Monica Rambeau Appreciation 2022

[Baby_Hater666]

Marvel's way of letting everyone know that Blue Marvel is still in the picture, even if he hasn't exactly appeared anywhere in years. Honestly, I never cared for that vest or that shade of blue for BM, let alone on Monica, but let's just roll with it. Given how some current costumes look, this thing could have easily turned out far worse.

OOOOOhhhhh. It seems so obvious now you've pointed it out, but the way that completely flew over my head lol...

I can definitely tolerate the ugly vest a bit better now.

[Thirteen]

Forgot to mention how much I like the thicker braids that the artist gave Monica in Thunderbolts. Nothing against thin braids/extensions, or the dreads that characters like the new Warbird sports, but there's just something about thick braids and twists. Especially the short variety. (Chef's kiss.)

I appreciate the variation of "natural" hairstyles that artists give Monica (Oprah once said women usually change their hairstyles in 3 month intervals), but I wish artists weren't beholden to the white headband accessory.

[JudicatorPrime]

I appreciate the variation of "natural" hairstyles that artists give Monica (Oprah once said women usually change their hairstyles in 3 month intervals), but I wish artists weren't beholden to the white headband accessory.

I have a different understanding when it comes to those intervals -- every sista that I know seemed to change their hair up more frequently than every 3 months -- but Oprah is right: sistas are not going to stand pat on any one hairstyle, although they may rotate the looks.

I think it's great when artists draw Monica with different hairstyles and texture. I'm also hoping that they'll one day play around with her hair coloring. The more that I think about it, the more that I hate that Ewing scaled back her composition. There was a great deal of potential for Monica to appear in any form that she wanted when she was characterized as a being of pure energy. Purple eyes one day, sun-scorched golden hair the next; rail thin on Saturday, thicker than frozen peanut butter on Sunday... the possibilities were endless. She could have been a playful shapeshifter during her downtime.

As for the headband, I'm not sure why they're stuck on using it. But I guess giving her a tiara like Storm or Scarlet Witch wasn't an option. Could it be that the headband is their take on a commoner's crown? They could at least embellish it.

[Micabe]

Also Jim Rhodes has hit on her a couple of times. There were hints of some sort of flirtation or something between Monica and T'Challa in a previous BLACK PANTHER run, which came out of nowhere. She's also had some flirtatious comments from guys like Starfox and Hercules, but nothing seriously coming on to her.

Are you sure you're not thinking of T'Challa's ex' fiance (See: Black Panther: Panther's Prey #1-4), Monica Lynne?

[Hypestyle]

Are you sure you're not thinking of T'Challa's ex' fiance (See: Black Panther: Panther's Prey #1-4), Monica Lynne?

monica1.jpg

It was during the New Orleans vampires storyline- team-up with Luke Cage, Blade and Dr. Voodoo. It was a brief moment, and not really picked up on again. But we did get a 'Fred & Bubba' cameo.

[Dermie]

Are you sure you're not thinking of T'Challa's ex' fiance (See: Black Panther: Panther's Prey #1-4), Monica Lynne?

Yes, I am very sure--as Hypestyle has shown below. I do sometimes wonder if Hudlin had gotten Monica Lynne and Monica Rambeau mixed up.

monica1.jpg

It was during the New Orleans vampires storyline- team-up with Luke Cage, Blade and Dr. Voodoo. It was a brief moment, and not really picked up on again. But we did get a 'Fred & Bubba' cameo.

It was picked up again around the time T'Challa and Storm got married. There was a scene with some Wakandans observing T'Challa and Monica interacting, and commenting that it was a shame that T'Challa was engaged to Storm instead of Monica. Sometime later there was a scene where T'Challa thanked Monica for coming to the wedding, and Monica admitted that it was hard for her to be there.

The whole thing always pissed me off because Monica and T'Challa had had virtually no on-panel interaction prior to that run, and now they were given this apparent off-panel connection entirely out of the blue...with no apparent justification for it beyond "she's the only female black Avenger, so OF COURSE she and Panther must have a thing".

[EMPulse]

Dermie you are so correct. I can't remember all the details but from what I recall it was during when she killed Killmonger and nothing on the pages suggested that there was something romantic going on with BP. Then years later during Civil War 1 and it seemed they hinted some sexual tension that carried over up until his wedding to Ororo. I mean I honestly do not mind, heck they can even create drama by having BP work with Monica more and create that will they or not vibe. The only downside is 100% Monica is THE OTHER WOMAN and no doubt will lose the Storm vs Spectrum fight. WHY. bcuz she's Storm. Not bcuz Monica is a being made of cosmic energy. Editiorial mandate that Storm is G.O.A.T. Going back to Monica and BP. I can dig it, it adds a new dimensional drama with his and Ororo's marriage as well as Adam. oops, almost forgot about him. Yeah that's going to be messy, not very Disneylike. Nevemind.

