At least I think it’s out this week. People are e-mailing me about it, so I’m guessing it is.
Had to try and accomplish a lot in a last issue that I had no idea was going to be the last until they said, “Okay, we’ve ending it with #25, so wrap it up,” and I’d already written #24.
Whad’ja think?
PAD
• 
Weird.
I’d say more, but this is one of those issues I’ll have to read again. Only thing I wish you’d left would be Marv and Rick combined….
But hey, an ending is an ending.
Well, I’d have to say I’m slightly disappointed. I can understand the constraints of the last issue – The “Hey, Wrap It Up” from Marvel – But I still felt more could have been done with this.
Captain Marvel has probably been one of my favorite books put out recently, and I wish I’d known about it sooner than I did (I think it was on issue 20 or so of the current series that I got into it); I didn’t really get interested due to the “silly name” of the character until I friend recommended it to me, and I’ve since gone back and purchased Life and Death of Captain Marvel, and Mar-Vell/Genis are probably up there on my list of favorite comic book heroes.
PAD’s run was great because, while it had plenty of humorous moments, it was still somewhat grounded in seriousness within the universe the character inhabited, and this sort of Bugs Bunny-esque ending to everything was definitely out of style with the rest of the run. I would have liked something more grounded in the previous storylines of the series that would have left Rick and Genis intact for future series instead of a “Th-th-th-that’s all, folks!”
I can understand PAD being frustrated with how the book was received, but the only people more frustrated than him were the fans. I think we all deserved something a little better.
PAD, you’re a talented writer, you tell good stories, and you deserve the chance to finish what you start. Marvel really screwed you over with this series. I hate how sales-oriented everything is. Comics is no longer a medium for telling stories. It’s a medium for selling comics. Just once, I’d like to see DC or Marvel prioritize the story over the sales. Would it really have cost Marvel so much to let Captain Marvel keep going? Like they’re not making a ton of money on the Spidey and X titles? I believe an audience won’t get into a book unless they are sure it won’t get cancelled. Cancelling books will reinforce the audience’s tendency to read only the ones with staying power. Batman. Superman. X-men. Spider-man. If a book is around long enough, I believe more people will be encouraged to read it. If Marvel had allowed CM to reach 100 issues, I bet it would have found its audience and been set for life.
Best.
Ending.
Evar.
Because really, what else can you do at this point? Not much. Yes, it pretty much takes a sledgehammer to the 4th wall, but really, what can you do with one issue notice? Because honestly, whenever they need him again they’ll just pop him out and all will be forgotten, because that’s how we do things. If it’s good enough for X-men…
As they said on “The Wire” once, “You can’t loose if you don’t play,” and I think Peter did play it just right.
Bravo, man, Bravo.
CM #25
I didn’t much care for it, myself.
I have enjoyed this series until now (except possibly when Genis killed his child), so I would guess that this issue wouldn’t have happened as it did if Marvel hadn’t pulled the plug on you.
Mind you, I’m still looking forward to the Madrox series, but this particular issue I would’ve skipped reading if anyone had told me about it in advance.
Dave
Well, my first impression was
No, seriously Tim… Tell us what you REALLY think! 🙂
Hello Mr. David,
I’ve never posted here, and honestly, I’m not sure if I will again. I just went online today to attempt to find a means of contacting you immediately after reading what unfortunately is the final issue of Captain Marvel. Simply, I just feel compelled to say THANK YOU!!! Thank you so much for bringing me easily one of the best comic runs I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Your work was consistently hilarious, exciting, and most importantly, thought provoking–an attribute all too rare in current titles. Really, it must simply be that the book was too intelligent for most readers. Philosophical and psychological insights about father/son obligation and dichotomy, the true meaning of justice, foreign policy satire, utilitarianism, capital punishment, and the pitfalls of absolute power and omniscience (among many others) were too mundane to keep a vacuous public’s interest. Anyway, thank you for giving me the gift of so much brilliant Rick Jones, one of the greatest literary characters ever conceived, which, in and of itself, should be enough to get the series a proper Trade. Though maybe it’s fitting that his staring title be just as underrated as he himself (in his comic existence as well as the community conscience). And thanks once more for Genis, the only quasi-god I may ever be able to claim I truly knew. I don’t know what I’ll do without their continuing adventures, and I’ll sure as hëll miss them. But maybe it’s just me, and I’m crazy–I agreed with Cap half the time, so probably so. I’ll stop now, with another “thanks.” And just know that I’ll be on the line whenever Marv picks up that phone.
