Review: Avengers - The Enemy Within

When an enemy from Captain Marvel's past re-surfaces, she must deal with the ghosts of her past and take down the threat before he destroys the Earth. There's just one little problem -- there is a lesion growing inside of Captain Marvel's head and if she uses her powers it will grow so large that it will rob her of her memories.

Avengers: The Enemy Within collects this five-part crossover between Captain Marvel and Avengers Assemble written by Kelly Sue DeConnick.

Originally debuting as Ms. Marvel in 1977, Carol Danvers was touted as Marvel's first feminist heroine. Despite enjoying two successful solo series, Marvel never dared to focus a crossover on the character. Nearly 40 years later, DeConnick bravely takes that plunge with The Enemy Within. Believe me, this crossover was worth the wait.

DeConnick has a very clear grasp on the character and makes her one of the most likeable heroines in the Marvel Universe. She is brave, loyal, headstrong, and one-hundred percent badass. Carol's interactions with the other characters in this collection are commendable. Her friendship with Spider-Woman is especially noteworthy. Every exchange between these two gal pals is a total riot, with DeConnick playing Spider-Woman's sassy wit against Captain Marvel's seriousness perfectly.

Beyond the strong character work, it is quite clear that DeConnick not only knows the history of the character that she's writing but that she also knows how to write a thrilling adventure. The Enemy Within is a beautiful culmination of what she'd been building towards from issue one of Captain Marvel. Captain Marvel is faced with the ghosts of her past and the plot created by her enemy is nothing short of epic. There's a lot of thought put into the crafting of this narrative and DeConnick is to be celebrated for this. After all, most writers come onto a comic trying to force their own spin onto a character. Instead, DeConnick embraces Carol's past and uses it to forge one hell of a thrill ride.

This is another must-read collection from Marvel's Marvel NOW! initiative. It's punchy, exciting, and character-driven. It also happens to be incredibly accessible, as it only requires the knowledge of the preceding Captain Marvel trade paperbacks written by DeConnick. Avengers: The Enemy Within is a wonderful superhero tale that is equally as classic as it is contemporary. DeConnick's writing is impeccable and the art, though inconsistent, is incredibly dynamic. For anyone looking for strong female characters who kick butt, you need look no further than this collection.

Rating: A-