The Captain Marvel II Discussion Thread

[Brian Cronin]

This was one thread that was lost in the great cataclysm that I miss in particular.

So let's bring it back! :)

Everyone, please share your thoughts on Monica "Captain Marvel II" Rambeau!

Here are some sample questions if you care to riff off of them...

Do you hate her current name as much as I do?

Do you think she should still be Captain Marvel like I do?

What other name can you think of that would be cool for her?

Do you think she will ever be a major Marvel mainstream character again?

Are you filled with rage over her treatment in Avengers like I am?

Do you think she was/is too powerful?

Do you think that is a fair reason to keep her off of the Avengers?

Why was she such a bad leader?

Why doesn't anyone like her enough to make her a member of their Avengers team?

-Brian

[Anthony]

This was one thread that was lost in the great cataclysm that I miss in particular.

So let's bring it back! :)

Everyone, please share your thoughts on Monica "Captain Marvel II" Rambeau!

Here are some sample questions if you care to riff off of them...

Do you hate her current name as much as I do?

I used to but with Genis taking the name and making it his own I guess it's starting to grow on me. Though I rarely ever use it and constantly refer to her as Monica.

Do you think she should still be Captain Marvel like I do?


I do, but the cookies already crumbled. *sighs*

What other name can you think of that would be cool for her?

Quanta, but that's really not that much better.

Do you think she will ever be a major Marvel mainstream character again?

If I ever get a gig writing in comics, she will. But in most likelihood, her ship has passed. Unless one of the "hot" writers feel the same way I or you feel, It'll never happen again. *double sigh*

Are you filled with rage over her treatment in Avengers like I am?

I stopped reading the Avengers for years after she booted and regulated to the C-list. I only got back into it with the revamp and for the brief time Quasar was a member.


[QUOTE=Brian Cronin]
Do you think she was/is too powerful?

No, the team at the time had Thor on it, she was never too powerful

Do you think that is a fair reason to keep her off of the Avengers?

No, I only wish she'd make it into the New Avengers. Hell I'd actually buy Ultimates if they made a relatively decent version of her on the...second thought, I wouldn't. It would spoil her character too much putting her on the Ultimates.

Why was she such a bad leader?


Editorial fiat.


Why doesn't anyone like her enough to make her a member of their Avengers team?

-Brian
Honestly, I think it's because no one in the industry can actually relate to the character. Kinda the same way that Wonder Woman tends to have a lot of different writers. Though she's the female comic icon so she has a lot more people willing to write for her.

It goes back to the same thing with a lot of early black characters especially heroes were ...angry. It was a stereotype that a lot of writers took to the hilt. Only Black Lightning and Panther didn't fit that archetype. Monica was something completely new, an extremely powerful female character who was also black and well adjusted. I can't think of any female character that fits that and as a result I think most writers may have been afraid to really tackle her or her development.

Edit - slight misspelling

[JeffreyWKramer]

Monica was something completely new, an extremely powerful female character who was also black and well adjusted. I can't think of any female character that fits that and as a result I think most writers may have been afraid to really tackle her or her development.

The one I can think of is Storm... and as others have pointed out, Ororo hasn't really had any significant character development, or even crucial contribution to many stories, since the Claremont/Windsor-Smith tales of her and Forge back in the late 80's.

I think you're right that some writers either have a hard time personally identifying with her, or have difficulty fitting her into an easy niche. Which is a shame, as Monica's rightful niche is "extremely tough, competent and confident charater who brings a lot of good to a team and no real issues."

Maybe her not having any issues makes her too boring to some writers. That beats having Chuck Austen come in and drum up some sexual issues for her, though.

[mattbib]

Do you hate her current name as much as I do?
No, Photon doesn't bug me.

Do you think she should still be Captain Marvel like I do?
As long as Genis is around, no. But I do miss the references to "the two Captains..."

What other name can you think of that would be cool for her?
I've been doing some thinking on this lately and I came up with one that's no more hokey than the name Captain Marvel but iconic enough to work. Black Marvel. Yes, yes, there's the Golden Age hero of the same name who ultimately went insane and gathered together the Slingers. But he's out of the picture now. Maybe her adopting the name Black Marvel could tie in some way to a Slingers story. Or with Monica embracing her ethnicity. Most importantly it would give her back the "Marvel" that was such an important part of her name.

Do you think she will ever be a major Marvel mainstream character again?
I think it's possible.

Are you filled with rage over her treatment in Avengers like I am?
Rage is a bit strong...

Do you think she was/is too powerful?
Not at all.

Do you think that is a fair reason to keep her off of the Avengers?
No, it's not a fair reason.

Why was she such a bad leader?
She wasn't. She was a bad leader only due to bad writing.

Why doesn't anyone like her enough to make her a member of their Avengers team?
Because they suck. No, not really, but we know she wasn't a favorite of Busiek's and that's one reason she wasn't on his roster. I'm not sure why other writers haven't used her. I guess they ALL want to write the classics.

[Anthony]

The one I can think of is Storm... and as others have pointed out, Ororo hasn't really had any significant character development, or even crucial contribution to many stories, since the Claremont/Windsor-Smith tales of her and Forge back in the late 80's.

I think you're right that some writers either have a hard time personally identifying with her, or have difficulty fitting her into an easy niche. Which is a shame, as Monica's rightful niche is "extremely tough, competent and confident charater who brings a lot of good to a team and no real issues."

Maybe her not having any issues makes her too boring to some writers. That beats having Chuck Austen come in and drum up some sexual issues for her, though.

You know as much of an X-Men fan as I used to be growing up, I'd think I would have remembered Storm. But she kind of follows the same problem, as an individual, she only experiences growth with one main writer, Claremont.

Oh yeah, I'm really glad that Monica isn't in the Avengers now. She'd probably end up sleeping with Hank, and then get hit by him. :rolleyes:

[Dermie]

I am a huge Monica fan, so this should be fun!


Do you hate her current name as much as I do?

No. It took me a while to get used to it, but I don't hate it. The name *does* kinda fit her powers, and it isn't a bad sounding name.


Do you think she should still be Captain Marvel like I do?

I wish she hadn't had to lose the title, but since she already has, and there is a new CM, I don't think she should go back to it.


What other name can you think of that would be cool for her?

I honestly can't think of any new name that sounds better for her. I've heard a lot of people brainstorming names for her, and I haven't heard any that I think are an improvement.


Do you think she will ever be a major Marvel mainstream character again?

It is possible--look what Kurt Busiek managed to do for Carol Danvers!


Are you filled with rage over her treatment in Avengers like I am?

Rage? No, not rage. Disappointment. But given the HUGE cast of characters in Avengers, and the fact that every writer has their own favourites, you can't really get angry at them for not using everyone's particular favourites.
Busiek made a respectable use of Monica during his run, including her in several storylines and writing her well.


Do you think she was/is too powerful?

