Monica Rambeau
Monica Rambeau | |
---|---|
Mighty Avengers #1 (November 2013) | |
Created by | Roger Stern John Romita Jr. |
In-story information | |
Full name | Monica Rambeau |
Species | Human mutate |
Team affiliations | Mighty Avengers S.W.O.R.D. Nextwave Avengers Ultimates |
Notable aliases | Captain Marvel Monica Marvel Sun Goddess Lady of Light Spectrum Daystar Photon Pulsar |
Abilities |
|
Monica Rambeau is a
Monica Rambeau appears in the
Development
Concept and creation
Talking about the visual features of the character, John Romita Jr. noted that, originally, the character was intended to look like actress Pam Grier, but her appearance was changed before publication:
I just took some reference on Pam Grier, because I always loved her, and at the last moment somebody said that, "Well, we need to use this woman, here," because they thought maybe Pam Grier wasn't as good-looking as the model they found. It was fine, because by the time she got done by other artists, it ended up looking like the generic black character, anyway.[4]
Publication history
Monica Rambeau debuted in
Following her debut, the character appeared throughout the entirety of Stern's five-year run on
Following a cameo in
In 2009, Rambeau appeared in the limited series,
Starting in September 2013, she appeared as one of the lead characters in the
She was part of the 2015's
She was a major character in the Avengers weekly story-arc Avengers: No Road Home, alongside Hawkeye, Hercules, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Vision, Voyager and Rocket Raccoon. It was meant to be a spiritual successor to previous Avengers weekly story-arc, Avengers: No Surrender.[20]
In August 2022, Marvel Comics announced Monica Rambeau's first solo comic book series Photon, set to be released in December 2022.[21][22]
Fictional character biography
Origin
Monica Rambeau was born in
Joining the Avengers
Rambeau sought out the
She assisted Doctor Strange and the Scarlet Witch in battling Dracula.[29]
Two of Rambeau's enemies are super-powered psychiatrist
Moonstone and Blackout returned as members of
Captain Marvel also took part in battles against the Beyonder,[34] a confused Jean Grey,[35] Kang the Conqueror,[36] Attuma,[37] and Grandmaster.[38]
Leader of the Avengers
Rambeau later replaced the Wasp as leader of the Avengers,[39] commanding them in battles against the X-Men,[40] the Olympian Gods,[41] and the Super-Adaptoid.[42] She spent a lot of time refereeing squabbles between Hercules and the Sub-Mariner, and dealing with the duplicitous telepath Dr. Druid, who sought to supplant her as Avengers chairman and undermined her authority at every opportunity.
When honorary Avengers member and wife of the Sub-Mariner Marrina transformed into the gigantic sea monster Leviathan, Captain Marvel led the hunt for the creature. During the battle that followed, Rambeau transformed herself into a massive bolt of lightning to try and stop the beast. She made contact with the water and accidentally conducted herself across the surface of the ocean, dispersing her atoms so widely that she barely regained physical form. She reformed as a frail, withered husk of a woman devoid of super-powers.[43]
Regaining her powers
After retiring from the team,
Rambeau stayed connected with the Avengers and served as a reservist, sometimes assuming leadership duties in the absence of the current chair. She helped repel an
When a group of aliens calling themselves Starblasters tried to push the moon away from Earth,
When Genis became an adventurer, he was known as Captain Marvel like his father before him—which Rambeau resented. After she, Starfox and Genis teamed up to defeat the Controller, Genis tried to concede the Captain Marvel title to Rambeau since he felt she was more worthy of it. Rambeau declined out of respect for the Mar-Vell legacy and adopted the new alias Photon.[52]
Avengers Return
After the return of the main Avengers from the
Later when Photon was attacked by the Wrecking Crew in the Mardi Gras of New Orleans, she asked the Avengers for help and wound up being involved in an adventure in Arkon's world with the group and her old fellow Avenger, Black Knight.[55]
For a time, Rambeau's mother intercepted her Avengers calls out of fear for her daughter's safety. After discovering this deception, Rambeau led an unofficial force of Avengers against the 'Infinites', who planned on relocating the galaxy.
