Ms. Marvel
Encyclopedia
Ms. Marvel is the name of a fictional character
Character (arts)
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...

 appearing in comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...

s published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...

. Created by writer Roy Thomas
Roy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...

 and designed by artist Gene Colan
Gene Colan
Eugene Jules "Gene" Colan was an American comic book artist best known for his work for Marvel Comics, where his signature titles include the superhero series, Daredevil, the cult-hit satiric series Howard the Duck, and The Tomb of Dracula, considered one of comics' classic horror series...

, the non-powered Carol Danvers debuted as a member of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 in Marvel Super-Heroes
Marvel Super-Heroes (comics)
Marvel Super-Heroes is the name of several comic book series and specials published by Marvel Comics.-Marvel Super-Heroes Special:The first was the one-shot Marvel Super-Heroes Special #1 , reprinting Daredevil #1 and The Avengers #2 Marvel Super-Heroes is the name of several comic book series and...

#13 (March 1968) and as Ms. Marvel—a fusion of alien Kree
Kree
The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cloud...

 and human genes
Gênes
Gênes is the name of a département of the First French Empire in present Italy, named after the city of Genoa. It was formed in 1805, when Napoleon Bonaparte occupied the Republic of Genoa. Its capital was Genoa, and it was divided in the arrondissements of Genoa, Bobbio, Novi Ligure, Tortona and...

—in Ms. Marvel #1 (January 1977).

Debuting in the Silver Age
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...

 of comics, the character featured in a self-titled series in the late 1970s before becoming associated with superhero teams the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...

 and the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...

. The character has also been known as Binary and Warbird at various points in her history, and has featured in other Marvel-endorsed products including video games, animated television series, and merchandise such as trading cards. In the 2000s, the increased use of her as a character eventually prompted some commentators to note that "she's now the House of Ideas' premier heroine."

1960s

The character debuts in the title Marvel Super-Heroes
Marvel Super-Heroes (comics)
Marvel Super-Heroes is the name of several comic book series and specials published by Marvel Comics.-Marvel Super-Heroes Special:The first was the one-shot Marvel Super-Heroes Special #1 , reprinting Daredevil #1 and The Avengers #2 Marvel Super-Heroes is the name of several comic book series and...

as an officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...

 in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

 and Security Chief of a restricted military base, where Danvers meets "Dr. Walter Lawson," the human alias
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...

 of alien
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...

 Kree
Kree
The Kree, also known as the Ruul, are a scientifically and technologically advanced militaristic alien race in the fictional Marvel Universe. They are native to the planet Hala in the Large Magellanic Cloud...

 hero Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (Marvel Comics)
Captain Marvel is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Most of these versions exist in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe.- Publication history :...

. Danvers is caught in the explosion of a Kree device, after being kidnapped by Yon-Rogg. Although Captain Marvel manages to save her life, Danvers sustains serious injuries.

1970s

Danvers resurfaces with superhuman abilities and becomes the hero Ms. Marvel in January 1977, in a self-titled series at first written by Gerry Conway
Gerry Conway
Gerard F. "Gerry" Conway is an American writer of comic books and television shows. He is known for co-creating the Marvel Comics vigilante The Punisher and scripting the death of the character Gwen Stacy during his long run on The Amazing Spider-Man...

 and later by Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont
Chris Claremont is an award-winning American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on Uncanny X-Men, far longer than any other writer, during which he is credited with developing strong female characters, and with introducing complex literary themes into superhero...

. It was revealed that the energy exposure from the explosion caused Danver's genetic structure to meld with Captain Marvel's, effectively turning her into a human-Kree hybrid. Ms. Marvel guest-starred alongside the maverick superhero team the Defenders
Defenders (comics)
The Defenders is the name of a number of Marvel Comics superhero groups which are usually presented as a "non-team" of individualistic "outsiders," each known for following their own agendas...

 before assisting the Avengers
Avengers (comics)
The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers is a fictional team of superheroes, appearing in magazines published by Marvel Comics. The team made its debut in The Avengers #1 The Avengers...

 against the robot villain Ultron
Ultron
Ultron is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Avengers #54 , and was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema...

