Marvel 1975.09 - Captain Marvel #40

Captain Marvel #40

Title: Rocky Mountain Bye!

Wtiter: Steve Englehart

Artist: Al Milgrom

Villain: Starleech

Regulars: Rick Jones, Carol Danvers

Guests: The Watcher, Jarvis

Captain Marvel and Rick Jones bid farewell to the Watcher. He says that he can't thank them for their assistance, because a Watcher can only watch. That's taking it a bit far, isn't it? He takes them back to the Moon, and from there they can fly back to Earth. Is that another ten hour trip? He could have taken them a bit closer. They're now two separate beings, but they can still merge voluntarily. I don't quite understand their current state.

On Earth they separate again. Rick Jones goes to Denver for his concert. He's still wearing his spacesuit, which Mordecai Boggs thinks is just right for his stage show. He goes on stage. He sings. And everyone laughs at him. "The 50's haircut, the 60's ballads, the 70's spacesuit!" Rick falls apart and smashes his guitar, which only makes them laugh more. That's it! It's the end of his career as a rock musician.

The soulless body of Una, Mar-Vell's former lover, has been on Mars since Captain Marvel #29. I'd forgotten all about her. An alien creature takes control of her body and her memories. The creature is called the Starleech on the cover, but it's left unnamed in the story itself.

Captain Marvel visits the Avengers Mansion for a cup of hot chocolate. Then he flies to Florida to visit Cape Canaveral, the army base where he once worked as Dr. Walter Lawson. Rockets are launched to kill him, and he barely escapes. When he goes down to the base he meets Carol Danvers, who's suffering in pain after being hurt by Una. The possessed Una, that is.

Una says she wants revenge on Carol for taking Mar-Vell away from her. These were only suspicions, it wasn't true, but the Starleech doesn't know that. Captain Marvel fights with Una, battering her until the Starleech leaves her body. Her body is now dead.

Rick Jones arrives and says he wants to remain with Captain Marvel wherever he goes.

I'm a big fan of Steve Englehart, but I think this was a poor story. The Starleech is a random monster that appeared out of nowhere and is never seen again. Steve can do better than that!