Can a comic with great creators, tied in with a legendary limited series, fly under the radar? I’d argue that in the case of the recent Marvels Snapshots series, that’s exactly going on. Which is definitely a bit of a shame.
Curated by original Marvels writer Kurt Busiek with covers from Alex Ross, who illustrated the groundbreaking 1994 limited series, Marvels Snapshots has followed the original’s concept of watching regular people like you and I interact with the superheroes of the Marvel Universe (or Marvels, as original series lead Phil Sheldon named them). The idea has made for some excellent books over the course of the last year (you can see our feature our the first issue here) and this final issue, featuring Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel closes things off just as strongly.
Written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Claire Roe, Marvels Snapshot: Captain Marvel is highlighted by a teenage activist, Jenni Saito, Her mother frowns upon her, as does her teachers, giving Jenni pause as she tried to find her place in the world. A chance encounter with two of her heroes, Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan, helps Jenni find the inspiration she needs to continue to be true to her morals and beliefs.
In many ways Marvels Snapshot: Captain Marvel is a simple story, but in the hands of Mark Waid and Claire Roe, Jenni’s tale resonates in a larger way. Waid is a master storyteller, and he nails the tone of a teenager perfectly. As the father of a young girl who’s not far off from her teenage years herself, the story felt very relatable in a way that superhero books don’t often do.
You don’t have to have read every issue of Marvels Snapshots to appreciate this issue; they’re all standalones that compliment each other without being joined at the hip. Credit to Busiek for finding the right artists and writers to capture the spirit of the original Marvels while being able to tell new and unique stories.