. The character then had a series of semi-regular appearances in The Avengers, with additional appearances with the Defenders, Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...

, the Thing
Thing (comics)
The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...

, and Iron Man
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...

. During this period, she became the first superhero to encounter the mutant terrorist Mystique
Mystique (comics)
Mystique is a fictional character associated with the Marvel Comics' franchise X-Men. Originally created by artist David Cockrum and writer Chris Claremont, she first appeared in Ms...

, who kills Ms. Marvel's lover, Michael Barnett.

1980s

The 200th issue of the Avengers proved controversial when Ms. Marvel was kidnapped by a character named Marcus—the apparent son of Avengers foe Immortus
Immortus
Immortus is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe. He is the future self of Kang the Conqueror, and first appeared in Avengers #10, and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....

—and taken to an alternate dimension
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...

, where she was brainwashed, seduced, and impregnated. The character gives birth on Earth to a child that rapidly ages into another version of Marcus, who takes Ms. Marvel back to the alternate dimension with no opposition from the Avengers. Comic book historian Carol A. Strickland
Carol A. Strickland
Carol A. Strickland is an American fiction writer, pop culture scholar, and comic book fan. While she is less well-known than influential Wonder Woman fans like Gloria Steinem and Trina Robbins, her scholarship on the DC Comics series, as well as other series known for high appeal to female...

 criticized the storyline in an essay titled "The Rape of Ms. Marvel." Citing Marcus's line, "Finally, after relative weeks of such efforts—and admittedly, with a subtle boost from Immortus' machines—you became mine," Strickland posited that Ms. Marvel's impregnation was simply rape by another name. As former writer of the solo title, Chris Claremont also commented on the inappropriateness of the storyline, and effectively "undid" the story in Avengers Annual #10 (1981).

In that story, Danvers is revealed to have returned to Earth—courtesy of Immortus' technology after Marcus continued to age and die of old age—but is attacked by the mutant Rogue
Rogue (comics)
Rogue was first slated to appear in Ms. Marvel #25 , but the book's abrupt cancellation left her original introduction story unpublished for over a decade, before seeing print in Marvel Super Heroes #11 in 1992. Rogue's first published appearance was in Avengers Annual #10...

, who permanently absorbs the character's abilities and memories. Danvers' memories are later restored by Professor X
Professor X
Professor Charles Francis Xavier, also known as Professor X, is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics superhero known as the leader and founder of the X-Men....

, and an angry confrontation with the Avengers concerning their apathy follows. Claremont continued to develop the character in the title Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men
Uncanny X-Men, first published as The X-Men, is the flagship Marvel Comics comic book series for the X-Men franchise. It is the mainstream continuity featuring the adventures of the eponymous group of mutant superheroes...

, as using espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...

, Danvers enters the Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...

 and wiped old government files on the X-Men. During an adventure in space with the mutant team the X-Men
X-Men
The X-Men are a superhero team in the . They were created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The X-Men #1...

, Danvers is changed courtesy of experimentation by the alien race the Brood
Brood (comics)
The Brood are a race of insectoid, parasitic, extraterrestrial beings that appear in the comic books published by Marvel Comics, especially Uncanny X-Men. Created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Dave Cockrum, they first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #155 .The Brood possess wings, fanged teeth and...

 into a newly empowered character called "Binary". Drawing on the power of a cosmic phenomenon called a white hole
White hole
A white hole, in general relativity, is a hypothetical region of spacetime which cannot be entered from the outside, but from which matter and light may escape. In this sense it is the reverse of a black hole, which can be entered from the outside, but from which nothing, including light, may escape...

, Danvers becomes capable of generating the power of a star. As Binary, the character has a number of encounters with the X-Men, New Mutants
New Mutants
The New Mutants are a group of teenaged mutant superheroes-in-training published by Marvel Comics. They have been the main characters of three successive comic book series, which were spin-offs of the popular X-Men franchise....

, the British team Excalibur
Excalibur (comics)
Excalibur is a Marvel Comics superhero group, an off-shoot of the X-Men, usually based in the United Kingdom. Conceived by writer Chris Claremont and artist/co-writer Alan Davis, the original Excalibur first appeared in Excalibur Special Edition , also known as Excalibur: The Sword is Drawn.The...

 as well as a solo adventure.