No. I think some writers don't know how to use her powers effectively, but I wouldn't say she's too powerful.


Do you think that is a fair reason to keep her off of the Avengers?

If a writer doesn't know how to use her, then yes. I'd rather a writer not include her, rather than writer her badly or screw up her powers because he (or she) doesn't know how to write her properly.


Why was she such a bad leader?

She wasn't. She just wasn't given time to grow into her leadership position. No one is a perfect leader right from day one on the job.
Roger Stern intended to show her as an uneasy leader at first, and then have her grow into the role (just as she grew from inexperienced rookie, to senior member of the team) but he got fired before he had a chance to fully develop that.
And then his sucessors on the book just didn't follow through.


Why doesn't anyone like her enough to make her a member of their Avengers team?
-Brian

Because there are SO many characters in the team, it takes time to get to everyone. Because her powers are more complicated than the standard "super strength", or "laser beams", etc.

I'd say sooner or later someone will get around to bringing her back. Busiek used her a fair bit, and had more plans for her (he apparently had a new codename in mind for her). Jerry Ordway really liked her, and included her in his arc on the book. Joe Casey has said he really likes her. Roger Stern would almost certainly bring her back if he got on the book again.

[Brian Cronin]

I am still amazed at how successful she was, to be honest.

I mean, Roger Stern introduced a BRAND NEW black female character, and he actually managed to get her to the point where she was as mainstream as you are gonna get.

She was on the cover of Marvel's role playing games!!!

She had made it.

And then she was gone.

And she'll never return to THAT level again.

She may be used in some future version of the Avengers...but she'll never be THAT popular ever again (especially without the Captain "We sorta HAVE to use you if you're gonna be called Captain Marvel" Marvel name).

And that's a damn shame.

-Brian

[LoneWolf21]

Sorry to bring up such an old thread, but I'm curious, what exactly did happen that caused Monica to resign/leave the team?

[Brian Cronin]

She had transformed into lightning, or some such, and hit the ocean.

The resulting shock almost killed her.

She lost a lot of mass, and her powers were totally messed up.

So she had to quit superheroics for awhile.

And by the time she was healthy again, the next writers didn't want her.

-Brian

[Joey]

I was never a big Avengers reader but I always like her character..especially her costume. It's not as spashly as the ones worn today but she looked great in it.

the first story I really read her in was #263 (X-Men related of course)

[sjackso3]

It's obvious. Call her "Ms. Marvel." Warbird doesn't use it. I'm from New Orleans (her hometown), and I can think of about twenty five great stories for her off of the top of my head as a solo character. The city is so colorful that if you explored her roots there, trust me... you could get some really great stories.

One of the first storylines would be to re-power her as one of the top dogs in the Marvel Universe and then have her to encounter Warbird in her role as super hero liason for the government's Homeland Security program. Together they foil a terrorist plot to blow up a freighter carrying toxic materials on the docks of the Mississippi River in New Orleans. I would have the incident occur during a visit of the President of the United States in New Orleans.

She and Warbird would team up against some new superpowered foe hired by the terrorists and by story's end, Warbird would give to Monica the Ms. Marvel name.

I envision some dialogue to this effect (after they beat the bad guy).

Warbird: Mind, if I give you some woman to woman advice?

Monica: Well... I guess that would depend on what it is.

Warbird: Your name... "Photon." I mean... what is that? It sounds like a high school science project. Why did you change it anyway? Was it because of Genis?

Monica: Well...yes and no. Genis... when he came along it just seemed so confusing to have two Captain Marvels running around. And it's his dad's name. I mean I couldn't just say "...hey guy... the name's already being used, cease and desist or I'll sue you."

Warbird: Well I have an alternative. It's a name that I'm pretty fond of and it's not being used.

Cut to next scene. Monica nabs a bad guy in the streets of New Orleans. When the cop stops to thank her and says "...thanks Photon," she politely corrects him. The name is Marvel officer... Ms. Marvel!

End of 1st arc.

[ChildOfTheDarkholde]

I am still amazed at how successful she was, to be honest.

I mean, Roger Stern introduced a BRAND NEW black female character, and he actually managed to get her to the point where she was as mainstream as you are gonna get.

She was on the cover of Marvel's role playing games!!!

She had made it.

And then she was gone.

And she'll never return to THAT level again.

She may be used in some future version of the Avengers...but she'll never be THAT popular ever again (especially without the Captain "We sorta HAVE to use you if you're gonna be called Captain Marvel" Marvel name).

And that's a damn shame.

-Brian

I think that she could reach those heights again...it will only take a writer who likes her getting a gig doing the Avengers and writing some good stories that showcase Monica in all her glory.
She is indeed one of my favorite characters, and I also appreciate that she was a cool character that happened to be African American without pandering and without being defined exclusively by her race (though I am honestly not a fan of her solo one-shot in which she fought some racist villain...seemed to predictable and obvious to me)
I would love it if Marvel was more pro-active in creating new showcases for female characters that weren't clones of Wolvie or Spidey (though the only exception I make is Jessica Drew, who was never related to Pete or obsessed with him or cloned from his cells or whatever)
I swear to God, if I were a big honcho at Marvel, I would make sure that the marvel Team-Up book featured more obscure/forgotten heroes paired with a popular one, instead of Spidey/Wolvie or Spidey/FF, I would love to have Spidey/Photon, Spidey/Thundra, Spidey/Silverclaw (yes, I'm a fan...sue me :D ), Spidey/Sersi, Spidey/Black Knight, Spidey/Machine Man, Spidey/Devilslayer...you get the drift.
Ah, well...I can dream...

[mastaflan]

Im thinkin that somewhere down the road Bendis might just redeem himself and put her back in the lime light without getting her killed or turning her into a bad guy.

Hopefully finch can think of a way to redesign her archaic costume. My guess 2006 will be the year of Photon. Hopefully they call her some thimg else like Mama Marvel or something cause Photon is too nerdy for someone as precious as Monica.

[Dermie]

It's obvious. Call her "Ms. Marvel." Warbird doesn't use it.

Two problems with that:
1) There already is a Ms. Marvel--Sharon Ventura.
2) the "Ms. Marvel" name is considered too dated these days; that was a big part of the reason they gave Warbird a new codename.

One of the first storylines would be to re-power her as one of the top dogs in the Marvel Universe

Re-power her? She already was re-powered several years ago. Monica is as powerful now as she ever was (and actually, in some ways she may be more powerful, since she seems to have picked up a few new tricks).

and then have her to encounter Warbird in her role as super hero liason for the government's Homeland Security program. Together they foil a terrorist plot to blow up a freighter carrying toxic materials on the docks of the Mississippi River in New Orleans.

Cool idea.

[sjackso3]

Why do you think that the "Ms. Marvel" name is outdated? That's like saying the "Mr. Terrific" name is outdated and DC is getting a lot mileage out of that one. It all comes down to the writing. If you write it well, no one will complain about that choice of name.

