CAPTAIN MARVEL: DARK PAST #2 – Buried Secrets

Creative Team – Paul Jenkins, Lucas Werneck, Rod Fernandes, VC’s Joe Caramagna

Published by Marvel Comics

Catch up with Captain Marvel: Dark Past #2!

The Story

This comic is reviewed by Nerd Initiative’s Shawn, and your truly, Megan!

Shawn – Paul Jenkins continues to show why he is one of the most cerebral writers in comics. If I have a character and I want to get inside their head and feel like I’m walking around in their shoes, I want Paul Jenkins as the writer. Jenkins really captures the anguish Carol feels as she struggles to understand what she’s experiencing. In addition to the overall writing of this comic, I appreciate that Jenkins is showcasing Carol’s significant evolution. If you aren’t paying attention, you just may miss it, but the fact that Captain Marvel engages her network, reaching out to others who may be able to help, shows a refreshing amount of growth for a character that was often written as if she had to do everything on her own. I also love that Carol can seek help from people with whom she has a complicated past at best. Jenkins shows that it’s not easy for Carol but she knows it needs to be done

Megan – Captain Marvel: Dark Past #2 makes it very clear that the first issue was so much more than a strong start. Paul Jenkins knows how to keep the reader locked into the story, especially when there’s a mystery at hand. Carol Danvers is trying to work her way through these missing memories, and the only person to turn to is the person who has experience in Carol’s memories, Rogue. With the help of Rogue and Emma Frost, Carol is able to unlock lost memories. However, she’s left with more questions than answers. After doing some digging, she realizes this goes so much further than she realized, involving her own father!

Meanwhile, The Wrecking Crew is putting together a plan to become unstoppable with the help of the Kree technology. But they’re joined by a new villain who prefers to go by nothing other than Desecrator. It’s clear where Desecrator’s priorities lie, as his number one goal is to take Captain Marvel down. Something big is building with these villains, and they have their eyes on Carol as the target.

The Art

Shawn – Lucas Werneck and Rod Fernandes continue to do amazing work on this series. Werneck does a particularly remarkable job with the scene of each panel. The panels feel full with details worked into even the most background parts of the panel, adding depth. Some of the investigative panels gave Werneck the option to work with shading and negative space that came out, really making the location feel abandoned and dark. I also just really love the way that Werneck draws Carol Danvers. Her face is drawn so expressive. When you’re reading a series that focuses on the interior thoughts of a character that often wears their heart on their sleeve, having those emotive expressions really help. Rod Fernandes does a great job with colors on this issue. Ms. Marvel’s costume always pops, and he really uses some of the colors on her costume to offset some of the darker and subdued tones in this issue. The coloring Fernandes uses on some of the panels to bring depth to the panels is awe-inspiring. Joe Caramagna successfully navigates the tension between Carol’s inside thoughts and the narrative, allowing you to follow along easily with the story.

Megan – If the fantastic story doesn’t reel you in, then the wonderful artwork sure will. Lucas Werneck, Rod Fernandes, and Joe Caramagna bring a lot of depth to the pages of Captain Marvel: Dark Past #2. Lucas absolutely thrived in this issue, brings beautifully detailed panels that tell the story themselves. What I really appreciated was how the flashback scenes were handled. They were able to add layers to the story, and had a great distinction in them thanks to Rod Fernandes, who handles the coloring. Rod brought a lot of vibrancy to many different scenes of the comic, making each place it’s own gorgeous view. Joe Caramagna delivered a beautiful flow of dialogue along with capturing the intense emotions on every page.

Final Thoughts

Shawn – 10/10 This series is breathtaking. Both the story and the art are incredible. I love the way Jenkins really dives into Carol’s psyche in this issue. She’s come so far but Jenkins shows us she still has a long way to go. Werneck, Fernandes, and Caramagna do a great job reinforcing that through the art that is bright, expressive, and easy to follow.

Megan – 9/10. Paul Jenkins is setting up something pretty big and I am excited to see it! The creative team went out of their way to make this a beautiful issue that makes you never want to put the comic down.

Overall Grade – 9.5/10

Let us know in the comments what you thought of Captain Marvel: Dark Past #2!