Claremont expanded on the incident with the character Rogue by having the Carol Danvers persona manifest itself within Rogue's mind, sometimes overpowering Rogue's personality. This happened to Rogue on several occasions, which caused an uneasy armistice between them. Sometime later after Rogue was blown through the ancient supernatural gateway called the Siege Perilous
Siege Perilous (comics)
Siege Perilous is the name of two fictional devices appearing in books published by Marvel Comics. The first appeared in books starring Captain Britain, and the second in books featuring the X-Men...

, the Ms. Marvel persona was separated from her as an independent entity. However as the two battled, they each discovered there was not enough lifeforce between them to allow them both to exist. Just as the Ms. Marvel persona was on the verge of killing Rogue, Magneto
Magneto (comics)
Magneto is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He is the central villain of the X-Men comic, as well as the TV show and the films. The character first appears in X-Men #1 , and was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby...

 intervened and destroyed her, saving Rogue's life.

1990s

The character continued to make sporadic appearances, and two additional issues planned for the original title—prevented by cancellation—were printed in a quarterly anthology series. The same year the character was also used extensively in the storyline "Operation Galactic Storm". By the conclusion of the story the character had lost her connection to the white hole she drew them from, reverting to use of the original Ms. Marvel powers, but retaining the energy manipulation and absorption powers she had as Binary, albeit on a smaller scale.

After several more team and solo appearances the character then rejoins the Avengers with the new alias Warbird. Writer Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek
Kurt Busiek is an American comic book writer notable for his work on the Marvels limited series, his own title Astro City, and his four-year run on Avengers.-Early life:...

 adds a new dimension to the character and casts her as an alcoholic, struggling to come to terms with the loss of her cosmic powers and memories. Danvers disgraces herself during the "Live Kree or Die" storyline and is soon suspended from active duty.

After a brief appearance in Marvel's alternate universe
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...

 title What If?
What If (comics)
What If, sometimes rendered as What If...?, is the title of several comic book series published by Marvel Comics, exploring "the road not traveled" by its various characters...

, the character features in Iron Man, Wolverine
Wolverine (comics)
Wolverine is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Born as James Howlett and commonly known as Logan, Wolverine is a mutant, possessing animal-keen senses, enhanced physical capabilities, three retracting bone claws on each hand and a healing...

, The Avengers before making a cameo appearance in Mutant X
Mutant X
Mutant X may refer to:* Mutant X , a Marvel Comics series* Proteus , a Marvel Comics fictional character, originally known as 'Mutant X' but unrelated to the series of the same name and publisher...

.

2000s

The character then featured as "Captain Marvel" in a false reality created by mutant the Scarlet Witch
Scarlet Witch
The Scarlet Witch is a fictional comic book character that appears in books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in X-Men #4 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby...

 in limited series House of M
House of M
House of M is an eight-issue comic book limited series and crossover storyline published by Marvel Comics in 2005. Written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by Olivier Coipel, its first issue debuted in June 2005 as a follow-up to the events of the Planet X and Avengers Disassembled...

. This reality pandered to Carol's subconscious desire to be accepted as she proved to be the most popular superhero on Earth. Ms. Marvel then came to prominence again when the character was launched in a second self-titled volume Together with fellow Avenger Iron Man, Carol also becomes a principal advocate of the Superhuman Registration Act during the events of Civil War
Civil War (comics)
Civil War is a 2006-2007 Marvel Comics crossover storyline built around a self-titled seven-issue limited series written by Mark Millar and penciled by Steve McNiven, which ran through various other titles published by Marvel at the time...

. The story also continues in Ms. Marvel's own title as the character battles the anti-registration heroes led by Captain America.

The storyline has major consequences for the New Avengers, with the team splitting and the pro-registration heroes—including Ms. Marvel—forming their own team, debuting in The Mighty Avengers. Carol enters into a relationship with fellow member Wonder Man
Wonder Man
Wonder Man is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in The Avengers #9 .-Publication history:Wonder Man debuted in the superhero-team title The Avengers #9 Wonder...

, appears in a crossover
Intercompany crossover
In comic books, an intercompany crossover is a comic or series of comics where characters published by one company meet those published by another...

 series with the robot Transformers
Transformers
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another by magnetic coupling.Transformer may also refer to:* ASUS Eee Pad Transformer, an Android 3.2 Honeycomb tablet computer manufacturer by Asus...

, and becomes leader of the Mighty Avengers. The character makes an agreement with Tony Stark
Iron Man
Iron Man is a fictional character, a superhero in the . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, first appearing in Tales of Suspense #39 .A billionaire playboy, industrialist and ingenious engineer,...

, director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....

, to lead a covert strike team called Operation: Lightning Storm, its designated mission being the elimination of supervillains before they become global threats.

Ms. Marvel was captured by the Brood on Monster Island, whereupon she found the Brood Queen. An intense confrontation ensued during which Ms. Marvel was temporarily cut off from her powers and had to fight the Brood Queen as Carol Danvers and, at one point, she was stripped of her civilian clothing
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...

, forced to drift through space until she was able to access her powers.

Ms. Marvel also plays a significant role in the limited series Secret Invasion
Secret Invasion
"Secret Invasion" is a comic book crossover storyline that ran through a self-titled eight issue limited series and several tie-in books published by Marvel Comics from April through December 2008....

against the alien shapeshifting Skrull
Skrull
The Skrulls are a fictional race of extraterrestrial shapeshifters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics.-Publication history:The Skrulls first appeared in Fantastic Four #2 and were created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby....

s. She befriends the Skrull impostor of Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (Khn'nr)
Khn'nr is a fictional alien character who has appeared in numerous comic book series published by Marvel Comics. He is a Skrull sleeper agent posing as the Kree Captain Mar-Vell ....

 and proves to him that she is not a Skrull by revealing intimate details about their life together. At the conclusion of the war with the Skrulls, Norman Osborn
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....

 is placed in charge of the registered Avengers team. Refusing to serve under Osborn, Ms. Marvel flees Avengers Tower and joins the New Avengers, becoming second-in-command. Osborn appoints former Thunderbolt
Thunderbolts (comics)
The Thunderbolts are a Marvel Comics superhero team, which consists mostly of former supervillains. The group first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #449 , and was created by Kurt Busiek and Mark Bagley.-Publication history:...

 member Moonstone
Moonstone (comics)
Moonstone is a fictional character, both a supervillain and superheroine in Marvel Comics' Marvel Universe.-Publication history:...

 (Karla Sofen) as the "new" Ms. Marvel to his Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers
Dark Avengers was an American comic book series published by Marvel Comics. It is part of a series of titles that have featured various iterations of the superhero team the Avengers...

 team; Moonstone wears a variation of Ms. Marvel's original costume. Osborn engineers a battle that results in Danvers' powers overloading, causing her apparent death. The character Moonstone takes over the title role in the ongoing Ms. Marvel series. Carol Danvers returns with the aid of the New Avengers, a group of MODOK
MODOK
MODOK is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Tales of Suspense #93 MODOK (acronym for Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing) is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character...

 embryos (creations of the organization Advanced Idea Mechanics
Advanced Idea Mechanics
A.I.M. is a fictional terrorist organization in the . The organization first appeared in Strange Tales #146 and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-Publication history:...

 [AIM]), and a character known as the "Storyteller" and reclaims the title of Ms. Marvel from Karla Sofen.

2010s

In the conclusion of the second volume of Ms. Marvel, Carol Danvers battles her old nemesis Mystique
Mystique (comics)
Mystique is a fictional character associated with the Marvel Comics' franchise X-Men. Originally created by artist David Cockrum and writer Chris Claremont, she first appeared in Ms...

 and a clone of Captain Marvel created by the Skrulls during the Secret Invasion, after they carry out a series of tragedies at temples belonging to the Church of Hala, a church dedicated to Mar-Vell. Danvers later aids the allied forces of Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...

 against Norman Osborn
Green Goblin
The Green Goblin is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in the comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #14 ....

 during the Siege of Asgard
Siege (comics)
Siege is a fictional character, owned by Marvel Comics, who exists in the Marvel Universe.-Creative origins:John Kelly was initially created by Dwayne McDuffie and Gregory Wright as a pseudo-preview of their then-upcoming relaunch of Deathlok as well as to provide existing in-continuity backstory...

. Carol also begins to develop a friendship with Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...

. Though he infuriated her the first time they worked together, the two become closer when he helps her during the Dark Reign
Dark Reign (comics)
"Dark Reign" is a 2008–2009 crossover comic book storyline published by Marvel Comics. It deals with the aftermath of the "Secret Invasion" storyline, which led to a shift of power in the Marvel Universe toward Norman Osborn. The title "Dark Reign" refers to Osborn's rise to national power and the...

 storyline, and she later admits to having feelings for him. They have both also rejoined the newly formed New Avengers.

Characterization

With Ms. Marvel #1 in 1977, writer Gerry Conway
Gerry Conway
Gerard F. "Gerry" Conway is an American writer of comic books and television shows. He is known for co-creating the Marvel Comics vigilante The Punisher and scripting the death of the character Gwen Stacy during his long run on The Amazing Spider-Man...

 played a significant role in the character's development, writing in his introduction to the series, "you might see a parallel between her quest for identity, and the modern woman's quest for raised consciousness, for self-liberation, for identity."

Ms. Marvel's uniform and abilities, however, were derived from the character's then-contemporary male counterpart: Captain Marvel. Furthermore, the character's blonde hair and civilian name of Carol Danvers form a clear connection to DC Comics' Supergirl, a character created entirely in imitation of a male counterpart—and whose secret identity was "Linda Lee Danvers".

The Ms. Marvel letters page
Comic book letter column
A comic book letter column is a section of a comic book where readers' letters to the publisher appear. Comic book letter columns are also commonly referred to as letter columns , letter pages, letters of comment , or simply letters to the editor...

 ("Ms. Prints") featured letters debating whether or not the character was feminist. Reader (and frequent letterhack
Letterhack
Letterhack describes a fan who is regularly published in comic book letter columns.Many letterhacks became well-known throughout the industry by virtue of their letters...

) Jana C. Hollingsworth took issue with Ms. Marvel's entire origin:
Another reader had issue with the character's outfit: "Question: where is a woman who wears long sleeves, gloves, high boots and a scarf (winter wear), and at the same time has a bare back, belly, and legs? The Arctic equator? That costume requires a few alterations." These questions, and the controversial rape in Avengers #200, caused many readers to question the character's portrayal, and whether she was a good role model for female readers.

It has been noted that "Danvers' initial appearances portrayed her as a strong character, but that changed over time—even after she gained super powers." When Ms. Marvel received her own title in the 2000s, Marvel Comics was "determined to have the character take center stage in the Marvel Universe", with "Joe Quesada and the other powers [having] had the character play major roles in their huge 'House of M' crossover, in the 'New Avengers' and in the gargantuan success that is 'Civil War'." "Writer Brian Reed has had Ms. Marvel overcome worthy challenges ranging from alien invasions, time-traveling sorcerers and former teammates turned enemy." Brian Reed
Brian Reed
Brian Reed is an American comic book and video game writer.-Marvel Comics:Work at Marvel Comics includes:*Spider-Man Unlimited #11*Spider-Woman: Origin...

's characterization of Ms. Marvel (in the "War of the Marvels" story arc) has been said to be "an engaging mix of bravado and aggression juxtaposed with compassion and empathy."

Powers and abilities

Ms. Marvel initially possessed superhuman strength, endurance, stamina, flight, physical durability, and a limited precognitive "seventh sense." As Binary, the character could tap the energy of a "white hole
White hole
A white hole, in general relativity, is a hypothetical region of spacetime which cannot be entered from the outside, but from which matter and light may escape. In this sense it is the reverse of a black hole, which can be entered from the outside, but from which nothing, including light, may escape...

", allowing manipulation of stellar energies, and therefore control over heat, the electromagnetic spectrum
Electromagnetic spectrum
The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all possible frequencies of electromagnetic radiation. The "electromagnetic spectrum" of an object is the characteristic distribution of electromagnetic radiation emitted or absorbed by that particular object....

 and gravity. Light speed
Speed of light
The speed of light in vacuum, usually denoted by c, is a physical constant important in many areas of physics. Its value is 299,792,458 metres per second, a figure that is exact since the length of the metre is defined from this constant and the international standard for time...

 travel and the ability to exist in the vacuum of space were also possible. After Rogue was purged of Danvers' memories and abilities by the mysterious mutant infant, Carol Danvers' memories and abilities were returned to her years later.

Although the link to the white hole was eventually severed, Ms. Marvel retains her Binary powers on a smaller scale, enabling her to both absorb energy and project it in photonic form. The character, however, lacks a constant source of energy to maintain the abilities at their previous cosmic level.

At the moment, Ms. Marvel possesses incredible superhuman strength and durability, can fly at roughly half the speed of sound and discharge explosive blasts of radiant energy, which she fires from her fingertips. She also demonstrates the ability to absorb other forms of energy, such as electricity, to further magnify her strength and energy projection, up to the force of an exploding nuclear weapon. When sufficiently augmented, she can withstand the pressure from a 92-ton weight, and strike with a similar level of force, although Hank Pym
Henry Pym
Dr. Henry "Hank" Pym is a fictional character that appears in publications by Marvel Comics. Created by editor and plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber and penciler Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #27...

 theorized that this likely was not her limit. Carol cannot absorb magical energy without consequence, though she aided Dr. Stephen Strange in the defeat of the mystic menace Sir Warren Traveler.

Carol Danvers is also an exceptional espionage agent, pilot, hand-to-hand combatant and markswoman.

Age of Apocalypse

A powerless Carol Danvers helps Logan and Gateway escape at the price of her life, only to be "healed" and used by Pierce as a living weapon against her friends.

Exiles

An evil version of the character features in the title Exiles, joining the alternate universe
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...

 explorers Weapon X and becoming the lover of master villain Hyperion
Hyperion (comics)
Hyperion is the name of several fictional characters that appear in publications published by Marvel Comics. The first character debuted in The Avengers #69 Hyperion is the name of several fictional characters that appear in publications published by Marvel Comics. The first character debuted in...

.

Marvel Zombies

Ms. Marvel is one of the first on the scene when a zombified Sentry bursts onto Earth-2149, and was one of the first heroes to be infected. Ms Marvel, and the rest of the Avengers continue their rampage until their appetite is sated, at which point their minds clear a little, and they decide to go back to Avengers Towers to work out how to beat the zombie plauge. By the time they arrive back, the hunger has taken hold once more and they consume Jarvis. After this snack, and being joined by Giant Man, they are still hungry, and so send out an “Avengers Assemble” message, and wait for the others to arrive.

Marvel Mangaverse

A version of Carol appears in the title New Mangaverse: The Rings of Fate briefly using the callsign Warbird. She later adopts the shield, costume, and name of Captain America at the end of the series. She displays superhuman strength and a near-invulnerability in the miniseries. No genuine explanation is given to how her powers came to exist in the Mangaverse (though it is implied that she somehow gained them after exposure to attacks from the Rings of the Mandarin, as she claims she can feel the power of the Rings while climbing Mt. Fuji in the final issue of the series, indicating she followed them back to their present location on foot from the air base.), as she appears at first as a normal human, piloting what appears to be a variant design of an F-22 while assigned to Yokotsuka Air Force base and survives her plane being destroyed by agents of the Hand
Hand (comics)
The Hand is a fictional supervillainous organization in the Marvel Comics universe.The Hand is an order of evil mystical ninja who are heavily involved in organized crime and mercenary activities such as assassination plots. The Hand covets power above all other objectives. They are primarily based...

, as well as a number of direct attacks which leave her briefly hospitalized, only to awaken with her injuries more or less fully healed and exhibiting superhuman strength as she destroys a heart monitor and needle, then lifts up a bed one handed with no effort. She further displays this enhanced strength when she cleaves Elektra in half with a single swing after climbing Mount Fuji with little real effort, making handholds on her own due to her new strength.

MAX Comics

The MAX version of Carol Danvers which is retconned back to the original Marvel line appeared in the comic Alias. More of her persona is displayed. Despite being a heroine, she comes of as superficial, picky, and has no problems setting people up. She set up Jessica Jones on a blind date with one of the Ant-Man. During the date Jessica Jones stated to him that Carol was her idea mate on paper, but declined him, because he had served time in prison.