Also the other Ms. Marvel character (Ms. Marvel II) was a joke. That was just something Marvel Comics came up to keep the name out of someone else's hands. This is actually the reason that they came up with the Spiderwoman, Ms. Marvel, Captain Marvel, and Marvel Boy names to begin with. It worked too. DC can't even call its Captain Marvel's title (the original a/k/a Shazam) Captain Marvel, because Marvel Comics keeps the name tied up.

Sucks too, because I really believe that the confusion over the name has hurt that character since its revival in the 1970's. DC might have made out better if they had followed their 1st mind and revived him under the name "Captain Thunder!"

[Puffy Treat]

I think it's cool that Stern wrote as being one of the Marvel universes' most powerful heroes....yet managed to believably have her remain a fairly stable, upbeat character.

Plus, she's one of the few mega-powerful Marvel heroes who enjoyed her powers without whining about them. Or becoming a jerk.

She was 'nice'. That was her thing. :)

I live in fear that Millar will do an 'Ultimate' version of her.

[Puffy Treat]

I kinda like the codename Busiek gave her for the "Morgan/Queen's Vengence" reality- Daystar.

[Dermie]

Why do you think that the "Ms. Marvel" name is outdated? That's like saying the "Mr. Terrific" name is outdated and DC is getting a lot mileage out of that one. It all comes down to the writing. If you write it well, no one will complain about that choice of name.

It wasn't me saying it; I'm telling you what Busiek and Brevoort have mentioned as part of the reason the name isn't being used anymore. The general opinion was that the name was dated.

Also the other Ms. Marvel character (Ms. Marvel II) was a joke. That was just something Marvel Comics came up to keep the name out of someone else's hands.

That may be true, but it doesn't change the fact she's the current Ms. Marvel. Actually, she's not a bad character...she's just been badly used by a few writers (which has also happened to Carol once or twice).

Anyway, regardless of whether or not Marvel wants to use the "Ms. Marvel" name anymore, I don't think it would be a good idea to give Monica another hand-me-down name. It gives readers the impression she is a second rate character if she is constantly using other character's codenames.

[RonnieThunderbolts]

I once read Busiek wanted to call her Morningstar, which I think sounds cool for Monica. Blending a couple of her costumes together, I came up with this variation (http://jjinbeat.com/Cap/StarSpangledSite/Photon.jpg). I think her powers and personality make for a cool character, and I can see her being well used by a talented creative team, but I'm not holding my breath for it happening any time soon.

[Titan Slade]

I once read Busiek wanted to call her Morningstar, which I think sounds cool for Monica. Blending a couple of her costumes together, I came up with this variation (http://jjinbeat.com/Cap/StarSpangledSite/Photon.jpg). I think her powers and personality make for a cool character, and I can see her being well used by a talented creative team, but I'm not holding my breath for it happening any time soon.

Ronnie, Marvel should hire you to do all of their new costume designs. Do you have one for Luke Cage? If not I would love to see one by you :D .

[ColdFury]

Whoa! Spoilers for an upcoming Marvel comic related to Photon, so be warned.


And the dramatic return of -- Photon? Crunchy continuity goodness in the Mighty Marvel Manner! Part 6 (of 6).


See it for yourself at PopCultureShock's New Thunderbolts #6 Preview


I was just a little surprised to see that.

[mattbib]

How timely. I'm sure this might have something to do with the Genis subplot in that title.

[Brian R]

I like the name Photon... of course, by thats the name she had when I was introduced to the character, so obviously its different for me than to a lot of her fans. Still, considering her powers, I think Photon is a cool-sounding name, but I guess I am in the minority here.

As for her power level, I have no problem with powerful Avengers, in fact I think we need more characters of this level to round out the team. Plus, the Sentry is currently on the team, so its not like Photon would be that much of a stretch.

Now, to the matter of her actually showing up in a prominent role as an Avenger? Well, it all depends really, look at Spider-Woman, we all thought she was gone for good but all it took is for a writer who was a fan of hers to come along. So, if some writer becomes Avengers scripe who just happens to love Monica, we could very well see her again.

[Brian Cronin]

The difference is that Jessica is named SPIDER-Woman.

She also had her own cartoon show.

It's a lot easier to push HER back up to prominence.

A lot harder to do the same for Monica.

Which is very annoying.

-Brian

[Dermie]

Whoa! Spoilers for an upcoming Marvel comic related to Photon, so be warned.


And the dramatic return of -- Photon? Crunchy continuity goodness in the Mighty Marvel Manner! Part 6 (of 6).


See it for yourself at PopCultureShock's New Thunderbolts #6 Preview


I was just a little surprised to see that.

I don't think that is referring to Monica though. I'm fairly certain it means Genis, which means that he might be taking Monica's codename again!

[mastaflan]

I don't think that is referring to Monica though. I'm fairly certain it means Genis, which means that he might be taking Monica's codename again!


Please let it be Photon!!!!! Anythings is better than that fool..

[ChildOfTheDarkholde]

I don't get it...if that is indeed who might really be coming back, why did the solicit mention the codename that SHE uses and HE has never used?
I know her old codename was his previously, but ....I'm confused... :(

[LordAllMighty]

Do you hate her current name as much as I do?

At first, I hate the name but now it’s kind of grown on me.

Do you think she should still be Captain Marvel like I do?

No, while Monica proved worthy of the name, Genise deserved to have his father’s name.

What other name can you think of that would be cool for her?

Daystar, Glory, Lady Marvel, Shimmer, Radiance, Light Wave, Starlight, Morning Star, Twilight and Celestia

Do you think she will ever be a major Marvel mainstream character again?

Yes, I really don’t see a reason why she couldn’t be, she still has tons of potential, given the right writer.

Are you filled with rage over her treatment in Avengers like I am?

Rage no, Disappointment yes.

Do you think she was/is too powerful?

Nope, she was perfect for a team that had Thor, Quasar and Sersi as members.

Do you think that is a fair reason to keep her off of the Avengers?

Yes and No. If a writer feels that he/she doesn’t like Monica or doesn’t truly understand her powers then he/she shouldn’t use her in the book.

Why was she such a bad leader?

She wasn’t a bad leader. Her leadership rule was so short it’s impossible to judge her leadership skill.

Why doesn't anyone like her enough to make her a member of their Avengers team?

From what I’ve seen most writer don’t understand Monica’s full potential and if they do, most writer don’t like stories with an almost Galactus level herald on the team.

[Dermie]

I don't get it...if that is indeed who might really be coming back, why did the solicit mention the codename that SHE uses and HE has never used?
I know her old codename was his previously, but ....I'm confused... :(

If you notice, the solicit doesn't simply say "Photon", it says "the dramatic return of---Photon?!?"
Given what happened to him last we saw him, that would definately be a dramatic return (and one that they've been building up to for the last few issues). And the question marks after the name implies that there is something strange. If it were Monica, there should be no need for it to say "Photon?!?" with question marks.
I think the question marks are meant to imply that same confusion you are feeling--basically, what the heck; why is Genis calling himself Photon?