P.S.- Last Issue was the perfect blend of genius and humility. Al’s wrong. Screw them. Be Proud!
“Someone out there who needs you,”
Carl
I actually did not have a problem with the ending. After all, CM was insane. . . . From that standpoint, the whole issue could just be the ravings of a a man who, after killing his infant son, descened into the darkness of insanity.
I also appreciate the fact that Giffen was on the book – though I’m not partial to his style, I did enjoy Ambush Bug, who was also insane and broke the fourth wall.
Hmmm. . . .
I liked it. Not loved it, but really liked it. I enjoyed that it was Rick that knew instantly what was going on, and I thought the “Friendless” was pretty cute for a spur of the moment-seeming thing. Also, the next writer of either Rick or Marv now has no ties they have to deal with, continuity-wise (though if it were John Byrne, he wouldn’t bother to continue anything anyway, he’d just act like there’d never been a Captain Marvel in the Marvel U at all). Not that anyone’d pick that up, since I can’t imagine any other writer making Marv someone that I’d actually care about.
All in all, pretty decent considering the circumstances.
Oh, and btw PAD, thanks for giving us this many issues of the series in the first place. Captain Marvel (both vol. I & II) has been one of the most consistently entertaining reads I’ve had every month. I wish there could have been more.
I enjoyed it very much.
Where’s the funny part of the “previously…” page?
I love how Peter addressed the whole Marlo is a lesbian thing perfectly, and the Moondragon/Phyla fallout to it was hilarious.
I think I would have preferred if Peter himself walked through the door, but the way it was handled was still ingenious and not at all what I expected. Some of the points were excellent (he dies, she dies, he dies and comes back and dies again) and ain’t it the truth that only things that end early manage happy endings (although Peter wrote the exception to the rule with Supergirl).
I was fine until the very last two pages, where the anger at Marvel and the circumstances of the cancellation bubbled a bit too much to the surface. It was a rough moment and a bit too ironic for my tastes, as if Peter was patting himself on the back just a tad too much.
Still, VERY solid way to go out.
Excellent issue Peter.
I’m sad to see it come to an end. I started reading the title a little over a year ago and it is now one of my favorite titles. I should have known better than to not pick it up when it first came out.
Can’t wait for MadroX. Hope it becomes a monthly.
I liked this issue and I’m sad to see it end.
If you haven’t already, PAD, you should go over to the Captain Marvel MB and check out Dermie’s post on issue 25. I think he sums up what a lot of fans have thought about this series as a whole and he really gives thanks where thanks is due.
Just got home from work and haven’t yet taken time to read this issue. I did glance through it and my favorite bit so far was the sound effect on page 3 of the story. “Shwazaaaam” Close enough to the original, but not enough to be sued for infringement.
I sincerely hope that Marvel will soon get a more professional Editor-in-Chief to lead the company. Marvel has been making so many unbelievably bad decisions lately.
I think this issue came off as rather bitter and was a pretty cold way to end the series. This story was not even unique, it’s been done, and to much better effect, notably in the last issue of Morrison’s Animal Man.
I rather, Peter, that you had done something along the lines of your final issue of the Hulk, cram in a bunch of story utilizing prose to cover a lot of stuff. Heck, you could even have done it as an illustrated short story, it was the last issue, no harm could be done, right? Simon Furman wrote a terrific illustrated short story to end his original Transformers UK run.
Would you be willing to post the things you were planning to do with this title hinted about in issue 25 but not explained?
