Behind a cover both pencilled and inked by Jim Starlin (his first such since coming on board the Captain Marvel title with issue #25), this issue featured the conclusion of the epic “Thanos War” storyline that the creator had inaugurated a year and a half earlier with the 55th issue of Iron Man, and which had since woven through the previous eight issues of Captain Marvel itself, while also spilling over briefly into Marvel Feature, Daredevil, and Avengers.
But while CM #33 represented a long-awaited ending first and foremost, it was also an issue of new beginnings, at least on the creative side. While Starlin had been plotting as well as drawing the series ever since his arrival with issue #25, his first stories had been scripted by Mike Friedrich. Starlin had then scripted one chapter of issue #28 on his own (with Friedrich handling the others), before writing #29 through #31 all by himself. Evidently less than completely satisfied with the quality of his own wordsmithing, however, he’d brought back Friedrich to help with #32… and now, for this concluding episode of his saga, he’d handed the scripting duties over to Steve Englehart, with whom he’d previously collaborated on Master of Kung Fu. Englehart would in fact be hanging around Captain Marvel for quite some time — considerably longer, in fact, than Starlin himself, as the young comics auteur would be moving on to another project after one more issue of the series, while Englehart would become its regular writer — plotting, as well as scripting — for the next two years.
Also making his debut on Captain Marvel this issue was inker Klaus Janson, who brought a darker, more textured finish to Starlin’s pencils than Marvel’s readers had yet seen. Like Englehart’s, Janson’s association with the title would extend beyond Starlin’s departure, as he’d ink several later stories and covers.
At the end of Captain Marvel #32, readers had been advised that the next (and penultimate) chapter of the present saga would appear in Avengers — and if you’re a follower of this blog, you’re likely already familiar with that part of the story via our post on Avengers #125, published a mere three days ago. Assuming that’s the case, you’ll doubtless have noted that the tableau shown above doesn’t follow from the end of that comic, but rather seems to pick up from the conclusion of CM #32 (although at least a few seconds have clearly passed, since that book’s last panel showed Thanos facing off against the titular hero’s quasi-alter ego, Rick Jones, rather than Mar-Vell himself. As will hopefully become evident as we make our way through CM #33, however, the events of Avengers #125 actually run more-or-less concurrently with the first seven pages of this issue… with the notable exception of the following two-plus pages of recap, that is…
As I’ve written in other posts, I was a late boarder of the “Thanos War” train, not picking up on Starlin’s Captain Marvel until issue #29. By this point, I was cognizant of most of the essentials of the epic’s backstory; still, there were a number of details I didn’t learn until they were shared on these pages.
Of course, even if you’d read every issue of Captain Marvel since #25 and all the ancillary material to boot, you probably weren’t going to skip Starlin’s recaps, thanks to the bold choices made by the creator in his coloring, his linework, and his page design to keep each and every reader visually engaged throughout.
Presumably, the spaceship in the next to last panel above is the same one we saw crash onto a movie theater showing Deep Throat in Avengers #125…
Dazed and debilitated, but by no means dead, Mar-Vell isn’t alone for long; rather, he’s joined almost immediately by a holographic projection of ISAAC, the sentient super-computer of Titan, who finds themself puzzled by recent events. “Your other self asked me to transport him/you to Earth,” ISAAC says to Marv, “yet this brought you/him only pain. Why did he/you do this?”
With the Avengers’ return to Earth (sort of) and the check-in with Mentor and Moondragon on Titan, Starlin and Englehart have accounted for almost all of this epic’s super-powered supporting cast — with the notable exception of Mentor’s “other son, Eros” (later to be also known as Starfox), whom we last saw ensnared by the limbs of the Eternity Tree in CM #32. Oh, and of course there’s that one other guy… although something tells me he’ll be along any moment now…
Back on Earth, Captain Marvel finds the Cosmic Cube in the wreckage left in the wake of his fight with Thanos; though it’s been drained of power, Marv believes it remains “the key to vanquishing Thanos!” Before he can give the matter more thought, however, his Cosmic Awareness starts a-tinglin’, letting him know something’s up…
Ah, there he is. Welcome back, Drax! We missed you.