[mattbib]

I know there's other threads on her, but this was the original (and best ;))...

So having read the latest New Thunderbolts...WHY????????????????????

As if ripping away Monica's codename once wasn't bad enough, here it's happened again. Any credibility the character had has just been destroyed. Pulsar's a fine name (for a NEW character), but that doesn't really help in reestablishing Monica as a potential Marvel icon.

1) Why did Nicieza choose to switch up the names?
2) Does he have no respect for Monica Rambeau?
3) Why didn't he write her back in as Captain Marvel?
4) How much did editorial have to do with this?

The "too much to live up to" reason doesn't work for me. She dealt with that years ago. It just doesn't hold any weight now.

[Brian Cronin]

I definitely think it is an editorial thing keeping Monica from Captain Marvel.

And as for the names, I think it is just Nicieza having a joke.

You know, having Genis steal her name TWICE.

And since fans were not all that pleased with Photon to BEGIN with, it makes a certain amount of sense to come up with a new name.

But yeah, Pulsar is just as lame as Photon.

-Brian

[mattbib]

And as for the names, I think it is just Nicieza having a joke.What a cruel, cruel sense of humor.

[Tenebrae]

Has Fabian Nicieza given a reason for switching the names in an interview anywhere? I'd be interested to see what his justification is because it seems such an odd thing to do to a character. I don't like it but maybe there's a better reason than it being a joke that fell flat?

[Dermie]

Has Fabian Nicieza given a reason for switching the names in an interview anywhere? I'd be interested to see what his justification is because it seems such an odd thing to do to a character. I don't like it but maybe there's a better reason than it being a joke that fell flat?

Fabian was told by the editors that he wasn't allowed to use the "Captain Marvel" name anymore, so Genis would have to get a new name.
He switched it to "Photon" because:
a) the name is appropriate for Genis, since his power is to manipulate photonic energy.
b) it provided a story opportunity in having a Monica Rambeau guest appearance
c) it appeals to his sense of humour to have it as a running gag

This is also why Monica could not simply take back the "captain marvel" name---according to Marvel editors, it is not available for use.

[Dark Soul # 7]

Do you hate her current name as much as I do?
What is her current name? If it´s that Pulsar crap then yes I do hate it. If it´s Photon then no, I like it.

Do you think she should still be Captain Marvel like I do?
Nah, never understood why she should be named that.

What other name can you think of that would be cool for her?
Light-woman? I don´t know

Do you think she will ever be a major Marvel mainstream character again?It could happen. She just needs the right writer.

Do you think she was/is too powerful?
Nope.

Do you think that is a fair reason to keep her off of the Avengers?
No! How powerful she is shouldn´t keep her away from comics.

Why was she such a bad leader?
Again don´t know.

Why doesn't anyone like her enough to make her a member of their Avengers team?They don´t see her as a classic Avenger and in Bendis´s case it´s that he hasn´t written her before so he´s scared of trying :D

[ChildOfTheDarkholde]

Sign here if you love Monica Rambeau! :D

What is exactly her origin and what are exactly her powers?
Who created her ?
How many appearances has she had in the Avengers titles?
What would you say is her best storyline, or the storyline in which she was best used?
Does she have any major enemies, that could be considered hers alone?
Any major Marvel baddies have a grudge with Monica?
What Marvel characters could realistically hurt Monica, powers-wise?
Do you think she could sustain a solo miniseries or a book?
How has her love life been through the years?
Has she been involved with any major Marvel characters?
Thanks!!!!

[Brian R]

I suggest checking out these two sites for more info:

www.marveldirectory.com

www.avengersforever.org

[Edward J Cunningham]

Darkholde, Dermie would be much better than I would to answer your questions, but I do know that Roger Stern created her. One of my favorite storylines with her was during the Avengers: Infinity mini-series. I believe she was on a team with Thor, Tigra, Moondragon, Starfox, Quasar, and Jack-of-Hearts.

Monica is a great character, but I wish Marvel would stop changing her name every couple of years...

Eddie Cunningham

[Kirk G]

Darkholde, Dermie would be much better than I would to answer your questions, but I do know that Roger Stern created her. One of my favorite storylines with her was during the Avengers: Infinity mini-series. I believe she was on a team with Thor, Tigra, Moondragon, Starfox, Quasar, and Jack-of-Hearts.

Monica is a great character, but I wish Marvel would stop changing her name every couple of years...

Eddie Cunningham
I would guess that Nebula (the blue skinned Niece (?) of Thanos) would bear a grudge against her. After all, she was the leader of the Avengers when they first went up against her, and she was there when Druid and Nebula went over the edge of the timesled at the end of the arc, right? :eek:

[BobC]

I always liked her. When did she change her name to Pulsar?

[Atom_basher]

I always liked her. When did she change her name to Pulsar?


In a recent issue of thunderbolts

[mattbib]

Sign here if you love Monica Rambeau! :D Yep! We actually had an 'official' Monica discussion thread (http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=4212&highlight=rambeau) awhile back. CMII is a personal favorite of mine and Brian too!

[JulianPerez]

Ah, you asked the magic question!

Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau) is one of my personal favorite Marvel heroes and characters of any kind.

She was created by the always amazing Roger Stern, and may be his finest addition to the Marvel Universe. Monica Rambeau was a New Orleans police and harbor patrolwoman that acquired the ability to transform into energy. Over the years, she's demonstrated the ability to transform herself into a desolid hologram, change into X-Rays to pass through solid matter, change into radio waves (allowing herself to be "transmitted" from point to point) and light, which both enables her to move at the speed of light, or create a giant brilliant light flash that strobes and blinds.

There is talk that Kurt Busiek wanted to change her name - permanently this time, to one that I really think is the bee's knees: MORNINGSTAR.

Captain Marvel was a very rare thing, which was a Marvel character that was in the DC style (usually it's the other way around: DC characters in the Marvel Style). She had a Silver Age DC style "serve and protect" mentality, an ultra-confident, resourceful, gutsy personality, with a power that was frankly endless and universal in permutations. Unlike many superheroes, though, she had a pair of loving parents, a father that was a firefighter and a down home mother. Captain Marvel did not join the Busiek-era Avengers because she had to run a business with her parents.

Roger Stern managed to make Captain Marvel leader of the Avengers; considering her personality, it was a natural fit. Unfortunately, Roger Stern was assigned away from the book because he refused to have his creation, Captain Marvel, "mess up" and be portrayed as incompetent, requiring assistance from a returned Captain America. Thus, she never got to be the great leader she might have been and could have been; she did not receive the opportunity to grow into the role. Unfortunately for her, under her watch as leader, Marinna, the Sub-Mariner's Alpha Flight wife, became a giant boar-lizard.

