(Review relates to part two of the set, which comprises the last four issues of Starlin's original run, the Avengers tie-in issue and The Death of Captain Marvel graphic novel).

“With your powers and brains you should be able to find a cure for cancer in no time at all.”

In one line, nearly two decades before a different tragedy necessitated asking the same basic question, Jim Starlin nailed the limitations of a genre. Part 2 of Hachette’s edition of The Life and Death of Captain Marvel consists of the end of Starlin’s original 70s run and the later bleak graphic novel which told the story of his death. The first section is largely the end of Starlin’s long running battle between Mar-vell and Thanos. You can see the Marvel universe moving from parochial to epic here, the universal scale prefiguring so many of the company’s future crossover events. In that light the last issue of Starlin’s run, a one off minor confrontation with Nitro seems somehow small and insignificant.
But it’s not, or it wouldn’t be included here. Instead it’s the catalyst for the meat of this book, The Death of Captain Marvel. Originally this was Marvel’s first graphic novel and remains one of their best, primarily as it’s very different from the standard superhero story. You can see it as in the same vein as series such as Watchmen in that it depends on the actions of superheroes having consequences, that it takes a toll on the person behind the mask too. The only battle here is one we know from early on is a hopeless one. Starlin takes pains to establish this; that for all the fantastical powers in the Marvel Universe there is no hope on this occasion. Given all the powers you could call this out as laying things on a bit thick, but given the nature of the storyline a handwave cure would be treating the disease with inappropriate levity. It’s the right decision. It turns into a eulogy for the character with plenty of touching moments that haven’t really been repeated in other mainstream superhero books (much of which is to do with the expectation that character will be resurrected sooner or later). Marvel’s death is a consequence of firstly his heroic nature and secondly his powers, the latter of which sustain him for a while but ultimately prevent a cure.

Perhaps the gathering of so many heroes for the death of this character rings a touch false – how important was he in the Marvel universe really? It allows Starlin to delve into the awkward conversations and thoughts friends and family have around dying people though – the reactions of the Things and Spider-Man ring very true. And the other chillingly true note is the brief panel regarding the Kree Supreme Intelligence, who briefly notes a feeling of triumph. That undercuts the slightly mawkish and unlikely moment of the Skrull presenting Marvel with a medal.

Ultimately it’s the ending which gives the rest of the story weight. The character hasn’t been resurrected since, passing his name on to other characters. Reading the stories now you can’t help but be aware of how things will turn out. Where that falls down a little is the jump cut from that battle with Nitro straight into the death storyline – the cancer was a long term consequence for Marvel and it therefore lacks a sense of time passing. The disease almost comes from nowhere. I know it can happen like that, but there’s an appearance of going from full health to death very quickly. That’s a fault of the need to compress the storyline to present it like this though. While Marvel remains dead, this remains a very different and thoughtful one off in the Marvel canon. ( )