“But as long as he’s playing,” Captain Marvel continues, “try to amuse him so much he’ll stay with you for awhile!” And our hero flies off to consult with Mantis and Isaac; he’s had an idea, you see, and as it turns out, they’ve had the same one — to which end, Mantis has brought Marv the Cosmic Cube…
It’s intriguing that Mantis plays such a large role in the Thanos War’s finale — a considerably more important role than any “official” Avenger (including Iron Man, in whose title the whole story arc kicked off in the first place) — given that she’s been given minimal exposure in previous issues of Captain Marvel, and that Starlin seemed to have been building up a character with a somewhat similar demeanor and power set, Moondragon, only to sideline her here. I’m inclined to suspect that Mantis’ primary creator, Steve Englehart, was responsible for this move, despite the assurances made in letters columns and elsewhere that Starlin was completely in control of the plotting of his latter Captain Marvel stories, and that Englehart’s role was limited to providing the words in the captions and balloons; the two creators were friends, after all, and friends make (and listen to) suggestions. Adding to the intrigue, Starlin more or less ceded Moondragon over to Englehart for Avengers after this; there, she’d figure into the writer’s “Celestial Madonna” storyline, which would position the Earth-born priestess of Titan as being in a cosmic sort-of competition with… Mantis.
When I first read Captain Marvel #33 in 1974, I thought it was a practically perfect comic book. In particular, the three-page sequence in which Thanos is defeated completely knocked me out, seeming to me then (as indeed it still does) to be an absolutely superlative example of comics (as opposed to cinematic, literary, etc.) storytelling. Two series of images from those pages — the rapidly aging Mar-Vell making his last desperate lunge at the Cosmic Cube, and the slow turn of Death to reveal the Mad Titan’s “final” fate (for what it’s worth, my younger self was 100% certain at the time that no one would ever dare bring Thanos back after such a perfect ending) remain as vivid to my inner eye as they ever were, half a century later.
But even I have to admit that, that half-century on, it’s hard not to find al least a minor flaw or two in “The God Himself!”. For one thing, the whole “Hail Mary” play that ultimately brings Thanos down is set up and executed in such a speedy manner that, after more than nine issues of seeing our heroes struggle valiantly but (mostly) futilely against overwhelming odds, the final victory seems to come almost too quickly. For another, that victory itself is utterly dependent on Thanos’ own enormous hubris, as evidenced by his constant failure to kill Mar-Vell (and his other foes) when he has them at his mercy, as well as by his not having the sense to keep the Cosmic Cube close until such time as it no longer presents a danger to him. (On the other hand, in Starlin’s defense, he did have his characters discussing how Thanos’ huge ego was his greatest liability as an ongoing refrain throughout the story arc, so you can’t say he didn’t foreshadow the villain’s ego’s essential role in his ultimate downfall.)
All that said, I still believe that the “Thanos War” remains a highly impressive creative achievement, fifty years on — and a high water mark of this era in American comics. That’s especially remarkable considering how relatively new to the field — especially as a writer, rather than “just” an artist — Jim Starlin still was, back in the spring of 1974.
Little did we know that the young creator was prepared to match the level of quality he’d already given us, and surpass it, within the next year and a half — although that next leap forward wouldn’t be taken within the context of Captain Marvel, whose titular hero’s destiny after the next issue would be guided by Steve Englehart, but in the form of the coming revival of another blond-haired, serious-minded, space-faring superhero who, like Mar-Vell of the Kree, had already had one major makeover performed on him by the creative team of writer Roy Thomas and artist Gil Kane.
Still, before such a revival could come to pass, there was the story of its hero’s current incarnation yet to wrap up — a project that, in April, 1974, was well underway within the pages of The Incredible Hulk. But we’ll have more to say about that particular endeavor in our very next post, coming one short week from today.
