is made to be that helpless little background buzz after a night of binge drinking on Friday night.

The art is Outstanding. Chriscross is amazing with his pencils and knows that he has got to save this book from the annihilation of the plot that it was leaning towards. The book had such high potential and was very much grounded. Now it was all about this certain philosophy that David lives where he seems to be lashing out at the powers that be in Marvel. First he was booted out of the HULK after an unforgettable run. Now, I think Captain Marvel is out the door and Peter David just has nothing to lose. In the end, I think he does get the last laugh!

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comes outta left field and wins the game......., August 24, 2003

By 

Benjamin T. Elrod "Sometimes I buy things." (Kirksville, MO USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Captain Marvel: First Contact (Paperback)

Here's what this book is about: a superhero named Captain Marvel is granted an ability called "cosmic awareness", and goes insane.

At least, that's what most people would tell you. In my opinion, Captain Marvel does very logical things with his gift, things I would do in his place. But I'm getting off the subject........... suffice to say, this is a really well-written story, with solid, consistent, appropriate art and an awe-inspiring balance between the somewhat sarcastic view of the bystander (the guy sharing Captain Marv's head) and moments and scenes that have genuine emotional impact with the reader. Good stuff!!!!! Read it, comics fan!