[JudicatorPrime]

Dermie you are so correct. I can't remember all the details but from what I recall it was during when she killed Killmonger and nothing on the pages suggested that there was something romantic going on with BP. Then years later during Civil War 1 and it seemed they hinted some sexual tension that carried over up until his wedding to Ororo. I mean I honestly do not mind, heck they can even create drama by having BP work with Monica more and create that will they or not vibe. The only downside is 100% Monica is THE OTHER WOMAN and no doubt will lose the Storm vs Spectrum fight. WHY. bcuz she's Storm. Not bcuz Monica is a being made of cosmic energy. Editiorial mandate that Storm is G.O.A.T. Going back to Monica and BP. I can dig it, it adds a new dimensional drama with his and Ororo's marriage as well as Adam. oops, almost forgot about him. Yeah that's going to be messy, not very Disneylike. Nevemind.

Monica may have found T'Challa attractive -- like pretty much every other woman in the Marvel Universe -- but did you see how she threw herself at the Blue Marvel? Whenever a woman who doesn't have to chase a man starts chasing a man and do things that she otherwise would not do, it's a clear sign that whatever she feels and wants reciprocated is much deeper than surface attraction. MCU writers can script whatever, but if this based on what we've seen in the comics, Storm doesn't have to worry about Monica ever wanting her man.

That Monica is now running around in a vest similar to Adam's proves that she is in relationship affirmation mode. She boo'd up and Blue'd up. She ain't thinking about T'Challa or any other man not named Adam Bernard Brashear right now.

[Besouro]

OOOOOhhhhh. It seems so obvious now you've pointed it out, but the way that completely flew over my head lol...

I can definitely tolerate the ugly vest a bit better now.

I looove that she is wearing BMs jacket....a sweet souvenir from his lover to keep her heart warm and comfy. Carry a bit of him with her wherever she is. And she doesn't give a crap what you'll think.

That's love right there..... I hope BM is doing the same, wearing her long coat.

Loooove it!!!!

[Besouro]

She dated Brother Voodoo briefly.

Indeed....for a few years

[Besouro]

Forgot to mention how much I like the thicker braids that the artist gave Monica in Thunderbolts. Nothing against thin braids/extensions, or the dreads that characters like the new Warbird sports, but there's just something about thick braids and twists. Especially the short variety. (Chef's kiss.)

Lovely thick braids with the gold hair bands.....Naomi at DC says hello.

Don't get me wrong, I love them and utterly hate that they didn't follow the same hair design for the tv show.

[Besouro]

The whole thing always pissed me off because Monica and T'Challa had had virtually no on-panel interaction prior to that run, and now they were given this apparent off-panel connection entirely out of the blue...with no apparent justification for it beyond "she's the only female black Avenger, so OF COURSE she and Panther must have a thing".

Oh yeah, because they have never met on panel apparently should automatically mean they are NOT aware of each other's existence yet they exist on the same earth and same timeline and same continuity and have both been on the same Avengers.

How do u think flirtation and/or eye gazing starts?

Yep, that's right.....out of nowhere!

[Dermie]

Oh yeah, because they have never met on panel apparently should automatically mean they are NOT aware of each other's existence yet they exist on the same earth and same timeline and same continuity and have both been on the same Avengers.

No, that is absolutely not what I said. Of course they are aware of each other's existence, and I never said they hadn't met on-panel before. They absolutely had, several times. I said they had virtually no on-panel interaction. They were together in large group settings, but we hadn't seen them really talk to each other at all.

How do u think flirtation and/or eye gazing starts?

Yep, that's right.....out of nowhere!

You are missing my point. The writer didn't introduce them starting to have a flirtation; he wrote them as if they already had a pre-established flirtation...and THAT is what came out of nowhere.

Obviously things do happen in the characters' lives off-panel, especially for someone like Monica who would often have years between appearances after her original Avengers membership stint ended. I just did not care for the way this was shoehorned in. I also did not care for the way it treated Monica. In the scene shown in the scan above, T'Challa's "compliment" to her is extremely backhanded--sure, he calls her a "goddess", while at the same time insulting her in the use of her own powers. I found that distasteful, as well as not consistent with what we know of Monica. In her past appearances we saw her actively training herself in different ways to make use of her powers.

I also felt that 'relationship' really didn't do Monica any favours. Since they were building up the T'Challa/Storm relationship into a marriage, the T'Challa/Monica thing served no purpose or benefit to Monica at all. It propped up T'Challa, by showing how desirable he is...but for Monica it just leaves her as the passed over woman left to pine for a man couldn't have. No, thanks. I did not care for that "relationship" at all.

[Digifiend]

Lovely thick braids with the gold hair bands.....Naomi at DC says hello.

Don't get me wrong, I love them and utterly hate that they didn't follow the same hair design for the tv show.

Actress probably didn't want to cut her hair.

[EMPulse]

I didn't realize that having that sudden romance with BP would be so problematic for Monica until you mentioned it. Aaagh. Marvel writer's really be doing her wrong. I just wanted it so that way Monica will be put more in the spotlight, and on more cover art. That's why I can't wait for TB in May. 3 more months dammit. I saw an online interview with Zub and he seems 2b excited to write her and creative ways to use her powers. Al Ewing was the last to explore it.