Attack of the 50 Year Old Comic Books 
Your feelings about that ending — in 1974, reading it for the first time — as well as 50 years later, echo mine, Alan. It was just plain awesome to me back then. Actually, it still is now, IMO, but I can more clearly see some of the common tropes that led to that point. Thanos had several opportunities to totally eliminate Captain Marvel in any number of ways, but declined to ever do so. Decades later (I forget exactly where, but in one of the Infinity Gems stories), Starlin had Thanos admit that to himself that he unconsciously brought his defeats upon himself, apparently deeming himself unworthy of the victory he craved, or the love of his silent, deadly mistress. Does make some retroactive sense, although I’d guess Starlin didn’t plot the story with that in mind way back when, but was certainly planting seeds to indicate that Thanos’ massive ego would be the source of his fall. Otherwise, Starlin had pretty much written himself into a corner (but then, Kirby did the same a few times!), with a foe so seemingly powerful and unbeatable that the hero had no realistic chance of beating him. LIke Galactus vs. the FF, or that first battle beween Thor and Mangog. But as with those earlier Kirby klassics, so with this epic — the overall story and art were so wonderfully majestic, a thrilling ride.
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Wow, what a beautiful book! Starlin was clearly at the top of his game here, pouring himself into the artwork as well as the stories themselves and it shows in every panel. Janson’s work, who I usually associate with Frank Miller on Daredevil, is particularly good here as well and not as heavy and as distracting as it becomes later in his career. This wrap-up does feel rushed, as you say, Alan, but if Starlin had stretched it out another issue or two, we’d probably have reason to complain that he took too long (we’re hard to please, we comics fans). Still, as I said in my response to Avengers #125, Thanos is his own worst enemy. It’s almost as if, once given the power of a God, Thanos doesn’t trust it, or, acting instinctively, doesn’t think to use it as often as he could. As you and Fred both mention, Thanos could have killed Marv or Drax at almost anytime, but instead chose to distract them with minions and flying buildings and fist-fights of all things (why does a god need to engage in fisticuffs?)! It’s almost as if Thanos wanted to fail!
Still, this is truly a momentous epic in the overall Marvel scheme of things and deserves to be remembered and celebrated for it. And as good as this is, we still have the Warlock saga and The Death of Captain Marvel yet to come, so there’s plenty of fun still ahead. Thanks, Alan!
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I think with his first Warlock story, in Strange Tales #178, Starlin managed to top himself, even with another great recap focusing on Warlock’s career thus far and humorously narrated by Sphinxor. In 1974, as a relative neophyte to comics, I wasn’t yet aware of how much influence Starlin took from Kirby, Ditko and Steranko, among others, but he created his own unique synthesis and had an excellent sense of design that really came through on those final pages of C.M. #33, with Thanos opting to age Marv to death (rather than blinking him out of existence, thankfully!), but Marv still keeping his wits and strength enough to enable him to karate chop the Cosmic Cube (I can’t help but wonder if that was really feasible, but I don’t think it was ever explained exactly what the Cosmic Cube was composed of and how hard it was) and then that final death scream and Lady Death’s laughter and removal of her beauteous fleshy masque that hid her true skeletal visage. I loved all those images and painted a poster featuring several of them, as well as of Eon, to put up on my bedroom wall.
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I had picked this up from the beginning.
I had been watching Starlin develop since November of 1972 at this point and had been very impressed. (I had been a comics fan since 1970, but started out as a War Comics and Classics Illustrated fan, so I had missed Kirby’s Forth World, which casts a long shadow over this.)
I had just seen (or was just about to see, I don’t recall) seeing the Cosmic Cube introduced in a Cap/Red Skull story that was reprinted about this time. If Thanos was short sighted in not killing CPT Marvel, what was Red Skull for not realizing he could make himself immanent?
I think you are spot on in your explanation for why Mantis (and not Moon Dragon) was used here. Stalin clearly did not want to upset any apple carts, with friends or with Marvel as a company.
