Ms. Marvel 9: Best You Can Be

Ms. Marvel Oscura #3

by Brian Reed

The War of the Marvels is over, but before Carol Danvers can deal with its aftermath, she must brace herself as she faces down the biggest mistake she made before her apparent death...promising Spider-Man she'd goout with him! Then, Ms. Marvel vs. Mystique! She raised Rogue,the woman who stole Carol's powers and memories, and now the sinister shape-shifter iscoming for Ms. Marvel herself!

COLLECTING:

Ms. Marvel #47 - 50

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics, Superheroes, Fantasy

112 pages, Paperback

First published May 11, 2010

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Carol's date with Spider-Man was the best issue out of this. The rest was just rushed punch'em ups as Carol bounces from one bad guy to the next. None of it sticks. None of it is interesting. Reed has an ADHD writing style setting up lots of subplots that he quickly forgets and never fulfills. This series was OK but never aspired to the greatness other Carol Danvers books have once she becomes Captain Marvel.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot was a little less than what I was expecting, but it was still fun to read. The artwork is probably the high point in this book.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, then serious, then ascendant. A fitting end to this saga and while I never quite get as much behind the amazing level of reverence a long-time writer has for their character (see Hercules, Pak), this one didn't bother me nearly as much. In fact, I pretty much agreed with Reed on his natural-feeling evolution of Carol in this series.

Here are my plot notes because I can never remember who when and what, when I'm reading later books:
Carol goes on a date with Peter Parker. Monster Captain Marvel kills more Church of Hala brothers. Carol investigates, stumbled on Rick Mason, finds "Essential", who shows Carol Mar-Vell footage which leads to Mystique.

Carol finds where Mystique has been hiding, fights some bearded dude who tells Carol where to contact Mystique in San Francisco. Monster Captain Marvel attacks another church in Seattle. Carol finds Mystique but she escapes.

Mystique got her hands on one of 97 fake Captain Marvels the Skrulls tried to build to infiltrate Earth. Impersonated Carol, convinced him to attack Church of Hala. She finally told him why, and then unleashed him on Carol. Ms. Marvel fought back, he overloaded and exploded, she absorbed the "bad" energy and mourned the real Captain Marvel. Mystique got away.

[Neil · Rating 2 out of 5]

This ending of the series was typical "bad supers" with convoluted, poorly written plot and bad art. Marvel has never really understood what to do with Ms. Marvel as a character. The Carol Danvers identity is rather mundane and no one has written her decently outside of a team book, where writers like Bendis can make her shine. This series needed to end, because it was heading nowhere. I'd like to see a competent writer take a shot at the character someday, but I won't hold my breath.

[Jdetrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

And the series ends a little stronger than it began....there's a great issue with Spider-Man and Ms. Marvel that's very well done.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

A review for the whole series:

Completely loved this series. Richly deserves a fat Complete Collection updated collected edition from Marvel. If you're a Ms. Marvel* fan - this is simply Must-Reading. Please don't let the trampy Greg Horn covers (of the earlier collections) put you off reading the series. It's the insides what counts. This Ms. Marvel (Vol. 2 in the broadest sense) covers a really great, fertile period of Marvel: House of M, Secret Invasion, Civil War and Dark Reign. A terrific 50 issue run - all written by the wonderful Brian Reed. This is a classic series of one of the greatest Avengers of all-time. I loved every minute of it. Super-Highly Recommended.

*Of either the current Ms. Marvel or the current Captain Marvel on-going series.

[A. Nixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one. The inclusion of Spider-man is always fun and it didn't rely on too much outside history for me to understand. It wrapped up everything nicely and I think it makes a nice end to the series. I definitely enjoyed it more than the previous volume.

Now on to Captain Marvel!

[Adam Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

The end of Brian Reed's run on Ms. Marvel that will be sure to leave you asking, "Is that it?"

This book has four issues in it.

First up is Carol Danvers' date with Spider-man that she promised at the end of volume 6. The story's not horrible, but this story brings home the point that post-OMD (One More Day) Peter Parker is a pathetic creature and not funny.

Then Carol solves the mystery of what happened at the Church of Hala and it runs her right into Mystique and a convoluted revenge plot involving a fake Captain Marvel.

After the conclusion of the battle, we get a final scene with Carol talking about how she realized how great she was and adjusted her perspective. This felt totally unearned, based on the story and the way she'd progress. It felt rushed, as if Brian Reed knew how he wanted to end the series and inserted his ending, even it doesn't make any sense.

Oveall, a lackluster end to a good series.

[Graham Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the artwork in this volume is amazing. There's some terrible art in the last half of the first issue in this volume. Felt like the artist gave it to their talented kid to finish off, hated it. The actual issue was good. I really loved the down to earth Peter and Carol on the rooftop.

The rest just felt like a weak attempt to bring Mystique into a few issues, so the series can end with Carol getting even with Mystique. Then Carol gets all preachy about how she's not the best of the best, but is the best she can be 🤔 ehh Mystique got away love.