Several characters that have REALLY hurt Captain Marvel include Kang, who in AVENGERS #268 who held her immobile in a stasis beam, which implies that if Monica Rambeau cannot move, she cannot transform. The Super-Adaptoid, with the power of Kubik, the Cosmic Cube, was able to seal her inside of an energy cube that even with her powers she could not escape from. Iron Man, when fighting her, managed to drain her body's energy using his armor's power absorbers. He also was able to use reflective mirror dust to scatter her when she was in a light form.

[Jake V]

I might be a new fan once Nextwave starts.

[Eumenide No 2]

Roger Stern managed to make Captain Marvel leader of the Avengers; considering her personality, it was a natural fit. Unfortunately, Roger Stern was assigned away from the book because he refused to have his creation, Captain Marvel, "mess up" and be portrayed as incompetent, requiring assistance from a returned Captain America.

That sucks!!!

I like her too.
Always thought she was one of the characters with the most potential in the Avengers roster.
I am so apprehensive of what Warren Ellis might do to her.
I am expecting the worst, but hoping for the best.

[Dermie]

Sign here if you love Monica Rambeau! :D

Sign me up! :D

What is exactly her origin and what are exactly her powers?

When she was a lieutenant in the New Orleans Harbor Patrol, a scientist who was a friend of her grandfather's came to her for help. A former collegue of his was using their work to create a deadly weapon with a dimensional interface. Monica went over cover to try and stop him, and while attempting to destroy the device she was exposed to its energies, which gave her the ability to exchange her physical mass for electromagnetic energy.
She can become any form of electromagnetic energy--light, heat, electricity, gamma rays, x-rays, etc. She can travel at the speed of light, she can pass through solid objects as neutrinos. She can project energy bursts, or when in human form release force blasts. She can create holographic images of herself. She can absorb and analyze different types of energy.

There was also a time period where she had lost her energy powers, and had superstrength instead...but that has since been fixed.

Who created her ?

Roger Stern

How many appearances has she had in the Avengers titles?

Avengers vol.1 #227-238, 240-279, 281-294, 305, 329-330, 332-333, 345, 347. Annuals #12-16, 18-19. Vol.3 #1-3, 16-18, 35-38, 46, 48, 50, 52-55, 55, 58-59. #501-503. Avengers Infinity #1-4 WCA #31, 82. WCA Annuals #1-2. Solo Avengers #2, 27

What would you say is her best storyline, or the storyline in which she was best used?

Avengers #250 has a big role for Monica.
Avengers #255-260, where she is off in space dealing with Nebula is a good storyline for her.
She is put to good use in Avengers Infinity.
Her two "Captain Marvel" one-shots are both good spotlights for the character, although her powers are screwed up in them.

Does she have any major enemies, that could be considered hers alone?

Nope, since Monica is primarily a team character. She has some enemies that I would count as members of her personally rogues gallery--but none that are *only* hers.

Any major Marvel baddies have a grudge with Monica?

Moonstone has a major grudge against her, since Monica put her in the hospital--twice--with serious injuries. Karla spent many months in traction due to her battles with Monica.

Blackout, a mentally unstable Darkforce user doesn't necessarily have a grudge against Monica (although he isn't fond of her for being light-based), but she has a grudge against him for banishing her to the Darkforce Dimension.

Nebula, the space-pirate, probably has a grudge against Monica for screwing up her scheme.

What Marvel characters could realistically hurt Monica, powers-wise?

Anyone with energy absorption abilities--the Wrecking Crew managed to hurt Monica, once they gained the ability to feed off her energy.

Anyone who uses the Darkforce is a major threat to Monica.

She is vulnerable to magic, so magic users could hurt her. She is vulnerable to telepathy, so telepaths could hurt her.

Other energy manipulators and/or projectors can potentially hurt her by disrupting her energy form. This can also be done with technology--Iron Man and Kang have both been able to affect her in her energy form by disrupting her energies.

Do you think she could sustain a solo miniseries or a book?

A miniseries, yes. An ongoing is less likely, since she was designed as a team-book character. I believe it is possible to make her work in a solo setting, but it would be a much harder sell.

How has her love life been through the years?

Sparse. She had a love interest while she was an active Avenger--FBI agent Derek Freeman. But Stern didn't get the opportunity to really develop that relationship before his run on the book ended; Monica and Derek made plans to go on a date, but Stern never got around to showing what happened after that.
Since then, Monica has never been around long enough to have her personal life explored much. In Avengers Spotlight she got paged during a date with a guy named Ben...but that one-panel is all we ever saw of that relationship.

Has she been involved with any major Marvel characters?

Not really. There was a bit of flirtation between her and Starfox when he first joined the team, but it never went anywhere. Jim Rhodes (War Machine) expressed an interest in her, but she never returned it.
In ALIAS #2, Luke Cage was shown to have a fling with an unidentified black woman. According to Bendis, he intended for that to be Monica--but that has never been established on-panel.

[Cthulhudrew]

I would guess that Nebula (the blue skinned Niece (?) of Thanos) would bear a grudge against her. After all, she was the leader of the Avengers when they first went up against her, and she was there when Druid and Nebula went over the edge of the timesled at the end of the arc, right? :eek:

That wasn't the real Nebula, however. It was later revealed (tidbits in various places, but culminating in the Citizen Kang storyline that ran through several annuals) that that was actually an alternate timeline Ravonna (Kang's lover) who ended up naming herself the Terminatrix, and ruling by Kang's side. Well, first she ruled in his stead, until he returned, and then she was killed off-panel during Avengers Forever and...

Time travel. What a mess. :)

[ChildOfTheDarkholde]

Monica is one of the Avengers babes, actually Monica is THE Avenger babe I most want to join the New Avengers. (after her, Shulkie is my second choice)

And if there were a second Avengers book, I would want her to lead.

The team sorely needs raw power, and she would be great...with her and Sentry on the team, at least the power levels are considerably increased and the team could face some seriouly powerful villains, IMO

[LordEd1976]

Blackout, a mentally unstable Darkforce user doesn't necessarily have a grudge against Monica (although he isn't fond of her for being light-based), but she has a grudge against him for banishing her to the Darkforce Dimension.



Blackout doesn't really hold a grudge against anyone nowadays. He died when the Masters of Evil under Baron Helmut Zemo took over Avengers Mansion.

[Dermie]

Blackout doesn't really hold a grudge against anyone nowadays. He died when the Masters of Evil under Baron Helmut Zemo took over Avengers Mansion.

True, and I meant to mention that (whoops--thanks for mentioning it!). But given how often people come back from the dead in the MU, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of Blackout returning at some point.

[Anthony]

Sign here if you love Monica Rambeau! :D

Anthony (I really need to get a picture of my signature for something like this)

What is exactly her origin and what are exactly her powers?