I have heard it implied that (before Marvel gave him Warlock), Starlin was somewhat fed up. I don’t know if Atlas had contacted him or if he was talking to Warren or DC, but he might have been looking.
In the Summer of 1974, Starlin did odds and ends of covers, probably to keep his work before the public but his departure from CPT Marvel after the next issue was a shock. Warlock impressed people, but I wonder how ell it (or this) sold?
I have fond memories of this work.
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Rather than the plots etc, 50 years on for me, nowadays I tend to just appreciate the overall visuals and Starlin’s art as his best , had a kind of serious density which was quite compelling at the time and still looks good. Also how many artists at the time also coloured their own work?
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What a beautifully illustrated issue. Jim Starlin really was firing on all cylinders with his layouts & storytelling here. I’ve been a fan of his work since I first discovered him via Dreadstar in the mid-1980s, and it’s been enjoyable getting to see his original Thanos saga recapped on Alan’s blog. Definitely makes me want to pick up one of the collected editions.
I agree that Mantis suddenly having a central role in the climax of Starlin’s storyline was probably a boon to Steve Englehart. Nevertheless, as a huge fan of the character, I appreciated seeing her receive the spotlight in this issue. I thought the depiction of Mantis by Starlin & Klaus Janson looked very effective & fetching.
Until Alan mentioned it here, it never actually occurred to me that two of the characters Starlin is most associated with, Captain Mar-Vell and Adam Warlock, had both been previously revamped by Roy Thomas & Gil Kane before he began chronicling their adventures. Quite a coincidence that I should have noticed before now.
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Klaus Janson did a great job on this (in fact, I thought he had also inked the cover).
I thought Cockrum (CM #26); Rubinstein (the OMAC story in Kamandi # 59); Green (CM#28); Milgrom (CA # 29 et al.); Sinnott (Marvel Feature # 11); Pablo Marcus (CM # 27); and Starlin himself (Strange Tales # 178 et al.) were Starlin’s best inkers.
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I also liked Weiss on several Warlock covers and the Starlin page from the 1976 marvel Calendar . . . .
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This comic made me think it was the beginning of a new era of great comics. Before this, I liked the 60s reprints more than the new comics. Sometimes new comics were great, like CA 164 or ASM 104, but mostly nothing measured up to Lee/Kirby or Lee/Romita. But, comics remained mostly mediocre until the 80s.
Starlin’s anatomy and detail isn’t great, but the creativity, action and spectacle is on par with Kirby and Neal Adams. Until we get to Alan Moore, Frank Miller, Howard Chaykin and John Byrne of the 80s, Jim Starlin is the guy that carries the creative torch in the 70s, IMO.
I was blown away by the ending. The way Thanos tried to kill Captain Marvel by aging him was original (or so it seemed to me) and his breaking the cosmic cube to kill Thanos was a great dramatic ending.
Mantis didn’t fit for me. I didn’t like the vague powers and the annoying way she referred to herself in the third person. Upon 50 year-old retrospect, I think this was Moondragon’s time to shine and Englehart selfishly used his character in Moondragon’s place. But, if that’s true, why would Starlin let him? Alan reminds us they were friends, but I think it’s kind of important to have Moondragon’s role in this story pay off here.
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A terrific book with some incredible art.
I think Marv suggested in one of the earlier issues that Thanos wanted an audience for his assent to godhood. But yeah “don’t take any precautions with the cube and nobody will notice it” wasn’t best security practices. It would have made more sense if he didn’t realize the cube was still feeding him and Marv-El’s cosmic awareness did.
Compared to the Red Skull’s use of the cube in Captain America, Thanos is moving with breathtaking efficiency.
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This issue blew my fragile little mind. WOW! I had not been reading CAPTAIN MARVEL, but when I picked up AVENGERS #125 and saw the ending, I went back to the convenience store where I bought my comics (or, more accurately, got my mom to drive me – thanks, mom!) to get this.