It feels like you’re trying to make the fans sorry that the book is cancelled by offering these hints at cool stuff planned, but the fans who read 25 are already sorry, they’re the ones who still loyal to the book, and we desearve better closure.
Peter,
thanks for getting crazy with Genis. It goes without saying that you were screwed (how much more eloquently can I put it?). Wonderful ending to the series, given the circumstances…I always love humorous and clever commentary. And I will miss the last paragraph of the recap pages from recent issues. Wonderfully unrelated and amusing. Now, on to Jamie M. thanks again.
I haven’t had a chance to read this issue yet, but I have paged through it and just have to comment on the hideous digital coloring (once again). I love Keith Giffen’s artwork, but this coloring technique does not mesh well with Giffen’s style at all. What a huge disapointment because I was really psyched when it was announced that Giffen was going to pencil this last issue. It’s just a shame this is the last issue and it’s a shame that this coloring process has ruined yet another book.
Man… that was… cynical. Shoving characters off into Limbo, literally…
Though I half expected the last 2 pages to be either Genis slips and falls, only to wake up in the shower… or for Rick to get hit in the head with a golf ball and wake up in bed with… (uh, I’m afraid I’m not that clear on Rick’s history of love interests)
But definately a fun read. A good end to a crazy book, though I’m sorry things had to end at all.
Good Morning PAD:
I didn’t really like this issue. Not just because the series was ending, I think it was due to the fact that it seemed to me that the characters were just rushed off the panel into comic oblivion until the Marvel Powers that BE decide to use them again.
I wish you continued success…and hopefully your next series at Marvel will hit the 100 issue mark.
Regards:
Warren S. Jones III
PAD,
I thought the final issue was quite fitting, considering the majority of volume 2 has been about the mental (in)stability of the title character. You invited the readers into his insanity and then pulled a little of that into the readers’ heads.
Best invention ever?: “Comics awareness.”
For that line alone, I’ll always remember that issue.
Looking forward to MadroX.
Good lord, that was fun. When the heck are you going to pitch an Ambush Bug series with Giffen?
I love Keiths work! I loved it on this issue. How can you love this issue though when its the last issue… its so sad. WHEN are we going to learn all your secret plans??? Who was going to die.. die and come back and die?
I loved the Moondragon wrap up. I laughed out loud when Marvs sister and her got together. Oh… and I really thought having Marv and his sister really made an interesting combo and would have been a good comic to read. It would have been fun to see either Rick in Phylas mind…or have Marlo in Phylas mind while Rick was in Genisis mind. So many possibilities!
I was puzzled by if Marvel had plans for the good Captain…like if Bendis wants to use him in his Avengers, and Marvel wants to give Bendis whatever he wants. ( just wondering)
The worst issue of the series.
More is expected of you Mr. David.
Actually, after reading the last issue of SEAGUY, I found CM #25 to be THE MORE LOGICAL way to end a comic series that kept playing games with one’s psyche and perspective. Bravo!
Peter, I hope you and Keith find a way to join creative forces again, perhaps on a new continuing series. I think it would be a blast.
KET
Wonderful. I really wondered how you were going to resolve everything in one issue. The approach really caught me by surprised, expressed some honest truths about the series and some of the built-in problems it had, and yet was still full of both the joy and darkness that has made this such a fun series to read.
I really enjoyed it.
Honestly? Put me in the “Bad” pile. Hated Giffen’s art, as per usual. And it really did read as “Peter David rants for 14+ pages” to me as well.
It wasn’t what I was expecting. But that might not be a bad thing. The fact that a lot was left open is okay but I was sort of hoping for a lead in to whatever Marv’s next appearence will be.
Does anyone know what series it will be in yet?
I enjoyed it, though I was hoping for a little more. At least the series got this far. If it had been launched now it would be cancelled after 10 issues.
I love Keith Giffen’s art – but he gets such polarized responses that I know it will never show up anywhere regularly again. Shame.
