CM: Monica, Frank and Maria "Photon" Rambeau Appreciation 2021

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Captain Marvel...

...is reminded of her origin

[JudicatorPrime]

So you think Spectrum is a better name?

I think if Monica had been introduced as Spectrum in the very beginning we might have readily accepted the name. But you have to wonder if she would have become as popular. For better or worse, giving her the name "Captain Marvel" made lots of people take notice who might not have otherwise. True for both her potential fans and detractors.

[CosmiComic]

I think if Monica had been introduced as Spectrum in the very beginning we might have readily accepted the name. But you have to wonder if she would have become as popular. For better or worse, giving her the name "Captain Marvel" made lots of people take notice who might not have otherwise. True for both her potential fans and detractors.

I suspect the name boosted her popularity to some extent, simply by having the Marvel name and being on the Avengers. Idk if she'd be as well known without that name, considering how Marvel didn't always use her enough

[Ichijinijisanji]

I suspect the name boosted her popularity to some extent, simply by having the Marvel name and being on the Avengers. Idk if she'd be as well known without that name, considering how Marvel didn't always use her enough

Roger Stern used her to the fullest extent he could and lost his job bc of it
Past that point its hard to say.
She wouldn't have been in the MCU in Captain Marvel
But she may have made it in through writers like ewing's use who's a major continuity buff and wrote mighty avengers/ultimates if the MCU wanted to adapt that team. Maybe she wouldn't have been in nextwave

[CosmiComic]

Roger Stern used her to the fullest extent he could and lost his job bc of it
Past that point its hard to say.
She wouldn't have been in the MCU in Captain Marvel
But she may have made it in through writers like ewing's use who's a major continuity buff and wrote mighty avengers/ultimates if the MCU wanted to adapt that team. Maybe she wouldn't have been in nextwave

I guess that's possible. I mean, if more obscure characters like Guardians and Shang-Chi made it, so could she, even without the Captain marvel name

[JudicatorPrime]

Roger Stern used her to the fullest extent he could and lost his job bc of it
Past that point its hard to say.
She wouldn't have been in the MCU in Captain Marvel
But she may have made it in through writers like ewing's use who's a major continuity buff and wrote mighty avengers/ultimates if the MCU wanted to adapt that team. Maybe she wouldn't have been in nextwave

Would Stern have wanted to push her as much, if she was just Spectrum and not Captain Marvel?

I'm admittedly a cynical old bastard in my older years, but something tells me that once he decided to make her CM, he felt that he had to showcase her. That same pressure might not have been there if Monica was just another new face who became an Avenger. It's not uncommon for characters to fall off of the map following a run with Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

But one thing that Monica had going for her in the early days was that her power was fairly unique and allowed for artists to give her a signature look. That she was also easily one of the more powerful members without really trying to be was an added boon. If Stern didn't develop her, I'd like to think that some other writer would have. Maybe not with an eye to making her the face of Marvel, but definitely as an Avengers mainstay. Whenever there's an Avengers-related series in the works, it always seems like Monica's name comes up, whether it's Avengers Infinity, Ultimates, No Road Home or whatever.

[Ichijinijisanji]

Would Stern have wanted to push her as much, if she was just Spectrum and not Captain Marvel?

I'm admittedly a cynical old bastard in my older years, but something tells me that once he decided to make her CM, he felt that he had to showcase her. That same pressure might not have been there if Monica was just another new face who became an Avenger. It's not uncommon for characters to fall off of the map following a run with Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

But one thing that Monica had going for her in the early days was that her power was fairly unique and allowed for artists to give her a signature look. That she was also easily one of the more powerful members without really trying to be was an added boon. If Stern didn't develop her, I'd like to think that some other writer would have. Maybe not with an eye to making her the face of Marvel, but definitely as an Avengers mainstay. Whenever there's an Avengers-related series in the works, it always seems like Monica's name comes up, whether it's Avengers Infinity, Ultimates, No Road Home or whatever.