It’s safe to say that this book looked and read like NOTHING I had read before in Marvel. Storytelling in the last pages is just astonishing. Rushed? Maybe a little. But no more so that almost any of 17-page book at the time. And Janson’s inks (relatively new to me) really knocked me out.
Though I was picking up a story that had been running over a year and a half, i didn’t feel completely lost thanks to the elegance exposition in the early pages. I almost wonder if Englehart and Starlin realized that this issue might get some new readers out of the crossover with AVENGERS (like, cough cough, me) and so went out of their way to bring the newbies up to speed while offering a wittily-scripted recap that older readers wouldn’t find too tedious.
Speaking of script- that last page is so eloquent. I wish these two guys – who were friends, at least for a time – had done MORE together than just this issue, the next, and those first three issues of MASTER OF KUNG FU. Starlin (like a number of artists who script their own work) has a tendency to over explain, while Englehart knows just what to leave in and what to leave out.
Speaking of leaving out – at that one point where Thanos is addressing his “dark and deadly damsel” (alliteration – yeah, baby!), there’s a bit of non-sequitur. One panel ends with “And I thrill to your silent approbation!” (note the exclamation point) to “…And THAT tells the tale!” That doesn’t quite follow – normally, if there’s an ellipsis at the start of a caption or balloon, it usually comes after a caption or balloon that ENDS with an ellipsis. Plus, the position of that “…And THAT tells the tale!” at the right end of the panel indicates that there might have been something on the LEFT end of the panel.
I may be wrong about this, but apparently, Englehart originally wrote a brief “explanation” related to that “Dark and deadly damsel” that was a little too on-the-nose for Starlin, who took that part of the balloon out. Anyone else here know anything about that?
Regardless, thanks for this revisiting of a true gem. I look forward to next week’s look at what I assume is the passion of the Warlock, from THE INCREDIBLE HULK.
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Wow indeed. It is a great pleasure to take these trips down memory lane. It is really fascinating to see which comics hold up really well (such as Captain Marvel 33) and which do not. I would also agree with most commentators that this is absolute peak Starlin work, except that you will soon be getting to Warlock which is definitely high on my list of peak Starlin work as well. Thanks so much Alan! I had completely forgotten that Klaus Janson inked this important issue. He would quickly become one of Marvel best inkers of the 70s before teaming with Frank Miller, working excellently with Rich Buckler, Gene Colan, John Buscema, Sal Buscema, Bob Brown, Carmine Infantino, Gil Kane and many others. The other point that you raised which I completely missed at the time was Mantis being featured in CM 33 instead of Moon Dragon. I agree with other commentators that it seems that Moon Dragon ( a self professed “Goddess of the Mind”) would have made more sense in the role that Mantis played…but oh well…it is 50 years later after all. A few interesting additional facts for your information…according to interviews I have read with Jim Starlin, sales of Captain Marvel at this time (April 1974) were quite good and actually better than Iron Man which was bi-monthly for all of 1974 and was struggling. However, there were problems…Starlin was upset that there seemed to be a different inker every issue (they were all good but…), and he wanted and requested one consistent inker, and when CM 34 came along there was…another different inker. That may have resulted in his abrupt departure but there may have been other factors and I presume you may address this in June if you review CM 34. I also understand that Starlin may just have been restless and considering other projects. In any event, it is worth considering that Jim Starlin did something really amazing with Captain Marvel. He saved the series from cancellation. I was one of those who bought into the hype and started buying the series with CM 25 so read the whole Thanos story line. I was at least familiar with CM from the Kree Skrull war in Avengers, but Starlin took a character whose background was a kind of a mess when you looked at the back issues (especially the first issue…MSH 12..he started out as an enemy spy for the Kree!) and turned him into a compelling character (CM 29) whose stories I would continue to buy for the next couple of years. All thanks to the brilliant work of Jim Starlin. Well done!
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I’m reading the early “Captain Marvel, Earth’s Spaceborn Superhero” issues on the Marvel app and yeah, they suck. The result of being turned out to lock in the trademark I guess—nobody working on it seems to care otherwise.
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