Captain Marvel's 10 Definitive Issues

Since her debut in 1968, Carol Susan Jane Danvers has experienced her fair share of ups, downs, victories, defeats, setbacks, and triumphs. Carol's grit, swagger, and fighting spirit has remained constant throughout her nearly five decades in the Marvel Universe, even as her name changed from Ms. to Captain Marvel. Below, we've compiled a list of 10 of Captain Marvel's most definitive issues!

FIRST APPEARANCE

Carol first appeared as the security chief of a military base in this late 60's anthology series. Her quick introduction helped fill out the newly introduced original Captain Marvel's supporting cast, and established Danvers as the hero's leading lady—a role she would play for the next few years.

RETROACTIVE ORIGIN

When Kree madman Yon-Rogg attempted to lure Mar-Vell into a trap by kidnapping Carol, the villain inadvertently set the stage for Ms. Marvel's genesis. The good Captain arrived just in time and saved Danvers, shielding her from a blast from Yon-Rogg's Psyche-Magnetron. The energy released by the blast transferred a portion of Mar-Vell's power to Carol—thus paving the way for her heroic future.

MEET MS. MARVEL

Carol Danvers discovered her powers and healed her fractured psyche in the opening issues of her very first ongoing series. She donned a mask and red and blue suit, one that paid homage to her old friend Mar-vell, and went up against super villains like Deathbird and Mystique. Ms. Marvel's first series lasted 23 issues, and ended with the character donning a new, striking, all-black costume with her soon-to-be-signature lightning bolt design.

MS. MARVEL: AVENGER

Just because her first solo series ended doesn't mean that she faded into obscurity. No, Ms. Marvel joined the Avengers instead, thus beginning the first of a number of lengthy stretches with Earth's Mightiest Heroes. In her initial mission with the team, she helped them defeat the super crook Absorbing Man.

MS. MARVEL NO MORE

Ms. Marvel experienced a staggering defeat at the hands of her old archenemy Mystique and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. Mystique manipulated Rogue into using her power-draining abilities on Carol, transferring Ms. Marvel's super strength and flight powers to the naïve teenager permanently. This one issue had a profound effect on both the Avengers and the X-Men, as both Rogue and the former Ms. Marvel spent the next few years recovering from this altercation.

ENTER: BINARY

Carol Danvers always fights back. Losing her powers—and her memories—could have spelled the end of her life as an adventurer, but Carol instead became a secret agent for Professor X and fought alongside the X-Men as they battled the Brood. During this intergalactic battle, Carol took on a new super-powered identity—the cosmically charged Binary!

ALL-NEW WARBIRD

Binary remained active in space as a member of the space pirate group called the Starjammers for years, until the Avengers let out a rallying cry so loud that it reached her in outer space. Carol rejoined the Avengers, returned to her classic black uniform, and—after running through a number of options—took on the codename Warbird. Her second stint with the Avengers would be almost as rocky as her first one, but Warbird overcame every obstacle and entered the 21st century stronger than ever before. 

MS. MARVEL REBORN

After a quarter century without a series to call her own, Carol Danvers flew back into the spotlight—and reclaimed her original codename in the process. This MS. MARVEL series lasted over twice as long as the first volume, stretching out to an impressive 50 issues as Ms. Marvel persevered through events like Civil War, Secret Invasion, and Dark Reign.

CAPTAIN MARVEL

Ms. Marvel finally got a promotion and an updated look with the launch of her first CAPTAIN MARVEL series. This issue re-introduced Carol's supporting cast from her 70's MS. MARVEL run and put her up against Absorbing Man, the first foe she fought as an Avenger in the 80's. With the name change to Captain Marvel, Danvers saw her profile raised higher than ever before.

RETURN TO SPACE

After establishing herself as a no-nonsense A-list hero on Earth, Captain Marvel took her trademark bravado to the stars. As the resident Avenger-in-Space, Cap helped a planet of alien refugees fight for survival against an evil tyrant and teamed up with the Guardians of the Galaxy along the way!