After that, Rambeau helped the team in the deep-space monitoring station with
From Pulsar to Nextwave
When Genis-Vell wanted to establish a new identity for himself, he began calling himself Photon. Rambeau confronted him but decided to let Genis keep the Photon alias after she came up with a name she liked better, Pulsar.[64][65]
Rambeau later led the
During the
When Brother Voodoo asked for Rambeau's help in tracking down some evil sorcerers, she revealed a former relationship with
She later attended
The group continued to meet partly over their support of Firestar, who had recovered from breast cancer.[72] She assisted Carol Danvers, in an investigation in the Gulf of Mexico, where Rambeau indicated that she was still fearful of using her powers under the water since her traumatic experience in battle against Marrina Smallwood,[10] and aided Iron Man in the Avengers' deep-space monitoring station against ancient Viking monsters who claimed to be the Emperor of Mars.[73]
Marvel Now!
During the
Monica became field leader of Luke Cage's new Mighty Avengers team in the wake of the event.[75]
During the "Last Days" part of the Secret Wars storyline, Spectrum devised a plan to destroy Earth-1610 to keep it from colliding with Earth-616. In desperation during the two weeks before the end of the world, Spectrum channeled her full power and went to destroy Earth-1610.[76] However, right before she could successfully destroy the other Earth, she spotted a group of children who lived there, causing her to hesitate for only a moment, long enough for Ultimate Reed Richards to capture her.[77]
In the aftermath of the "Devil's Reign" storyline, Spectrum assists the newly elected Mayor Luke Cage in taking down a Thunderbolts unit led by Crossbones. Afterwards, public relations specialist Helen Astrantia wanted Spectrum to lead the re-branded Thunderbolts. She turns down the suggestion and flies off.[78]
Powers and abilities
Monica Rambeau gained her superhuman abilities owing to bombardment by extra-dimensional energies. She can transform herself into any form of energy within the
She is invisible and intangible in many of her energy forms (the most frequent exception being visible light), and is capable of flight in all her energy forms (reaching velocities up to and including light speed).[84][85] She also has the ability to project these energies from her body while she is in human form (only one wavelength of energy at a time), usually in the form of energy blasts from her hands. She mentally controls both the type and quantity of energy she wishes to transmit. The maximum amount of energy she can transmit at a given time is unknown. Rambeau can also divert small amounts of various energies for employment as force beams, which have the equivalent to 300 tons of TNT of explosive force. A variation of this ability enables her to project light-based holographic illusions of herself. Rambeau has also shown the ability to split her energy form into several miniature energy forms that are under her mental command, each miniature Rambeau is able to react and fly at light-speed.
When she encounters a new or unfamiliar energy, Rambeau can often duplicate it given enough time for analysis.[86] Rambeau tends to be physically insubstantial in her energy forms, though with concentration and effort she can sometimes perform tasks such as briefly grasping an object, either by partially solidifying or by applying some sort of force to the object in question.
She is immortal and does not age beyond her prime.[87]
When Rambeau temporarily lost her original powers after a massive energy expenditure,
Rambeau has strong leadership skills and law enforcement experience due to both of her time as a police officer and former leader of the Avengers. She is an excellent markswoman, unarmed combatant, detective, and swimmer with extensive nautical expertise. She has received Harbor Patrol training, and Avengers training in unarmed combat by Captain America.
