Marvel Spotlight on Captain Universe #10 (Marvel)
Bill Mantlo (w) Steve Ditko (a)
Not being particularly familiar with Captain Universe I nonetheless chose to pick up this comic for one reason. Steve Ditko art. I do recall he did work for both Marvel and DC in the eighties and am always (or nearly always) happy with his work. One of Comicdoms greats.
Written by Bill Manto (who I recall also wrote the Micronauts for Marvel) this tale tells of the force which manifests itself in individuals as "Captain Universe" this time chooses not one but two women to use the power for good. Two sisters fighting gangsters to be precise.
The first thing I noticed about his comic is that it took far longer to read than any of today's comics with far more dialogue and with Ditko far more panels giving the reader real value for their buck as our American friends say.
The story Double Jeopardy sees Clare Dodgson help Edward Stanford her sister's husband convict and imprison a couple of low level villains. Turning down police prosecution.which would have been difficult for a Private Investigator to use anyway Clare makes her way home. In the mean time Edward is kidnapped outside the courtroom.
Clare arrives at her sisters house and realises with a little help from her twin that there is trouble ahead and rather than use the door (which is used a s a distraction) she crashes through the front room window and a fight ensues with the kids going next door for safety and to call the police.
The sister join forces when the Captain Universe force appears in both of them and the adventure begins with villains falling left right and centre. The Dodgson sisters confront the masked crime boss who masquerades as Nemesis. Fleeing, the women pursue and to their horror the villain turns out none other than the husband of Anne Stanford.
The power departs as the adventure concludes.
Realising she is now alone Anne tells the kids to be strong whilst her twin sister Clare muses "what Anne needs to rely on now isn't super-powers but her own woman's strength ".
A solid read and a moral ending.
Captain Universe appeared in the last three editions of Marvel Spotlight's eleven issue run.
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