I feel yes, he made the character from the ground up, he wanted to use her as much, he beefed with editorial over her leadership, you don't just do that for the pressure felt to justify her having the name. He had the powers and concept down already, when the name was available he took it to showcase her more than the other way around.

Part of me also feels like her powers that let her be S-tier in power, S-tier in speed and S-tier in versatility with S-tier temperament in a universe where speed especially is less, made it so that she always got sidelined in strange ways (like dark energy bubbles) and writers had to write a bit around it, so being able to do everything limited her presence past stern atleast in avengers titles which tend to have a lot of street level characters taking up tasks like spying, ranged precision, infiltration, speed etc. The only thing she couldn't do was science or magic, suiting her more to the cosmic scene.

[JudicatorPrime]

I feel yes, he made the character from the ground up, he wanted to use her as much, he beefed with editorial over her leadership, you don't just do that for the pressure felt to justify her having the name. He had the powers and concept down already, when the name was available he took it to showcase her more than the other way around.

You're probably right. I know I would definitely go to the wall and beyond to give my creation life. It must be extraordinarily frustrating to deal with individuals who either lack vision themselves, or who are so concerned about maintaining a status quo that they completely ignore the fact that we're talking about a fictional universe where literally anything is possible. And one where the standard bearers break all of the rules and logical parameters of said fictional universe all of the time.

Part of me also feels like her powers that let her be S-tier in power, S-tier in speed and S-tier in versatility with S-tier temperament in a universe where speed especially is less, made it so that she always got sidelined in strange ways (like dark energy bubbles) and writers had to write a bit around it, so being able to do everything limited her presence past stern atleast in avengers titles which tend to have a lot of street level characters taking up tasks like spying, ranged precision, infiltration, speed etc. The only thing she couldn't do was science or magic, suiting her more to the cosmic scene.

It's almost expected at this point that some writer will concoct a situation where a force field of some kind that permits natural light to pass somehow is able to prevent Monica from passing through it, even when she's in the form of ambient light. I get the Darkforce limitation, but the other variety of force field, even where magic is involved, is annoying to me as a reader. But I guess writers have to find some way to keep Monica from ruining their grand design.

[JudicatorPrime]

Winglets, trench coat, cape or none of the above. What do you prefer for Monica to wear?

[CosmiComic]

What exactly is that? I'm not fashion-savvy

[Ichijinijisanji]

Winglets, trench coat, cape or none of the above. What do you prefer for Monica to wear?

i feel like winglets only work if the rest of your attire has a flowy vibe, like ororo, and also doesn't fully fit with the light transformation powers
the trench coat is cool, but also not fully superhero-like... as in it feels like a noir superhero or a bitter superhero and for some reason it always felt in contrast to her EM powers

I think none but with the black aspects of the suit being a starfield would be best, like tamara's captain universe

i think winglets, capes or sashes or jackets fit best when you're a flying superheroe who can interact with the wind, but monica is a beam of light, so it should be more streamlined

[JudicatorPrime]

What exactly is that? I'm not fashion-savvy

It's a poncho cape, asymmetrically longer on the sides and back then a traditional poncho.

That's probably something you'd see Storm wear, but I'd like to think that Monica's first costume in many ways was a clear sign that she's a bit of a fashionista, too. Not sure why these dudes keep drawing her wearing a trench coat in the summer time. Don't they know how hot it gets in NOLA?

[CosmiComic]

It's a poncho cape, asymmetrically longer on the sides and back then a traditional poncho.

That's probably something you'd see Storm wear, but I'd like to think that Monica's first costume in many ways was a clear sign that she's a bit of a fashionista, too. Not sure why these dudes keep drawing her wearing a trench coat in the summer time. Don't they know how hot it gets in NOLA?

I don't get the trench coat thing. While I don't mind the idea of characters being "fashion-savvy," it's hard for me to buy them wearing something that makes no sense.

[LordAllMIghty]

Winglets, trench coat, cape or none of the above. What do you prefer for Monica to wear?

Interesting, very witchy...I like it.

[616MarvelYear is LeapYear]

Seems more like something the External Selene is to wear or Dormammu's sister, Umar.