Reception
Nick Hemming of
Keith Reid-Cleveland of The Daily Dot ranked Monica Rambeau 9th in their "12 Black Marvel Characters Everyone Should Know" list, stating, "There have been many Captain Marvels over the years, and they’ve all been highly capable at doing whatever they put their minds too. Monica Rambeau is no exception."[92] Rob Bricken of Gizmodo ranked Monica Rambeau 10th in their "Every Member Of The Avengers, Ranked" list, saying, "She quickly proved herself among Earth's Mightiest Heroes."[93] George Marston of Newsarama ranked Monica Rambeau 16th in their "Best Female Superheroes" list.[94] The A.V. Club ranked Monica Rambeau 95th in their "100 Best Marvel Characters" list.[95]
Screen Rant included Monica Rambeau in their "10 Best Marvel Characters Who Made Their Debut In Spider-Man Comics" list.[96] Comic Book Resources ranked Monica Rambeau 4th in their "10 Best Marvel Legacy Heroes" list,[97] 4th in their "All The Captain Marvels" list,[98] 8th in their "Avengers' Greatest Leaders" list,[99] and 10th in their "10 Most Wholesome Avengers" list.[100]
Literary reception
Volumes
Captain Marvel: Monica Rambeau (2019)
According to Diamond Comic Distributors, the Captain Marvel: Monica Rambeau trade paperback was the 112th best selling graphic novel in January 2019.[101][102]
Monica Rambeau: Photon (2022)
According to the ComicHub system at local comic book shops selling American comics, Monica Rambeau: Photon #1 was the 53rd best selling comic book in December 2022.[103]
Megan Loucks of
Other versions
Age of Ultron
An alternate version of Monica Rambeau appears during the Age of Ultron storyline. She is amongst the superhero resistance against Ultron.[106]
Earth-A
Like other inhabitants of this reality, Monica Rambeau would periodically visit Earth-616 for vacations. Due to the nature of the interdimensional travel, she received duplicate powers to her counterpart and would masquerade as her. It is implied that the inexperienced Rambeau appearing around that time in Black Panther was, in fact, this alternate. Rambeau claimed that the main reason she visited Earth-616 was not because she would gain superpowers but because her parents were still alive in that reality.[107]
Forever Yesterday
An alternate version of Monica Rambeau appears in New Warriors #11–13 in an alternate reality that is known as Earth-9105. This version goes under the code-name of Sceptre. She is part of a murderous version of the Avengers, who enforce the will of the tyrannical female Sphinx.[108] She briefly makes an appearance in Avengers Forever when she and several other alternate, evil Avengers are brought forth in order to battle the main protagonists.[109]
JLA/Avengers
An alternate version of Monica Rambeau appears in
Marvel Zombies
An alternate version of Monica Rambeau appears in Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness #3. She is in her Nextwave uniform fighting alongside the rest of the team against a zombified Power Pack.[113]
MC2
Although Monica Rambeau has never appeared in Marvel Comics' future-era
What If?
An alternate version of Monica Rambeau appears in "What if the Scarlet Witch Hadn't Acted Alone?", What If? Avengers Disassembled (2006).
In other media
Marvel Cinematic Universe
Monica Rambeau appears in media set in the
- Monica is introduced as a child in the film Skrullrefugees to safety, Monica expresses a desire to fly in space as well.
- An adult Monica appears in the Tommy and meets with her once more, empathizing with her before Maximoff goes into hiding. After Hayward is arrested, Monica is visited by a disguised Skrull, who asks her to meet with a friendof her mother's in space.
- Monica appears in the film Hank McCoy.
Video games
- Monica Rambeau / Spectrum appears as a playable character in Marvel: Future Fight.[119]
- Monica Rambeau / Spectrum appears in Marvel Snap.[120][121]
Collected editions
Title | Material collected | Publication date | ISBN |
---|---|---|---|
Captain Marvel: Monica Rambeau | Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16, The Avengers (vol. 1) #227, 279, Marvel Team-Up (vol. 1) #142–143, Captain Marvel (1989) one-shot, Captain Marvel (1994) one-shot, Avengers Unplugged #5, material from Solo Avengers #2, Marvel Fanfare #42, 57 | February 2019 | 978-1302917562 |
Monica Rambeau: Photon | Monica Rambeau: Photon #1-5 | September 2023 | 978-1302947903 |
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External links
- Monica Rambeau at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau) at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Photon (Monica Rambeau) at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Pulsar (Monica Rambeau) at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
- Captain Marvel a.k.a. Photon (1982) at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on April 9, 2012.
- Monica Rambeau on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki