Monica Rambeau AKA Spectrum! Appreciation

[Dermie]

has never worn a bikini into battle.

Um....actually, she wore a bikini into battle in her origin story. It was her "undercover" disguise to get the men to let her aboard the platform she was trying to infiltrate.

(I know, you meant a bikini-like costume...)

[Mike82]

I'd much rather a Captain Marvel movie be about Monica than Carol, actually. Monica has unique powers and didn't get her powers and origin as a hand-me-down from a male character. She stands on her own, and has never worn a bikini into battle, had a problem with alcoholism, picked the wrong side in Civil War, or been mind-jobbed into bearing a child who is both son and father and then flying off to be his love-slave.

Monica does have, like Jean Grey, a small problem with incinerating large numbers of broccoli people, but we forgive her for that.

Carol has a unique power set as well. I don't think energy absorption is a very common superpower. Carol has had a rough history, but she's stronger, not worse for it. Also, I don't believe for one second that there was only one right side for Civil War. Running around the streets doing vigilante work could disrupt months of undercover operations. There's a reason why vigilantes are found upon.some people also forget that it was a bunch of unregistered heroes that were partially responsible for blowing up Stamford.

[Mike82]

Um....actually, she wore a bikini into battle in her origin story. It was her "undercover" disguise to get the men to let her aboard the platform she was trying to infiltrate.

(I know, you meant a bikini-like costume...)

I think Carol Danvers wore a bikini once. Her costume got all soaked in goo. Traditionally she has worn a leotard, which is not a bikini.

[Captain Wessex]

and before that she wore a thong and a t-shirt...

[JudicatorPrime]

Carol has a unique power set as well. I don't think energy absorption is a very common superpower. Carol has had a rough history, but she's stronger, not worse for it. Also, I don't believe for one second that there was only one right side for Civil War. Running around the streets doing vigilante work could disrupt months of undercover operations. There's a reason why vigilantes are found upon.some people also forget that it was a bunch of unregistered heroes that were partially responsible for blowing up Stamford.

Actually, energy absorption is fairly common, if we're talking about the cosmic types. Everyone from Galactus' Heralds, to Quasar, to Captain Universe, to Starhawk, to Her (Kismet), and a host of others all have some degree of energy absorption abilities.

I haven't kept up with Carol Danvers, so I can't really speak to the woman that she's become. I do know that at one time (and I'm talking back when she was first introduced) she was an awesome character. I thought the whole Marcus thing was her downfall, but then they brought her back and made her an unstable alcoholic. They did her a disservice there, primarily because Marvel's go-to alcoholic was Tony Stark. I personally think they should have given Carol some other struggle to contend with. Perhaps some other genetic malady that she grapples with day in and day out.

But anyway, enough about Carol. This is Monica's thread.

For the most part, I like where Ewing is going with Monica. In some ways I see Monica possibly being for the Avengers what the Green Lantern, John Stewart, was for the animated Justice League series back in the day. John went from being an afterthought to one of the most popular characters in the DC fold. With the right characterization, Monica could be on the same path.

[Javier]

Some recent Monica sightings. It looks like she will be making an appearance in Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars #1. Not sure if she speaks or if she only appears in the preview page posted below. She also makes a cameo in the group shot for Ultimate End #1.

[Hypestyle]

Given her speed capabilities, why is she always bringing up the rear in these "group attack" photos?

[Dermie]

Given her speed capabilities, why is she always bringing up the rear in these "group attack" photos?

She's not. In that particular image she seems to be more in the middle of the pack...and she isn't flying there which is why she wouldn't be up front.

What other images are you thinking of where Monica is bringing up the rear? I can't recall any off the top of my head.

[Javier]

So Monica made a cameo in A-Force. Looks like she appears in the next issue two. I think I need a full body shot of her new costume but I'm liking what I see so far.

[t hedge coke]

↑ ↑ ↑

Another Monica in the back.

Given her speed capabilities, why is she always bringing up the rear in these "group attack" photos?

a) Light moves vveeeeeeeeery slow.

b) People are still mad that Stern wrote her as incredibly powerful and admired by many people she worked with and saved, because unlike Superman, she's black, she's a woman, and she was a new character then.

Combined, those result in Monica being middle of the pack or back of the bus in group shots.

See also, until recently (or unless written by Claremont or Hama), Carol Danvers.

[Myetche]

a) Light moves vveeeeeeeeery slow.

b) People are still mad that Stern wrote her as incredibly powerful and admired by many people she worked with and saved, because unlike Superman, she's black, she's a woman, and she was a new character then.

And c) Marvel uses Monica when they want to make fun of how her superhero-names keep getting stolen, which doesn't help with building respect.

[Sutekh]

Monica is never leading the charge at light speed because she read some Justice League / Teen Titans comics once and noticed that when the fastest member of the team (Flash / Kid Flash) shows up first to the fight that is going to be a challenge for *the entire team,* the fastest member of the team gets their butt spanked until everyone else lumbers onto the scene.

Just because you *can* beat everyone to a party with Thanos doesn't mean you *want* to party alone with Thanos!

A more accurate picture might have her still in the shower while the rest of the team is running / flying into battle, since she really only needs a 7th or 8th of a second to get anywhere on earth anyway... She probably spends half of her time superheroing waiting for everyone else to catch up.

[t hedge coke]

Monica is never leading the charge at light speed because she read some Justice League / Teen Titans comics once and noticed that when the fastest member of the team (Flash / Kid Flash) shows up first to the fight that is going to be a challenge for *the entire team,* the fastest member of the team gets their butt spanked until everyone else lumbers onto the scene.

She's not the Flash, though. She's Superman.

And, Superman is always out front. Because he can take the hits, dish out his own.

You think she hid in the back during her original day job? And, she wasn't even bulletproof for all of that.

[Nipower888]

Monica is never leading the charge at light speed because she read some Justice League / Teen Titans comics once and noticed that when the fastest member of the team (Flash / Kid Flash) shows up first to the fight that is going to be a challenge for *the entire team,* the fastest member of the team gets their butt spanked until everyone else lumbers onto the scene.

Just because you *can* beat everyone to a party with Thanos doesn't mean you *want* to party alone with Thanos!

A more accurate picture might have her still in the shower while the rest of the team is running / flying into battle, since she really only needs a 7th or 8th of a second to get anywhere on earth anyway... She probably spends half of her time superheroing waiting for everyone else to catch up.

She's a powerhouse though. At least when written properly. She has nearly unlimited offensive power and can go intangible for defense.

[Anthony Shaw]

And c) Marvel uses Monica when they want to make fun of how her superhero-names keep getting stolen, which doesn't help with building respect.

I just thought of something.....

The fact that the clown (the son of a great hero) who stole her name twice was put down by the son of a Nazi.