There's also some weird half issue comic of the protector at the end that I guess serves as an introduction to this character. However, it's pretty bad and doesn't make me want to read his story at all. Weird sticking it at the end of the Ms Marvel series.

Glad I finished the series, however I'm looking forward to Captin Marvel next 😆

[Nii · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cannot believe this is the end of an era... well, not really. Reading this "origin" story, and I use the word origin extremely loosely, to Captain Marvel before she was even Captain Marvel. As far as finales go this one was a little lacklustre. I was definitely expecting a little more considering the last few issues had been so jam packed with action and great art, however this one did fall a little flat to me. All in all, I couldn't be more happy to wrap up this series.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think that this was one of the better ones in this series. I loved the little stint that Spider man did. There was all kinds of stuff going on in this book. I think that I am sad that this is the last one. But this is a good finish.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this, but I have one comment/question:


What is up with that last four pages with the "Protector"? I don't get it. Like I know who he is, but is this the start of a new series or where does it go from there?

[Edward Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a weak ending to the series, though the artwork remains sterling.

[ila · Rating 3 out of 5]

good finale!
the highlight of this volume was undoubtedly the date between Spidey and Carol, it was one of the most adorably awkward thing i've ever had the pleasure to read!! ah what can i say, they're two of my favorite characters and seeing them together even as a one-time thing was wonderful :')
also loved their speech at the end of volume #50

[Richard Pittman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lousy.

Middling, dull, by-the-numbers story with art that should have been rejected by the publisher. It's hard to believe this book, with its ridiculous women's costumes showing off plenty of T&A with no practical combat application, was published in 2009. There's a gratuitous scene of Mystique coming out of a shower and barely covered in all of her essentials by a towel. There are plenty of curvy drawings of Carol Danvers looking like she's not remotely ready for the fight she is in. In addition to the gratuitous and outdated sexing up of the art, the facial drawings leave much to be desired. Sometimes, Danvers looks suspiciously like Taylor Swift. Sometimes she or Mystique is making screwing up a face not generally made by humans. This is the kind of art that brought comic book creation into disrepute for decades and is best left behind.

If not for Kelly Sue DeConnick's run on the same character and the general upswing in comic writing quality over the years, the writing may have been considered adequate, but the story is frankly forgettable. I finished it minutes ago and have mostly forgotten it already.

Pass this one by.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Dark Reign storyline with Moonstone has definitely been the high point of this series. With the conclusion of that (kind of) this final volume feels a little flat. It's fun but nothing amazing. The date with Spider-Man was kind of odd (I found the art inconsistent in that one, and Peter's expression never seemed to match his speech). I had high hopes for Mystique but that never really went anywhere.

I've enjoyed this series and I love Carol, so I want to read more (especially the Rogue incident). What I have learnt though is that new Captain Marvel stuff is definitely a huge improvement for treatment of the character!

[Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had forgotten how much of a let-down that ending was. Reed ties everything up quickly but I don't think he intended it to be his last volume going in.

The writing is good. The story is weakened by the quick wrap-up, but it is clearly an editorial issue. Spidey shows up for some cuteness.

The art is weak. I did not care for it at all. It feels so lifeless. No fun. The fight scenes are sterile but there is a hint of what could've been.

[Gab · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brian Reed's run was clearly not meant to end at no.50. I don't know what happened, but the end feels stale. I wish we wouldv'e delved deeper in the Mystique storyline ; we stayed on the surface of Mystique and Carol's beef. However, I loved all the Spidey stuff, and Carol Danvers quickly became and will stay one of my favorite superheroines ever.

[Holden Attradies · Rating 3 out of 5]

this wasn't a bad volume, definitely lower on the spectrum of good books in the second run of Ms. Marvel. What really sours it for me is that it's the final volume but it just kind of sputters out. It doesn't in any way feel like a last volume.

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

I very much regret reading all the Captain Marvel/Ms. Marvel volumes backwards. Why does Carol lose her memory so much?

I swear this is the most fan-servicey artwork I've ever seen. Her hair looks amazing though.

[Karl Kindt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reed is a poor imitator of the Brian Michael Bendis style. Painful in parts. The art barely saves this from a total waste of time.

[Alexandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

The mediocre end to this run makes me all the more thankful to have DeConnick writing Carol now.

[Pturingan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent ending for the whole series. Good but not great. I'd like to see Sana Takeda do more superhero comics.

[Kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

A dull tale with little intelligence or logic. The short story at the beginning isn't bad.

[El Suliman · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit of a dull way to end a rather good run of Ms Marvel comics.
The inclusion of spiderman is good for a few jokes, but I found the main story quite boring tbh.

[Annie Oosterwyk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fine, not really my thing but it only took a few minutes. I did enjoy the different artists' take on Ms. Marvel.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read as single issues

[Frans Kempe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The series last volume and the stories are wrapped up with Mystique and a rogue skrull Captain Marvel.