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Captain Marvel (2002) (Collected Editions)
Captain Marvel, Vol. 1: Nothing to Lose
He is the son of Mar-Vell, once the greatest warrior the galaxy had ever known. Spawned in a test tube and prematurely aged to maturity, Genis now struggles to fill the boots of his late father--the boots of Captain Marvel. Therein lies the problem. For Genis has inherited his father's greatest gift, the ability of Cosmic Awareness, a oneness with the universe that allows him to know what will happen, what may happen, and what should happen to every living thing in the universe. You might think such knowledge would drive a person mad... and you'd be right.
144 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2003
6 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Peter David
3,567 books1,362 followersaka David Peters
Peter Allen David, often abbreviated PAD, was an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films, and video games. His notable comic book work includes an award-winning 12-year run on The Incredible Hulk, as well as runs on Aquaman, Young Justice, SpyBoy, Supergirl, Fallen Angel, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Captain Marvel, and X-Factor.
His Star Trek work included comic books and novels such as the New Frontier book series. His other novels included film adaptations, media tie-ins, and original works, such as the Apropos of Nothing and Knight Life series. His television work includes series such as Babylon 5, Young Justice, Ben 10: Alien Force and Nickelodeon's Space Cases, which he co-created with Bill Mumy.
David often jokingly described his occupation as "Writer of Stuff", and he was noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real-world issues with humor and references to popular culture, as well as elements of metafiction and self-reference.
David earned multiple awards for his work, including a 1992 Eisner Award, a 1993 Wizard Fan Award, a 1996 Haxtur Award, a 2007 Julie Award and a 2011 GLAAD Media Award.
Peter Allen David, often abbreviated PAD, was an American writer of comic books, novels, television, films, and video games. His notable comic book work includes an award-winning 12-year run on The Incredible Hulk, as well as runs on Aquaman, Young Justice, SpyBoy, Supergirl, Fallen Angel, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2099, Captain Marvel, and X-Factor.
His Star Trek work included comic books and novels such as the New Frontier book series. His other novels included film adaptations, media tie-ins, and original works, such as the Apropos of Nothing and Knight Life series. His television work includes series such as Babylon 5, Young Justice, Ben 10: Alien Force and Nickelodeon's Space Cases, which he co-created with Bill Mumy.
David often jokingly described his occupation as "Writer of Stuff", and he was noted for his prolific writing, characterized by its mingling of real-world issues with humor and references to popular culture, as well as elements of metafiction and self-reference.
David earned multiple awards for his work, including a 1992 Eisner Award, a 1993 Wizard Fan Award, a 1996 Haxtur Award, a 2007 Julie Award and a 2011 GLAAD Media Award.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 4, 2025
Captain Marvel, Vol. 1: Nothing to Lose is surprisingly dark. The cosmic awareness "gift" bestowed upon Captain Marvel is pushing him to the brink. The story quickly turns grim as he attempts to intervene and save people, only for situations to spiral out of control. Confronted with an overwhelming number of possibilities, the sheer bleakness of it all causes him to crack.
Issue two delves even deeper into the darkness, as he begins to fundamentally alter his methods. He becomes more violent, more judgmental, and increasingly god-like. All the while, Rick Jones remains trapped in the Microverse, desperately pleading to switch places, but Genis refuses. The narrative descends into a truly wild spiral.
The final issue is undeniably strange and trippy, but its shocking ending is so impactful that I can't help but appreciate it. This volume was far darker than I anticipated, yet that unexpected grimness made it significantly more enjoyable. I'm giving it a 4 out of 5.
Issue two delves even deeper into the darkness, as he begins to fundamentally alter his methods. He becomes more violent, more judgmental, and increasingly god-like. All the while, Rick Jones remains trapped in the Microverse, desperately pleading to switch places, but Genis refuses. The narrative descends into a truly wild spiral.
The final issue is undeniably strange and trippy, but its shocking ending is so impactful that I can't help but appreciate it. This volume was far darker than I anticipated, yet that unexpected grimness made it significantly more enjoyable. I'm giving it a 4 out of 5.
January 14, 2015
Ok, very different from the previous Peter David Captain Marvel offering. None of the humor. This book is interesting, at first, as Captain Marvel (Genis) goes insane and Rick Jones is stuck in the Microverse. Along the way, he encounters Epiphany and Entropy, and from there it's all downhill.
Between the fifth issue and the sixth, something happens. We don't see it, but it happens, and it's on a massive cosmic scale. In the sixth issue, Captain Marvel and Rick deal with the ramifications and have philosophical discussions. Then, Entropy gets bored and the thing that happens between five and six is merely undone, no harm, no foul. What?
