Marvel’s Captain Marvel has often been called the company’s Superman. However, her recent adventures prove that she is indeed Marvel’s Woman of Steel. Carol Danvers, as Captain Marvel, is capable of using many of the same abilities as Superman. For example, she can absorb energy and redirect it through beams from her fists. But we would say that Carol has enough distinctions to make her stand out as a character of her own uniqueness. However, her distinction comes under a question mark with All-Out Avengers #1, where she copies the most important Superman story: turning evil on one dime.
Carol Danvers has a rich and varied history with Marvel Comics. However, she only became Captain Marvel in 2012. She was previously a supporting character in the first male Captain Marvel’s adventures. She eventually gained her own powers to become Ms. Marvel of Marvel Comics. Later, Kamala Khan would take over the title of Ms. Marvel in 2014. After losing her powers to the X-Men’s Rogue, she gained new powers and became Warbird, Binary, and then Ms. Marvel again. Finally, Carol acquired sufficient powers to become Captain Marvel. Her power level has increased steadily over the years, making Marvel fans wonder if she will eventually replace Hyperion, the company’s Superman counterpart.
All-Out Avengers #1 is written by Derek Landy and illustrated by Greg Land. The comic shows that the Avengers are thrust into battle against Captain Marvel. However, she looks very different during combat. She sports spikes along her arms, fangs, and bright red eyes. Iron Man speculates that she is controlled or possessed by someone. “Carol! This isn’t you! This is the Dark Tide!” Tony Stark claims that Carol is taken by the Dark Tide, but Carol seems to not care. She Serves the enigmatic Queen Arrok and will not stop attacking. Eventually, the Avengers have to send Carol through a portal to space. By the time she returns to Earth several hours later, the Dark Tide influence on Captain Marvel will have worn off.
We can see Carol paying homage to a well-known Superman tradition of turning evil and forcing the entire team to stop them. Superman is the Justice League’s most powerful member. Perhaps, the writers realized that the only way to stop the Man of Steel from defeating the villain was to place him under his control. The “evil Superman” trope is so common that an entire genre has been dedicated to it: the “Dictator Superman,” narrative in which Clark Kent asserts absolute power over the Earth. It leaves all remaining heroes (usually Batman) to stop him.
At the end of the issue, Carol is in space once more and will most likely return to her old self by the time she returns to Earth. But there’s no reason why the Dark Tide can’t corrupt Captain Marvel again. Captain Marvel’s many interstellar villains have finally become aware that her great power is best used against her friends – thus copying Superman’s greatest modern trend.
Carol is seen in space again at the end of the issue and will most likely become her old self when she returns to Earth. However, there’s no reason to believe that the Dark Tide won’t try to corrupt Captain Marvel again. Captain Marvel’s interstellar enemies have realized that her immense power should be used against her friends, thus following the greatest modern trend in Superman’s life. Now it is up to the viewers to decide whether Captain Marvel is Superman’s replica or a unique character in Marvel.