Ultimate Marvel

The Ultimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel
Ultimate Marvel is an imprint of comic books published by Marvel Comics, featuring reimagined and updated versions of the company's superhero characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. The imprint was launched in 2000 with the publication of the series...

 imprint features a version of the character without superhuman abilities. In the title Ultimate Power
Ultimate Power
Ultimate Power is a nine-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics.The series is a crossover that ties the Supreme Power universe into the Ultimate Marvel universe and is written by Brian Michael Bendis, J...

, the character becomes acting director of S.H.I.E.L.D. after Nick Fury
Ultimate Nick Fury
General Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury is a fictional character published by Marvel Comics. A reinterpretation of the character Nick Fury, one of the most notable differences between the two is that the mainstream Nick Fury is an Italian American colonel with graying brown hair, while this Nick Fury...

's disappearance. Her first mission she works on is to apprehend Norman Osborn after he escapes from the Triskelion. Things got difficult for her when Norman lied to the press that S.H.I.E.L.D. wrongly imprisoned him for trying to make the world a safer place, putting the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents out of a job. She receives help from Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man
Ultimate Spider-Man was a superhero comic book series that was published by Marvel Comics from 2000 to 2009. The series is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint...

 after she arrests him in public, hoping that it would lure Norman to her. She summoned a press release and had Harry tell the reporters the truth that Norman was a horrible person for experimenting on himself and killing his mother. Outraged, Norman went to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier and attacked his son along with her, Spider-Man, and the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents on board. Norman accidentally killed Harry and, feeling guilty, tells the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to kill him. Peter becomes angry at Danvers because Harry died on her watch and told her to stay out of his life. She did not do as he asked, but she still felt sorry for him.

Reed Richards saves her life, but damages himself while stretching to stop her fall.

X-Men: The End

The limited series X-Men: The End
X-Men: The End
X-Men: The End is a 2004-2006 trilogy of miniseries detailing the last days of the X-Men and their adventures in a noncanon future, part of their The End series...

features a version of the character that exists as pure energy and controls the spaceship the Starjammer.

Television

  • Carol Danvers appears in the X-Men
    X-Men (TV series)
    X-Men, also known as X-Men: The Animated Series, is an American animated television series which debuted on October 31, 1992, in the United States on the Fox Network as part of its Fox Kids Saturday morning lineup...

    episode "A Rogue's Tale" voiced by Roscoe Handford. The episode tells the story of how Rogue is tricked by Mystique into permanently stealing Ms. Marvel's powers, leaving Carol comatose.
  • Ms. Marvel appears in The Super Hero Squad Show
    The Super Hero Squad Show
    The Super Hero Squad Show is an American cartoon series by Marvel Animation. It is based on the Marvel Super Hero Squad action figure line from Hasbro, which portray the characters of the Marvel Universe in a cartoonish super-deformed-style...

    , voiced by Grey DeLisle
    Grey DeLisle
    Grey DeLisle is an American voice actress, singer-songwriter, and comedienne. To date, she has released four solo albums and has featured on the tribute album Anchored in Love: A Tribute to June Carter Cash and film soundtrack of Loggerheads...

    . She is depicted as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who is the strict superior of the Super Hero Squad.
  • Carol Danvers first appears in The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes
    The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes
    The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes is an American animated television series by Marvel Animation in cooperation with Film Roman based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the Avengers. The show debuted on Disney XD in Fall 2010 starting with a 20 part micro-series. A second season has been...

    episode "459", voiced by Jennifer Hale
    Jennifer Hale
    Jennifer Hale is a Canadian-born American actress and singer best known for her voice over work in video games like Grandia II, the Mass Effect trilogy, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Tales of Symphonia, the Metroid Prime trilogy, the Metal Gear Solid games, Brütal Legend, and Disney's...