Enjoyed the last issue.The only thing I might have enjoyed more? If you were given 25 issues to finish up Captain Marvel. But if you get one issue – might as well have fun! And you did. Thanks PAD (and thanks for brining Keith in).
Incidentally if you ever decide to post any scripts to a website for us behind-the-scene geeks, I’d LOVE to see the script to this issue.
-Kevin
Mixed feelings. Definitely smacked a bit of “taking the cheap way out,” but, then again, doesn’t seem as though the Marvel PTB left you much choice, eh, Peter?
On the up side … (and, in honor of Keith, I’ll label this a “Bwah-Ha-Ha” moment) … the Seven Friendless??!!
Bwah-Hah-Hah!
– M
I need to know what happened to Leslie Steele and Lance! Did they escape Pedro’s plans for revenge??
I’m in the middle. Yes it had laughs but I wanted to see a resolution to the storylines apart from “This comic is not canon”. Perhaps I’m down that the potential this series had cannot be explored (redemption, time travel paradoxes, relationships). It was a letdown to see a issue which boiled down to ‘Screw the man’.
If you want to really put it to Marvel, plant the seeds for another story arc.
Ah well, I don’t write comics…yet.
David
It looks like reactions are pretty polarized on this one, so I wanted to chime in and say I enjoyed it. This issue was PAD’s whole run of Captain Marvel in a nutshell– started out humorous, had lots of focus on the characters in the middle, and then got dark towards the end.
And really, does anyone honestly believe we’re going to see these characters again? Rick Jones and Moondragon, sure. But I expected everyone else to never be used again from the moment I heard the book was canceled, so having Al come in and tidy them up all nice and neat worked just fine for me.
Thanks for a very enjoyable 60-issue run, PAD.
-Fer
I’m not surprised opinions are polarized on this issue–I can’t remember an issue past maybe the first two that didn’t get mixed reactions on this site…
I liked it, personally. I wouldn’t want to see it as a regular thing outside of a series that had given up all pretense of being serious, but it fit better with the ambivalent nature of the series than a Grand Denouement That Answered Everything would have. (Plus, it reminded me of the last issue of “Son of Ambush Bug” more than anything else–and since no one else has mentioned it, I’ll add that I appreciated the AB cameo toward the end of the book.)
Loved it.
Reaction to last two panels: “Bášŧárd!”
However, this month’s “Batman Adventures” has an even better “Say Wha?!?” last page…
Question for PAD: Was it your choice to square away each character, or was that a directive from Marvel? Why not just tell the best story you can and leave it open-ended? Leave us wanting more? That’s what they did for the last episode of Angel, and it worked really well. Regardless, this was great stuff. You set out to do something here and you did it perfectly.
Honestly, though, Marvel shouldn’t even start a new book unless they’re willing to commit to 100 issues. Anyone wanna take bets on how long Nightcrawler, Gambit, Rogue, and Jubilee will last?
I won’t get to read it until Sunday; the comic book guy’s on vacation. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the series ends, though. Till then. 😀
–Don, aka Ygor
Add me to the “not especially thrilled” pile. I agree with one of the above posters who thought that this issue was partially Marvel bashing — though I make no comment on the deservedness or lack thereof.
I also thought PAD could have done better. But what do I know? I really find PAD’s humor hit or miss sometimes — and his puns (like “comics awareness”) was one of the big misses for me. At least he (sort of) “straightened out” (if you’ll pardon *my* pun) the mess with Marlo and Moonie.
The end of that issue left me thinking “man this sucks” not the issue was bad that genis will never probaly get in the limelight again….And especcally not be as entertaining. It seems im cursed if i like a charcter he gets cancelled first deadpool now genis Yea i know he is in the cable/deadpool book but he has to share and thats just stupid. Anyways great work PaD. Also got fallen angel 13 today great work on that to.
I was waiting for the last storyline to end so I could hop on, and it turned out I hopped on to the last issue. Oh well. Anyhow, I agree with some previous commenters that it was the most satisfying comic book ending I’ve read.
