It wouldn’t be a comic book movie without actual influence from comic books, especially when it comes to the MCU. When it comes to The Marvels, there are some noteworthy Marvel Comic storylines and moments that may have influenced decisions of character growth and plot points for the MCU, but there are some more subtle directions that may have influenced things in The Marvels more indirectly or unconsciously.

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Whilst many MCU movies take plot points from the Marvel Comics they originated from, some are more original in terms of story than others, and The Marvels doesn’t exactly follow a clear story from Captain Marvel and co.’s bout of comics, yet, here are some comics that have some level of inspiration for The Marvels.

5 Marvel Team-Up (2019) #4-6

Created by The McElroys & Ig Guara

In Marvel Team-Up, Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan are thrust into an out-of-this-world adventure. Surprisingly, there haven’t been many noteworthy team-ups of this expected duo, despite their great chemistry as eager students and promising teachers. In Marvel Team-Up’s issues 4 to 6, the two work together in marvelous fashion, and whilst the villains they face may not feature in The Marvels, their chemistry certainly does for the MCU sequel.

The comic also delves somewhat into Captain Marvel’s past, in which she shares her problems and experiences with the young Ms. Marvel, giving the girl a better understanding of who she is as a hero. She even shares her home with the Khan family, which is something audiences can expect in The Marvels.

4 Ms. Marvel (2014) #17

Created by G. Willow Wilson & Kris Anka

Ms. Marvel issue 17 was one of the first times that Kamala Khan got to meet Carol Danvers, her idol, Captain Marvel. It’s a sweet moment between the two, and the issue is mainly about them working together and stopping thugs through Jersey City, with some valuable lessons from Captain Marvel as a more experienced hero who tries to tell Ms. Marvel that sometimes, it’s just not possible to save everyone, and this is a lesson that can follow through with The Marvels.

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Captain Marvel’s experience as a hero has left her burdened with responsibility, and she can teach Ms. Marvel valuable lessons, even if she doesn’t see herself as a teacher. There are some great contrasts in their evolving friendship from this starting issue, between an optimistic student, and a somewhat pessimistic teacher, who has seen it all before.

3 Captain Marvel (2019) #33

Created by Kelly Thompson & Sergio Davila

In Issue 33 of the 2019 run for Captain Marvel, she pairs once again with Kamala, as they battle some violent and assaulting violent suits. Captain Marvel has some sweet words for Kamala here, showcasing their relationship rather well, and it’s something that evolving MCU films and shows will hopefully showcase further with their own live-action Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan. It’s one of the best instances of their team-ups, and Captain Marvel is more than happy to fight alongside Ms. Marvel and her giant, punchy fists.

The storyline that follows is titled The Last of the Marvels, and it can be pretty thrilling for Captain Marvel fans, especially when there is more interesting lore to be had about Carol Danvers’ friends and her life as Captain Marvel.

2 Captain Marvel Omnibus

Created by Kelly Sue DeConnick

Kelly Sue DeConnick’s run on Captain Marvel is often defined as the quintessential reading of the character. It makes sense for The Marvels to take inspiration from this comic when it comes to continuing the story of Captain Marvel’s Carol Danvers, and her growing library of friends and foes.

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DeConnick’s Captain Marvel comic has some great storylines, and whilst not directly involved in The Marvels’ plot, they’re still worth a read for how they handle Carol Danvers’ character, complete with some great art, and some stellar galaxy-spanning adventures.

1 Operation: Galactic Storm (Silver Surfer #53)

Created by Ron Marz & Ron Lim

The Kree Empire receives some grand attention in This Avengers story, Operation: Galactic Storm. This event saw the Avengers tied up in a battle with the Kree invaders, but who is directly involved in this Kree conflict? Dar-Benn is the antagonist of this Avengers storyline, and the main antagonist for The Marvels.

Whilst The Marvels does not follow Galactic Storm closely, it’s fun to see Dar-Benn and Monica Rambeau involved in the story together. It seems that Captain Marvel and the Kree are drawn to each other, in both comics and movies. It's also interesting to see a different contrast with some similarities between both iterations of Dar-Benn.

The Marvels

Release Date

November 10, 2023

Director

Nia DaCosta

Cast

Brie Larson , Teyonah Parris , Iman Vellani , Zawe Ashton , Samuel L. Jackson

Runtime

105 Minutes

Studio

Marvel Studios