    . She appears as a military officer that works at a research center in the near mountains. When it came to an attack by a Kree Sentry, Walter Lawson protects her from the attack with energy from him getting into her. She ended up hospitalized. Following the Nega Bomb in the Kree Sentry being averted, Ant-Man ended up in the same hospital room that she was in. Wasp
    Wasp (comics)
    The Wasp is a fictional character, a superheroine in the Marvel Comics universe and founding member of The Avengers. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Tales to Astonish #44 ....

     and Ant-Man's (slightly uncomfortable) conversation ends up interrupted when Carol, who before was asleep/unconscious, asks why the ceiling is so low, and she is shown floating above her bed, a few inches from the ceiling. She will be joining the group as Ms. Marvel in season 2.

Video games

  • Ms. Marvel appears as a playable character in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
    Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
    Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is an action role-playing game developed for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox and Xbox 360 by Raven Software and published by Activision. The game was simultaneously ported to the PlayStation Portable and Wii by Vicarious Visions, and to Microsoft Windows by Beenox...

    voiced by April Stewart
    April Stewart
    April Stewart is an American voice actress. She is best known for providing the voices of several female characters on the animated cartoon TV series South Park alongside fellow voice actress Mona Marshall. Born and raised in Truckee, California, Stewart started acting at the age 12. Her father,...

    .
  • April Stewart reprises her role of Ms. Marvel as a playable character in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2.
  • Ms. Marvel appears in the Marvel Super Hero Squad
    Marvel Super Hero Squad (video game)
    Marvel Super Hero Squad is a video game developed by Blue Tongue Entertainment, Mass Media, and Halfbrick and published by THQ. It was released on October 20, 2009 for the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable and Wii...

    video game voiced by Grey DeLisle
    Grey DeLisle
    Grey DeLisle is an American voice actress, singer-songwriter, and comedienne. To date, she has released four solo albums and has featured on the tribute album Anchored in Love: A Tribute to June Carter Cash and film soundtrack of Loggerheads...

    .
  • Ms. Marvel is a playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online
    Marvel Super Hero Squad Online
    Marvel Super Hero Squad Online is a MMOG for younger audiences based on the Marvel Super Hero Squad franchise.The MMOG officially was released as a open beta on April 29, 2011 and a closed beta was released in early 2011. The first debut trailer for Marvel Super Hero Squad Online was released on...

    , voiced again by Grey DeLisle.

Collected editions

  • Essential Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1 (collects Ms. Marvel #1-23; Marvel Super-Heroes Magazine #10-11; Avengers Annual #10), February 2007, ISBN 978-0785124993
  • Ms. Marvel
    • Vol. 1: Best of the Best (collects Ms. Marvel vol. 2 #1-5; Giant-Size Ms. Marvel), October 2006, ISBN 978-0785122814 (HC), ISBN 978-0785119968 (SC)
    • Vol. 2: Civil War (collects Ms. Marvel vol. 2 #6-10; Ms. Marvel Special), March 2007, ISBN 978-0785123040 (HC), ISBN 978-0785123057 (SC)
    • Vol. 3: Operation Lightning Storm (collects Ms. Marvel vol. 2 #11-17), October 2007, ISBN 978-0785128908 (HC), ISBN 978-0785124498 (SC)
    • Vol. 4: Monster Smash (collects Ms. Marvel vol. 2 #18-24), March 2008, ISBN 978-0785130185 (HC), ISBN 978-0785128137 (SC)
    • Vol. 5: Secret Invasion (collects Ms. Marvel vol. 2 #25-30), October 2008, ISBN 978-0785130192 (HC), ISBN 978-0785132998 (SC)
    • Vol. 6: Ascension (collects Ms. Marvel vol. 2 #31-34, Annual; Ms. Marvel Special: Storyteller), March 2009, ISBN 978-0785134572 (HC), ISBN 978-0785131786 (SC)
    • Vol. 7: Dark Reign (collects Ms. Marvel vol. 2 #35-41), September 2009, ISBN 978-0785138389 (HC), ISBN 978-0785138396 (SC)
    • Vol. 8: War of the Marvels (collects Ms. Marvel vol. 2 #42-46), December 2009, ISBN 978-0785138402 (HC), ISBN 978-0785138419 (SC)
    • Vol. 9: Best You Can Be (collects Ms. Marvel vol. 2 #47-50), April 2010, ISBN 978-0785145738 (HC), ISBN 978-0785145745 (SC)

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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