Marvel finally gets around to collecting the adventures of Captain Mar-Vell in a brand new omnibus on February 1.
The new collection contains the origins of the Kree Captain in Marvel Super Heroes #12-13, leading to his solo series in Captain Marvel (no dash included) #1-33, and the first full Thanos appearance in Iron Man #55.
Mar-Vell undergoes a number of significant changes early in his existence, swapping the green and white suit designed by Stan Lee and Gene Colan for the much more vibrant one introduced by Roy Thomas and Gil Kane in issue #17.
These changes became even more apparent and less superficial once Mike Friedrich and Jim Starlin took over the reins (shortly after Mar-Vell’s absence from the stands during a two year hiatus from 1970 to 1972). Starlin would assume both art and writing duties in Captain Marvel #29, forever defining the character (until his untimely death in Starlin’s inaugural Marvel graphic novel, The Death of Captain Marvel in 1982) and building on his initial cosmic drama with Thanos, Drax the Destroyer, Moon Dragon, Star Fox, and the Cosmic Cube.
Despite all these rapid changes, Mar-Vell still continued to defend his adopted planet against Kree and Skrull threats such as Colonel Yon-Rogg, The Super Skrull, Ronan the Accuser, and the Kree Supreme Intelligence. Naturally, the alien captain also had some disagreements with established Earth heroes such as Black Widow, Iron Man, Namor, Captain America, and the Hulk at the start of his career.
No late 1960s/early 1970s collection would be complete with out a number of forgotten and odd-ball villains such as Metazoid, Quasimodo, Man-Slayer, Megaton, the Android-Man, and the Mandroid.
Other writers and artists celebrated in the omnibus include: Arnold Drake, Gary Friedrich, Archie Goodwin, Gerry Conway, Marv Wolfman, Steve Englehart, Don Heck, Dick Ayers, Frank Springer, Tom Sutton, John Buscema, John Romita, Sr., Wayne Boring, Frank Giacoia, Paul Reinman, Vince Colletta, John Tartaglione, Syd Shores, Dan Adkins, Frank Giacoia, Frank McLaughlin, Ernie Chan, Chic Stone, Dave Cockrum, Pablo Marcos, Dan Green, Al Milgrom, Klaus Janson, and Mike Esposito.
The 888 page omnibus comes with a suggested retail price of $100.00.
Check out the classic cover by Kane and the comic shop variant cover by Colan below.