Mostly from memory. She was New Orleans Harbor Patrol who had her father's scientist friend come to her for help. The aforementioned scientist was running an experiment with an extradimensional doorway interface. As per usual superhero fare, it was an extremely dangerous and volatile experiment and there was an accident that caused Monica's body to have gained the ability to exchange itself with the extradimensional energy from the interface.

This transferance of mass for energy is what gives her her powers and it exhibits itself by allowing her to become any form of electromagnetic energy she so desires. Infrared, ultraviolet, visible light, x-ray, gamma rays etc. They also allow her to change form into as well as discharge subatomic particles such as neutrinos (essentially a massless particle), electrons (she can become lightning), etc.

She can project energy in the form of blasts (pure energy for sure, though I'm not sure as to their concussive properties. Though they seem to have that component to them) These blast also can have the same properties as any form she can personally take. She can also fly at the speed of light

More recently, she's shown the ability to absorb, analyse and duplicate more esoteric energies. (She was shown attempting to do this to Kang's force field during the Kang War, and she's done it successfully to the energies within the Green Lantern Ring)

There was a time when expending too much energy would actually draw away from her personal mass. This was the in story reason for what incapacitated her and caused her to leave the Avengers. This also caused her powers to be changed from exchanging her mass with energy, to surrounding her body with an energy sheath. The damage to her body has since repaired itself and she can now can turn into energy again.

Who created her ?

Roger Stern was her creator and she was kind of his pet project.

How many appearances has she had in the Avengers titles?

A lot. I'm sure Marvel Chronology Project C listings (http://www.chronologyproject.com/c.htm) has most of her appearances. Capital A stands for Avengers.

What would you say is her best storyline, or the storyline in which she was best used?

Her overcoming her fears from Avengers 250 was a good one. Her time in Olympus right after the Seige on Avengers Mansion was good as well.

Does she have any major enemies, that could be considered hers alone?

Monica was a consummate team player as a result she didn't have a lot of solo time to gain enemies that specifically would target her. The closest I can think of was Karla Sofen aka Moonstone II.

Any major Marvel baddies have a grudge with Monica?

Moonstone II. She really doesn't like Monica since the first time they fought, Karla broke her neck trying to escape her. And the second time, right after she got healed (by I think Volcana who had Molecule Man's powers) she got broken again. If I had a chance at a book with Monica as the main character, I'd really make Moonstone Monica's main nemesis. Not necessarily villain either, competitor, definitely, even sometimes antagonist.

What Marvel characters could realistically hurt Monica, powers-wise?

Hurt? Well, she overloaded her powers when trying to stop Plodex awakened Marrina and that took her out for months if not years. You could make an argument that Phobius hurt her mentally when he dropped the fear whammy on her.
As a result anybody who can get their hooks into her telepathically or empathically would probably hurt her bad. Anybody that can force her to overload her powers could do the same. Though that's a lot harder to do than actually say. Darkforce characters by nature can affect her. Though that may only be her visible light form, her neutrino form may be immune by the virtue of fact that the neutrino form isn't energy, it's a virtually massless mass. Magical characters can hurt her and/or contain her. Highly advanced super science can affect her as well.


Do you think she could sustain a solo miniseries or a book?

You know, if she gets a similar push by a writer that love her as much as Bendis loves Spider-Woman, I think she can get a miniseries. Though I think the path travelled by Jessica Drew, would have to be followed somewhat. Put her in a high profile position for a year or two and keep her in the spotlight, then give her some "Essential" reading like her storylines from the Avengers. Then drop a mini or a couple one-shots. Basically bring a nice buzz to the character.

How has her love life been through the years?

What love life. <- That should tell you all you need to know.

Has she been involved with any major Marvel characters?

Nope, she hasn't been involved in any serious capacity with anybody. Part of the problem is that she only had her Avengers time to shine and a lot of that period was spent building up her character and making her a respectable member of the hero community.

Thanks!!!!

Not a problem, she is one of my favorite characters. I'm more than happy to spread the love of Monica around.

[DDM]

What is exactly her origin and what are exactly her powers?


Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16 by Roger Stern & John Romita Jr:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/77997099222.16.GIF

This story would have made a better Avengers Annual given it spotlighted the new Captain Marvel with the Avengers & Spider-Man.

Carol Danvers also has an unexpected reaction to the new Captain Marvel in Marvel Fanfare.

[Jake V]

Yeesh. Was the comic that big when it was published?

[DDM]

Yeesh. Was the comic that big when it was published?

No, it's a regular sized American comic. Great story, but it would have fit better as an Avengers Annual because it leads directly into Avengers #227...

[X-Men Forever]

I might be a new fan once Nextwave starts.

I'm sure Ellis will write the best Monica yet, which would not be very hard to do at all.

[ChildOfTheDarkholde]

Anyone saw the Nextwave preview?
In the few panels she appeared, it seems that Ellis isn't turning her into a joke.
So far so good, we'll see...

[Den]

Anyone saw the Nextwave preview?
In the few panels she appeared, it seems that Ellis isn't turning her into a joke.
So far so good, we'll see...

If that's the case, I may actually try to pick this up after all.

[ChildOfTheDarkholde]

If that's the case, I may actually try to pick this up after all.

Well, like I said, it was only a couple of panels, which really don't give us the whole picture, but in those panels, she didn't look like a comedy version of Monica:I will definitely get the first issue. And I hope I love every minute of it.

[Den]

Well, like I said, it was only a couple of panels, which really don't give us the whole picture, but in those panels, she didn't look like a comedy version of Monica:I will definitely get the first issue. And I hope I love every minute of it.

I look forward to your (and other people's) reports. It's been my concern that they are going to be treated as jokes, which is a shame as I like both Monica AND Machine Man and didn't want to see them made into contempt ridden parodies of themselves

[Dermie]

Anyone saw the Nextwave preview?
In the few panels she appeared, it seems that Ellis isn't turning her into a joke.
So far so good, we'll see...

I'm not so much worried about him turning her into a joke, but rather drastically revamping her personality. Its too soon to tell from this preview, imo, whether he will or won't.

So, I'm still playing "wait and see"....

[JulianPerez]

I'm sure Ellis will write the best Monica yet, which would not be very hard to do at all.

Roger Stern wrote the "definitive" version of the character in his AVENGERS issues, characterizing her as confident, Type-A, gutsy, driven, strongly-opinionated, and principled.

Warren Ellis's approach to the character is to make fun of her. Which gives me very little confidence. He portrays her as a "Behind the Music" esque stereotype despite various flaws with his entire premise:

1) This is not consistent with Monica Rambeau's previous characterization as being gutsy, strong-willed and fearless, to wallow in self-pity and former glory. It shows a degree of regret that is not compatible with a character as strong as Captain Marvel, and explodes one tiny non-aspect of her character - that she has not been an active Avenger for some time - to proportions that border on grotesque caricature and living parody, a living walking flaw instead of an empowered, confident character.