PAD,
I have read every issue of CM you have done. As a whole, I loved it, though I was greatly turned off by the insanity arc. I reluctatnly kept buying hoping it would improve.
I had very mixed reactions to the last issue. My main reaction was frustration at your ranting at Marvel. I sympathized enough with it being cancelled (even before I knew you found out after #24 was already done), to accept your way of wrapping things up. I have not read this before in another comic so I can’t compare, but I will say you nailed, as always, the characters. But I was wanting something more. After the ending to #24 (which I completely disagreed with and hated!), I wanted to see some impact carry over beyond a brief sentence.
I also am about done with “Sir Apropos of Nothing” and find it equally as cynical as CM became. I am amazed at your writing skill, but I find your take on the anti-hero to be frustrating. I prefer your New Frontiers ST series right now to some of the other stuff you have been writing. I feel like (though I could be wrong) your anger at the world (such as at Bush) is spilling over into your writing in ways that overpower what you are trying to say. (That is also why I only lasted one issue of Fallen Angel, while I have every issue of SuperGirl.)
PAD, I wish you well. I will try your Madrox series since I loved your run on X-Factor. Hopefully it is not as cynical and I can stick with it.
Jim in Iowa
Hi Folks,
Well, I’ve been a big follower of CM stories since the Starlin days. And I’ve always loved Peter’s work.
I wasn’t too thrilled with the send-off in issue 25.
Admittedly I’ve always been more of an enthusiast of Giffen’s writing than his artwork – so that was just something I needed to swallow and accept. And as somebody else wrote, the color just didn’t seem right. In fact, it seemed like the color was an issue for me during most of this volume of the series, as was the inconsistency of the finished art.
Perhaps the whole insanity issue was at play here, but I just couldn’t grasp where this story was going, besides to the end. Quite frankly, it’s one of the few times with Peter’s work that I felt I would have better spent my time reading something else.
On the other hand, I also realize that it’s not MY story. It isn’t necessarily going to end the way I want it to (dagnabbit!).
I’m anxious to read Madrox. I’ve finally started to become captivated by Fallen Angel. Plus, I want to go back and reread one of my favorite David runs : Dreadstar.
Thank you for a fantastic run on Captain Marvel.
As always, best regards,
Spooky Mizu
Hey PAD…
I’ll chime in and say on first reading I both loved and hated this issue. I loved the idea the concept and what was happening. It was hilarious as your comics usually are. But it left so much open and unresolved. So much so that i wish you had gone the same route you had with your final issue of Incredible Hulk… but then agian if you do that how can it be a happy ending. Especially after the end of last issue. I can only see the road and guilt of what Marv did driving him back to that edgy cliff that was sanity. I think part of my bad feelings for this book come more from the fact that it is unfairly, the last issue of my consistantly favorite book (for the last 60 issues, though it was tied for awhile with Earth X and its sequels). I think its the frustration at Marvel screwing over all my favorite books as well. Giving the writers little or no notice as to the cancelations and makeing them fight for the life of the book. I know it was against your wishes but i sent 3 postcards to Marvel asking them to continue the series. Much as I did for all the other books that i loved. Oh well. On my second and third reading I enjoyed the book much more. It seemed a much needed release of the anger that has been building from the news of all the cancellations. So thanks for a great 60 issues PAD… who knows maybe years from now you’ll be able to follow up on Rick and Genis and Marlo and Phyla… I’ll at least be hoping you do…
Personally, I hated it. I’ve enjoyed each and every previous issue of Captain Marvel that you’d written previous, but it just seemed like a slap in the face that you’d crap on everything else you’d done with the series by ending it in this way.
At least I still have the other, great, 59 issues to sustain me when I feel like a good read. I think I’ll just pretend it ended at #24.
I’m sorry to whine like an X-Men fan writing about Chuck Austen, but this issue really left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
Personally, I thought that the last issue made a
much better end to the series. Echoed the end of
the Hulk series to me in that the major questions
were wrapped up and the main character was still
free to be used, but had a bleak future
eventually awaiting him.
