Captain Marvel: Carol Danvers Declassified: Notes, Interviews, and Files from the Avengers' Archives

Declassified: Notes, Interviews, and Files from the Avengers' Archives

by Kelli Fitzpatrick

Millions of comic book fans know Carol Danvers as Captain Marvel, an officer, a fighter, a visionary—and one of the most powerful champions in the Marvel Universe. But there is so much more to learn about the hero who has inspired so many, in her worlds and in ours.

Hear from one of the world’s most iconic super heroes in her own words, through personal letters, social media posts, declassified government documents, flight logs, and more.

Through wide-ranging interviews with her rival Ripley Ryan, a.k.a. Star, dig deep into Carol’s backstory and trace her evolution from her early Air Force days, to her adventures as Ms. Marvel, Binary, and Warbird, to her present as one of Earth's mightiest defenders. Discover what motivates her sense of heroism and who she is when she’s not saving the world. Get insights into her closest relationships, from her friendships with Spider-Woman and Wolverine to her complicated history with fellow heroes like Iron Man and adversaries like the Supreme Intelligence and Mystique.

This one-of-a-kind archival collection is your all-access pass into the world of one of Marvel's most formidable and inspirational super heroes.

272 pages, Paperback

Published March 4, 2025

Reviews

[Virginia Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a Marvel cinematic fan! But, I did not know a lot about Carol Danvers' comic book variations--not for a lack of trying. I couldn't track the varied universes, timelines, and evolutions. Kelli Fitzpatrick helps comic lovers, like myself, to synthesize Carol Danvers' evolution. Captain Marvel: Carol Danvers Declassified is an imaginative story; there are social media posts, government documents, flight logs, personal letters, and artwork that splice together Danvers' life and identity into an easily comprehensible story. The narrative unfolds as Ripley Ryan interviews Carol Danvers. Ryan poses questions regarding identity: Who is Carol Danvers? Is she a whole person, or is she a variation of one of her former personas, such as Ms. Marvel, Binary, or Captain Marvel? Fitzpatrick keeps true to superhero narratives: "...giv[e] underrepresented people and issues the coverage they deserve" (location 33 of 166). Fitzpatrick upholds Marvel's track record for representation and exploration of challenging social topics, such as females have a right to be in the armed services, heroes should be held accountable for collateral damage, and trauma victims need support. Through her characterization of Danvers, Fitzpatrick admonishes readers: "...we can change the culture" (location 54 of 166). I appreciate that Danvers is a balanced character. She has trauma that affects her, hence Danvers medicates her wounds with alcohol, which results in her losing her moral compass, joining a gang of criminals, and taking on the persona Warbird. Warbird remains in emotional turmoil until Danvers learns a hard lesson: "...you can try your best and still fall short. That's just life. But I choose to keep trying, and to learn from my mistakes and do better" (location 93 of 166). Danvers learned that moral failure is inevitable. She had a responsibility to model overcoming a time of darkness. Warbird left behind her criminality and morphed into Captain Marvel who is a cultural mirror for social change and accountability.

I enjoyed the quest for identity, the exploration of moral ethics, and the philosophical undertones in this text. It reminds me of Tom Morris and William Irwin's Popular Culture and Philosophy series. I highly recommend this book for novices and experts.

Thank you to #KellIFitzpatrick, #BenBellaBooks, #SmartPop, and #NetGalley for my e-ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Josselyn Radillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captain Marvel: Carol Danvers Declassified: Notes, Interviews, and Files from the Avengers' Archives by Kelli Fitzpatrick is an essential and visually compelling addition for any Marvel fan eager to dive deeper into the world of one of its most iconic heroes. Structured as a classified file from the Avengers archives, this book offers an immersive and creative approach to understanding Carol Danvers — fighter pilot, Avenger, and intergalactic leader.

Rather than presenting a traditional biography or linear storyline, Fitzpatrick constructs an engaging narrative through faux interviews, personal memos, classified reports, and commentary from fellow Marvel characters. This dossier-style format allows readers to experience Carol’s journey in a multifaceted way — from her Air Force roots to her cosmic missions — while staying fully grounded within the Marvel Universe.

Fitzpatrick masterfully balances a formal, report-like tone with the inspiring, bold voice of a superhero. It feels like you're thumbing through confidential S.H.I.E.L.D. intel, adding a unique thrill to the reading experience. The visual design is equally impressive, featuring infographics, images, and layout elements that elevate the illusion of holding a genuine Avengers archive.

Thanks to NetGalley and DK Publishing for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. A must-have for Captain Marvel enthusiasts, Marvel collectors, or any reader who enjoys an immersive, stylized, and captivating dive into superhero lore.

[kelsi 🦇 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carol Danvers is in my personal top three comic book characters. She’s my most read comic character of all time. She’s the one fictional character who has managed to ignite inspiration in me, the way superheroes are meant to. She’s a badass, hard headed woman who doesn’t back down from fights, and has been through a whole lot of shit and always gets back up again. And Kelli Fitzpatrick captures Carol perfectly.

Starting back in her Ms. Marvel days and leading all the way up to Carol’s series by Kelly Thompson, Carol Danvers’ Declassified tells her story, in her own words. Interviewed by Ripley Ryan—also known as the villain Star—hired by J. Jonah Jameson, Carol reflects on her life and upbringing, her highs and her lowest of lows, and how she always manages to spring back and punch her way to victory, just like always. Using comic book panels as in universe images for personal files, social media posts, and newspaper front pages was a creative touch that I really enjoyed, even passing off speech bubbles and drawn on sound effects as video subtitles or edited imagery.

Crossing my fingers that one day, Fitzpatrick gets to join the line of Kell(y)i’s who have written Captain Marvel comics before, because she certainly has an understanding to the character that would bring a lot of depth to a series.

Thank you to NetGalley & BenBella Books for an e-copy in exchange for a review!

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ebook of this from netgalley in exchange form review

Carol Danvers is my favorite Marvel character. Fullstop, I have enjoyed every version of her I have read or watched.

This was a lovely catch up to comic arcs that are older and hard to find, or details I have missed. A solid compilation of her story so far. It was a lot of fun too when I caught up to what I had read, and was able to enjoy the retelling of those plots.

I do think an ebook copy is hard to read, and would recommend readers pick up a physical copy when possible. It is told in interview format, with various "documents" and photos interspersed, and while these were fun additions, it formats a bit funny in ebook for.

I could have done without mentioned of the "Captain America is a Nazi" storyline. I had thought, after the response, Marvel had pulled that from canon. It's a gross part of Marvel and having it brought up again left a sour taste, even though the bringing up of it was pretty brief.

[S.H. Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Carol Danvers Declassified" is a fun, well-written story taking the form of research notes for an "Atlantic Monthly"-style longform interview with the eponymous Captain Marvel. There's tons of Easter eggs here for Captain Marvel fans, and fun false documents about various famous Marvel comics players/events. Fitzpatrick also does a really nice job creating secret-history type explanations for many of the...shall we say...not as well-thought-out parts of Marvel continuity, which I won't spoil here.

An exceptional read for Marvel fans (comics and movies alike).