2) The reason Monica Rambeau has not participated in Avengers stories is NOT because she is a has-been, but because she has a strong sense of family obligation. At the end of Busiek's first Avengers story arc, Captain Marvel did not rejoin the Avengers because she wanted to help her father run her business, even though she was INVITED to do so. When asked again after Thor and Captain America left, her Mother turned the team down for fear of her health.

When you write a character that was created by another person apart from yourself, you are under a professional obligation to write them consistently with how they have been previously shown to behave.

ESPECIALLY if it is a character like Captain Marvel or Machine Man that a lot of people really like. I take exception to Ellis, that boil on the behind of the comics industry, referring to Captain Marvel as a 'B-lister' or 'has been.' It means ignoring the character's strengths and history.

You can always tell the true talents (Busiek, Englehart, Stern, Gruenwald) because they treat every character as if they were someone's favorite.

[Brian Cronin]

I understand your frustrations with what you may have heard about how Ellis was planning on treating Monica, Julian, but as others in this thread have mentioned, from the preview pages that have been shown so far, it does not appear as though Monica is being treated as a joke.

Therefore, I think there is a very decent chance that a lot of Ellis' discussion regarding Monica may have been in jest.

I guess we shall see for sure in NextWave #1, but I am holding out hope in Ellis. He's done very well with established characters in the past (he took over a Stormwatch book where a lot of the characters WERE fairly lame, and he took them seriously and made the book a really excellent title).

-Brian

[Nessor Sille]

. He's done very well with established characters in the past (he took over a Stormwatch book where a lot of the characters WERE fairly lame, and he took them seriously and made the book a really excellent title).


Didn't he kill off all but two or three of the "inherited" characters a couple of years later to be replaced by a team made almost exclusively of Ellis creations minus one character who was a blank slate before he wrote her anyway?

Weren't those non-Ellis characters killed off in meaningless, ugly deaths in a throwaway licensed-crossover?

And except for the one character, didn't he have the few surviving original cast members (if they turned up at all) act fairly whiny and lame in comparison to his new guys?

Stormwatch might not be the best memory to invoke.

[Will.S]

Yeah, the way Warren Ellis wrote her from what I've seen of Nextwave so far is fine. She's actually one of their biggest heavy hitters on that team.

I think Ellis's description takes on the characters turned alot of people's panties into a bunch without letting the work speak for itself.

[Brian Cronin]

Didn't he kill off all but two or three of the "inherited" characters a couple of years later to be replaced by a team made almost exclusively of Ellis creations minus one character who was a blank slate before he wrote her anyway?

Weren't those non-Ellis characters killed off in meaningless, ugly deaths in a throwaway licensed-crossover?

And except for the one character, didn't he have the few surviving original cast members (if they turned up at all) act fairly whiny and lame in comparison to his new guys?

Stormwatch might not be the best memory to invoke.

He wrote the inherited characters well for two years, making Stormwatch one of the best comics out there.

He eventually killed them off (and I agree, the killing issue was not very nice), but his point with killing them off like that was that he thought it would be interesting to kill off a bunch of really good characters in a shocking manner, as no one would ever expect it.

Characters like Hellstrike, Fuji and Fahrenheit were never as alive as they were when Ellis was writing them, so I begrudgingly accepted his decision to callously kill them off, for better to have two great years than to continue in the realm of generic comics they were in before.

Besides, as Stormwatch fans know, killing off popular characters for shock value is a thing in Stormwatch (See Diva's death in #22). ;)

-Brian

[Jake V]

Didn't he kill off all but two or three of the "inherited" characters a couple of years later to be replaced by a team made almost exclusively of Ellis creations minus one character who was a blank slate before he wrote her anyway?

Weren't those non-Ellis characters killed off in meaningless, ugly deaths in a throwaway licensed-crossover?

And except for the one character, didn't he have the few surviving original cast members (if they turned up at all) act fairly whiny and lame in comparison to his new guys?

Stormwatch might not be the best memory to invoke.
He kept Swift, Jackson King, and Christine Trelane around. That oughta count for something. As far as I know, the deaths were editorially mandated in order to give the crossover some meaning.

At least Winter went out like a badass though.

[Nessor Sille]

He kept Swift, Jackson King, and Christine Trelane around.

Hence my saying he killed off all except two or three.


Editorial mandate?


I may be wrong, but didn't Ellis claim the deaths as his own idea? Said it was a board-clearing lead-in to his new project, which turned out to be The Authority.

[Jake V]

Hence my saying he killed off all except two or three.


Editorial mandate?


I may be wrong, but didn't Ellis claim the deaths as his own idea? Said it was a board-clearing lead-in to his new project, which turned out to be The Authority.
Maybe, but Ellis didn't work in a vacuum. Jim Lee or whoever was running things at the time could have said no.

[Nessor Sille]

He wrote the inherited characters well for two years, making Stormwatch one of the best comics out there.


Eh, Stormwatch version Ellis was okay until it became a non-stop "Jenny Sparks rocks" showcase.

And saying he'll write a character really cool for a short period then kill them off just for shock value? Really not making a case for him treating Monica well. ;)

[Brian Cronin]

Hence my saying he killed off all except two or three.


Editorial mandate?


I may be wrong, but didn't Ellis claim the deaths as his own idea? Said it was a board-clearing lead-in to his new project, which turned out to be The Authority.

The deaths were his idea, I believe.

For two reasons...

1. As you said, he wanted to clear the board for Authority, but moreover

2. He thought it would be interesting to do an intercompany crossover that actually had real ramifications upon the comics.

And as a sidenote to 2., he also wanted it to be shocking, as no one would ever expect real heroes to die in such a manner.

It's a style that I, myself, do not appreciate, but like I said, except for Winter, the characters were almost complete ciphers when Ellis took over (especially Fahrenheit), and by the time he left, their deaths really meant something, so I do not begrudge his handling of the established Stormwatch characters.

-Brian

[Brian Cronin]

Eh, Stormwatch version Ellis was okay until it became a non-stop "Jenny Sparks rocks" showcase.

And saying he'll write a character really cool for a short period then kill them off just for shock value? Really not making a case for him treating Monica well. ;)

John Ostrander wrote Spectre well, and yet his run ended with the elimination of the main character, as well.

So if I got two years of really good Monica stories, I'd be willing to let her go, as I really do not see any other writers lining up to write ANY stories with her, let alone good ones (outside of Reginal Hudlin's cameo use of her as "Women Black Panther might, but clearly won't, marry).

-Brian

[o1pickleboy]

Do you hate her current name as much as I do?

Pulsar..Hmmm I prefer over Captain Marvel.(that name is just too confusing between Shazam, the orginal, it almost should be retired)

Do you think she should still be Captain Marvel like I do?

Nah, if anyone should have it. It should be Genis.

What other name can you think of that would be cool for her?

Nada, to many name changes as is.

Do you think she will ever be a major Marvel mainstream character again?

