Captain Marvel is out in cinemas and it's doing well for itself in the box office, despite the current controversy surrounding it. Personally, I thought the movie was pretty good, just not the best the MCU had to offer. I had some issues with the heavy handed exposition and Brie's weaker screen presence when on the same shot as Sam Jackson. I do understand that the movie, despite my being a fan of Carol Danvers this movie wasn't meant for me - and that's totally fine. Seeing some of the women on my social feeds loving Captain Marvel and admiring this strong female presence in a scene usually dominated by dudes is just pure <3. I'm so happy that some of my non-comic book reading female friends have found a new superhero they can look up to and that's just awesome.
But who is Carol Danvers in the larger Marvel 616 universe? Is she Ms. Marvel? Warbird? Binary? Cheeseburger? Let's find out.
Real name: Carol Susan Jane Danvers
Height: 5'11
Weight: 124 lbs (56kg.)
Eyes: blue
Hair: blonde
First appearance: Marvel Super-Heroes #13 (1968)
Known aliases: Ms. Marvel, Binary, Warbird, Captain Marvel, Cheeseburger, Ace,
Affiliations: US Air Force, Alpha Flight, Ultimates, Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D., Guardians of the Galaxy, Starjammers, Initiative
Identity: Public
What can she do?
Her power set is really diverse. Her powers have been changed and manipulated quite a number of times over the years, but there are a few things that can be considered staples for the character.
- Superhuman strength, up to 50 tons at base level. That means she can lift an object that weighs 50 tons right after waking up, and being a little hung over. As Binary, since she was essentially a plot device, she was incredibly strong. She can still almost reach that level though by using her energy manipulation to augment her strength.
- Energy manipulation: She can absorb, manipulate, and project various types of known energy. There are extra-universal energies that she cannot manipulate, though. She once even absorbed Photon's energy form to save her.
- Healing factor: Yeah sort of like Wolverine's but she manipulates energy to heal her body.
- Super speed: She's capable of interstellar flight so I don't think we can measure her top flight speed by any conventional means. On Earth, though, she does about Mach 3.
- Super reflexes: Paired up with her speed, she'd need the reflexes to not smash into every other mountain.
- Super durability and stamina: She's one of the tankiest members of the Avengers.
- Danger sense: Sort of like Spider-Man's Spider-Sense, but only cosmic in nature.
Where did she come from?
Carol was first introduced in Marvel Super-Heroes #13 in 1968 by Roy Thomas and Gene Colan. On the cover of that issue, you'll see the original Captain Marvel. She was introduced as a US Air Force officer and meets Dr. Walter Lawson, the stolen human identity of Captain Mar-vell. She was the Head of Security for the super secret bunker in a super secret air base that was housing a 30 foot robot, which just so happens to be a Kree Sentry. Upon meeting Mar-Vell, she immediately had her suspiscions about his true identity. And that was pretty much it, as far as her first appearance goes.
In Captain Marvel #17 (1968), as she was slipping out of a hospital, she was kidnapped by Yon-Rogg. In Captain Marvel #18, in a battle between Yon-Rogg and Captain Mar-Vell, Yon-Rogg inadvertently shoots Carol with a stray laser beam. Fortunately, she survived the shot. In the course of the battle, Yon-Rogg's Mandroid exploded. Thankfully, Captain Marvel (the OG one) was able to fly Carol out to safety. However, it turns out, sort of like the movie, the explosion exposed her to the Kree Psyche-Magnitron's blast, a device designed to give humanoids super powers. And that's how Ms. Marvel got her super powers. Weird but hey, comics in the 70's, right?
She first shows up in costume in Ms. Marvel #1 (1977). And the first super-villain she fights is none other than Spider-Man's Scorpion.
In Avengers Annual #10, it's explained that Rogue permanently sucked out Carol's memories and powers, but that issue came out 11 years earlier than Marvel Super-Heroes Vol. 2 #11, where we actually get to see Carol and Rogue go at it. I guess it was a soft retcon of sorts. This is the moment that was made popular in the X-Men animated series.
After Professor X restores her memories, Carol fights alongside the X-Men for a little bit until she was kidnapped by the Brood and being a Kree-Human hybrid, she was a prime subject for experimentation. This is when she becomes Binary, arguably Carol's strongest form, mainly because she was mostly used as a plot device. She makes her first appearance as Binary in Uncanny X-Men #164.
What has she done?
She eventually loses her connection with the white star that gave her powers and she reverts back to Ms. Marvel. She rejoins the Avengers but this time, known as Warbird - probably the coolest of all the names she's ever taken (2nd only to Cheeseburger). I think the Warbird look is also my favorite Carol Danvers costume, edging out even the new Captain Marvel look.
After the the first Marvel Civil War, Carol went on to lead the Mighty Avengers - a team comprising of Iron Man, Sentry, Ares, Black Widow, and Wonder Man - a legitimately powerful team.
Carol has been involved heavily in big ticket events from Marvel since then - Secret Invasion, Avengers VS X-Men, Secret Wars, and even headlined Civil War II against Iron Man. She sent from an amazing supporting character to one of Marvel's legit heavy hitters.
When did she become Captain Marvel?
In 2012, Kelly Sue DeConnick and Dexter Soy (an amazing artist), wrote Captain Marvel #1 where Carol claims the mantle. It totally makes sense, though - she was a supporting character in the original Captain Marvel stories. It makes sense for her to be the next one to take up the mantle.
How many female Captain Marvels have there been?
There have been 3. Monica Rambeau, who eventually becomes Photon. Then there was Phyla-Vell, an artificially created child of the original Captain Marvel. And then you've got Carol Danvers, the current holder of the name.
I hope this gives you a wider appreciation for the character of Carol Danvers. She really is one of the most enjoyable members of the Marvel roster.