I would’ve much rather preferred to have a more
serious look at wrapping up loose ends. Not that
I would’ve minded a bit of the meta-commentary /
smashing the fourth wall humor that occurred in
this issue, but a much smaller dose would’ve been
better, though. If the last four pages had been
done in the style of this issue, it would’ve been
fine, but as is, I thought it was too much and
felt…well, to be a bit blunt…that I’d been
ripped off as there really wasn’t a story here.
PAD,
The final issue was a tour de force. This is especially impressive given that you had only last minute notice and had to wrap it up. The dismantling of the scenery was reminiscent of the last episode of Star Trek on Saturday Night Live with William Shatner, except you took it to a new level. I look forward to Madrox.
Regards,
Dennis
Well, I liked it. Not loved, but it was fun.
I still consider issue 24 to be the real final issue of the series. In fact, I find it hard to believe you wrote that before you heard the series was canceled; it has such an air of finality to it.
This was IMO more of an afterword, a little time spent chatting about the characters and medium after the curtain came down.
And that’s fine.
I am eager to see Rick Jones turn up somewhere new. But not for a year or so — the man needs some rest!
Genis? Not so much. I loved the series, but he’s just too powerful to work in the sorts of stories I like best.
But Rick, yeah. WIth Marlo.
Dear Mr. David Peters:
I used to like what you wrote. But the last six years, you have not written very good. I keep buying what you write because I think you can still write good.
This last issue of Cancelled Marv was not very good. What you wrote about was rude. How dare you abuse your employer like that.
I hope in the future that you write good again. Peace.
Alan in Michigan
p.s. I don’t really mean what I just typed. I just thought I’d write something in that style so that I would know what it feels like to go to a persons site and denigrate their work where every idiot on the net could read my words.
If what I typed offends anyone here, I say:
“I know you are, but what am I?”
I got a kick out of this last issue. It was sad, funny, ironic, and just dámņëd well written.
What is surprising is that it took almost 50 comments here before somebody (Dennis Donohoe) mentioned that it was like the Saturday Night Live skit about the end of Star Trek. Come on, you Trek fans. You gotta be quicker than that, don’t you think?
Also really liked the bit about the “Friendless”. {Fri-“Endless”}. Nobody has mentioned that. Is anybody reading the issue? This was good stuff!
I think that it is very unfortunate for the comics industry that books that are ‘different’ from the spandex super-hero genre have so small a following. Great books such as Captain Marvel get cancelled and we get more Spider-books or more Bat-books in exchange. Variety is the spice of life.
I don’t really understand so many people being upset by this last issue . Given the situation , i think the ending was done as well as it could have been considering the circumstances and the fact that a whole series had to be wrapped up in one issue. I enjoyed it , it fit the mood i was in …..which was frustrated and sad that my favorite comic book became a casualty of business decisions and company politics . I’ve never been so bummed out about a comic being cancelled as i am with Captain Marvel and i think issue #25 did a good job of reflecting that. Captain Marvel has never been an average comic book so why expect some average ending? Peter did a great job and #25 will go down as being one of the most unique issues i have ever read because to me, that issue was taking place in comic time as well as in real life which made it very real to me ,much in the same way that seeing a deceased loved one’s corpse helps with the grieving process. This Captain Marvel series was too well written and unique to become lost in time like other cancelled series become. Genis and the others may be in limbo but thier memories aren’t something that fans and readers will soon forget so i have faith that one day we’ll see them all again in one form or another.
This industry works in cycles and sooner or later everything will come full circle. Captain Marvel will live again and some day we’ll hear his mighty battle cry . “OHWHATAGOOSEIAM!!!!”
I enjoyed it. And as someone who complains about writers who leave characters in a “broken” state, I appreciate the fact that PAD — even if via Expediency — left the characters in a state where other writers (or perhaps PAD himself) can pick them up and use them in the future without having to handwave away a lot of things that were useful in this series, but probably not helpful the next time around.
Aside from that, it was funny and sad at the same time.