That depends on the writer and creative angle.

Are you filled with rage over her treatment in Avengers like I am?

No not as much as with rest of the Avenger's treatment.

Do you think she was/is too powerful?

Nope her powers rocked.

Do you think that is a fair reason to keep her off of the Avengers?

Not at all.

Why was she such a bad leader?

She got the leader role a little to early in my opinion. I think she should have "earned it" a little more.

Why doesn't anyone like her enough to make her a member of their Avengers team?

The Afro? I don't know.

Does this mean I shouldn't create a death to Captain Marvel 2/Phonton/Pulsar thread?

[Brian R]

Does anyone know if she is going by "Pulsar" in NEXTWAVE or just Monica? I think the girl needs a new codename FAST, because Pulsar just plain sucks. Honestly, who thought that was a good idea? No character with that name is ever going to rise in popularity, its just not possible.

[LordAllMighty]

Does anyone know if she is going by "Pulsar" in NEXTWAVE or just Monica? I think the girl needs a new codename FAST, because Pulsar just plain sucks. Honestly, who thought that was a good idea? No character with that name is ever going to rise in popularity, its just not possible.

I actually like Pulsar it's a lot better then Photon, if you ask me. ;) We really don't know if Warren has changed her name yet.

Maybe they should let the fans Vote on her new name :D

[JulianPerez]

I actually like Pulsar it's a lot better then Photon, if you ask me. ;) We really don't know if Warren has changed her name yet.

Maybe they should let the fans Vote on her new name :D

If there is a vote, I for one am rooting for the name that Kurt Busiek proposed to give Captain Marvel: MORNINGSTAR.

I for one, am also in favor of giving the entire character to Kurt Busiek, too. Or Dan Slott. Or someone that can write well.

[Hypestyle]

"Sun Goddess" is a better name than Pulsar, vainglorious or not.. :)

give Hudlin a Monica mini to write..

bring Nextwave back..

Give monica a bikini scene for once...several...

[Will.S]

bring Nextwave back...
Either that or bring her back into the Avengers.

[Bingo!]

Either that or bring her back into the Avengers.

Thread from the ashes! I like this one!

Photon has always intrigued me. The only time I've seen her was in the Above and Beyond trade where she Living Lightning and Quasar were acting as the Avenger's forward warning post for extraterrestrial attacks. I also recently saw her in Disassembled. Where's she been since then?

[Will.S]

Thread from the ashes! I like this one!

Photon has always intrigued me. The only time I've seen her was in the Above and Beyond trade where she Living Lightning and Quasar were acting as the Avenger's forward warning post for extraterrestrial attacks. I also recently saw her in Disassembled. Where's she been since then?
Mostly in Nextwave but she's made recent appearances in Hudlin's Black Panther book as well.

[Bingo!]

Mostly in Nextwave but she's made recent appearances in Hudlin's Black Panther book as well.

Sounds like Nextwave wasn't entirely set on 616. Anything prior to Nextwave?

[marvell2100]

Man how the Mighty have fallen. Monica was once a unique character because you recognized her as being African -American but you weren't hit over the head with it. She wasn't "urbanized" or "sassy" or any of the other silly cliches that these characters seem to fall into.

As far as a new name, how about Wavelength?

[Bingo!]

Do you hate her current name as much as I do?
Photon is fine. Pulsar doesn't feel right.

Do you think she should still be Captain Marvel like I do?
With the current Captain Marvel being a Skrull, I'd love to see a confrontation between the two.

What other name can you think of that would be cool for her?
Didn't she and Genis discuss other names not so long ago?

Do you think she will ever be a major Marvel mainstream character again?
Yes, she should, but who knows if it will happen anytime soon. I'm surprised she hasn't had any role in Secret Invasion.

Are you filled with rage over her treatment in Avengers like I am?
Relegating her to space as earth's first line of defense then ignoring that role during SI is silly.

Do you think she was/is too powerful?
Power over electromagnetic wavelengths? Sounds like her powers should be explored more!

Do you think that is a fair reason to keep her off of the Avengers?
After SI, I'd love if she was given the opportunity to lead a hand-picked team from the Initiative with 3-D Man!

Why was she such a bad leader?
Was she?

Why doesn't anyone like her enough to make her a member of their Avengers team?
Give Monica a chance!

[Shyft]

i dont see why she was ever called Captain Marvel. im not that familiar with her, did she have any connection with the Mar-Vells? The one true Captain Marvel is Genis-Vell.

[Will.S]

Sounds like Nextwave wasn't entirely set on 616. Anything prior to Nextwave?
As far as I know Nextwave is in continuity.

Machine Man carries over the same personality and costume from Nextwave in Ms. Marvel and Monica was seen in her Nextwave costume in her Black Panther appearances before the current one. I think Tabby a.k.a Boom Boom is also due for an appearance in a book somewhere (I forget where).

i dont see why she was ever called Captain Marvel. im not that familiar with her, did she have any connection with the Mar-Vells? The one true Captain Marvel is Genis-Vell.
Nope, Monica had no connection with the Mar-Vell's. It was just in name only although she did confront Genis with the name stealing in Nicieza's New Thunderbolts run which was funny.

[bluedmighty]

i dont see why she was ever called Captain Marvel. im not that familiar with her, did she have any connection with the Mar-Vells? The one true Captain Marvel is Genis-Vell.

The Media nammed her.

Genis wanted the name back to honor his father.
So she gave it to him, switching her name to Photon.

THEN years (months?) later, Genis decides that HE wants to be Photon. Monica confronted him, and something happened and she let him keep that name too (Total disregard for my culture in regards to "biting").

What up wit dat :confused:

[Bingo!]

Genis wanted the name back to honor his father.
So she gave it to him, switching her name to Photon.

THEN years (months?) later, Genis decides that HE wants to be Photon. Monica confronted him, and something happened and she let him keep that name too (Total disregard for my culture in regards to "biting").

What up wit dat :confused:

Genis has a thing for Monica? He's just looking for excuses to meet with her. I don't blame him, she's always been sexy.

[LordAllMighty]

Genis has a thing for Monica? He's just looking for excuses to meet with her. I don't blame him, she's always been sexy.

I wouldn't be shocked if he was.:wink:

[tlunning]

As far as I know Nextwave is in continuity.

Machine Man carries over the same personality and costume from Nextwave in Ms. Marvel and Monica was seen in her Nextwave costume in her Black Panther appearances before the current one. I think Tabby a.k.a Boom Boom is also due for an appearance in a book somewhere (I forget where).
At first, Nextwave wasn't considered in continuity. I think Marvel has reversed their stance on that (I believe CW Battle Damage Report mentions the team and their exploits) and I think JQ has said that it is now "in continuity." Confusing.
I'll say Aaron Stack was too funny to ever go back.

I think Tabby is supposed to show up in Cable sometime, maybe a reunited X-Force?
But what happened to the Captain?!