Then, the book ends with Captain Marvel basically making the same mistake he did in the first place, and goes insane again.
It was easy to breeze through this book in, oh, say, fifteen minutes or so, so I don't feel as though I wasted my time here. But it was a rather neatly done cosmic mal-adventure that we've seen before and will see again. The usual "neat" comic book ending that puts all things right again.
The art is exciting and pretty for the most part. Some of Cap's musings are thought provoking, but I hope to see in future volumes that there was a reason for this shit.
Between the fifth issue and the sixth, something happens. We don't see it, but it happens, and it's on a massive cosmic scale. In the sixth issue, Captain Marvel and Rick deal with the ramifications and have philosophical discussions. Then, Entropy gets bored and the thing that happens between five and six is merely undone, no harm, no foul. What?
Then, the book ends with Captain Marvel basically making the same mistake he did in the first place, and goes insane again.
It was easy to breeze through this book in, oh, say, fifteen minutes or so, so I don't feel as though I wasted my time here. But it was a rather neatly done cosmic mal-adventure that we've seen before and will see again. The usual "neat" comic book ending that puts all things right again.
The art is exciting and pretty for the most part. Some of Cap's musings are thought provoking, but I hope to see in future volumes that there was a reason for this shit.
March 3, 2022
More strong story than I let to believe in the begining, also refreshing. But still dark thoughts.
June 15, 2022
3.5
This is a weird one. I was enthralled by the first half, where Captain Marvel flexes his apparent omniscience and zips around the universe, stopping some crimes and committing others erratically. Rick Jones resides in the microverse and shares a tether to Mar-Vell. Following Mar-Vell as an almost Doctor Manhattan-esque character was more interesting to me.
Halfway through, his mind really unravels and he becomes a universal agent of chaos, trampling anything at a whim. The problem I had, was that the logic felt flimsy, if not nonexistent. I was hoping his motives would become clearer at some point but they don’t, and it feels like a decline through the second half. The pacing stumbles sometimes, but the scale that a character of that power operates in is still interesting. The beginning felt like David had something more specific in mind, by the end I began to question that. The last 15 pages or so do save it a bit, and David is a quality writer that incites interesting questions and hypotheticals. I really liked the art. It’s very late-2000s but it all looked really bold and explosive. Im curious about what lies ahead, so I’ll read on in hopes that David brings more thoughtful content and less random destruction.
This is a weird one. I was enthralled by the first half, where Captain Marvel flexes his apparent omniscience and zips around the universe, stopping some crimes and committing others erratically. Rick Jones resides in the microverse and shares a tether to Mar-Vell. Following Mar-Vell as an almost Doctor Manhattan-esque character was more interesting to me.
Halfway through, his mind really unravels and he becomes a universal agent of chaos, trampling anything at a whim. The problem I had, was that the logic felt flimsy, if not nonexistent. I was hoping his motives would become clearer at some point but they don’t, and it feels like a decline through the second half. The pacing stumbles sometimes, but the scale that a character of that power operates in is still interesting. The beginning felt like David had something more specific in mind, by the end I began to question that. The last 15 pages or so do save it a bit, and David is a quality writer that incites interesting questions and hypotheticals. I really liked the art. It’s very late-2000s but it all looked really bold and explosive. Im curious about what lies ahead, so I’ll read on in hopes that David brings more thoughtful content and less random destruction.
April 26, 2018
There are some great ideas in this comic, something rarely explored. Unfortunately, I find the book a little overwritten, with some pages being box and box of either captions or bubble upon bubble of dialogue. I think this would have made a great novel, but I'm not sure its a great comic.
June 12, 2021
Amazing.
April 24, 2014
This was good in so many ways. Great story telling, brilliant art by ChrisCross and this time I was not even annoyed about splitting the art chores between different artist. This just was so good.
Sadly, when it came out, not enough people understood how good book Captain Marvel was and it was cancelled way too fast.
Sadly, when it came out, not enough people understood how good book Captain Marvel was and it was cancelled way too fast.
September 4, 2015
(This review covers Vol. 1 through Vol. 4.)
What happens when someone gets omniscience and can't handle it? This series explores that idea in a very original way. Peter David's typically excellent dialogue and unexpected plot twists make this a great read. (It starts to weaken towards the end of his run, but it's still good even then.)
What happens when someone gets omniscience and can't handle it? This series explores that idea in a very original way. Peter David's typically excellent dialogue and unexpected plot twists make this a great read. (It starts to weaken towards the end of his run, but it's still good even then.)
March 12, 2019
মার্ভেলের ওরিজিনিয়াল মার-ভেল।
September 25, 2017
Marvel goes insane when his cosmic awareness overwhelms him.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews