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May 12, 2023

Captain Marvel Cosplay Brings Back Carol's Dark Avengers Replacement

Captain Marvel is a hero to all, but a new cosplay stars her dark reflection,

Captain Marvel is a hero to all, but a new cosplay stars her dark reflection, Moonstone, who took Carol's identity on the Dark Avengers.

As Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers is one of Marvel's most iconic heroes, but that status comes with pretenders - such as the Dark Avengers member who stole her identity. The villain Moonstone is as powerful as she is twisted, and the perfect dark reflection of Captain Marvel.

Karla Sofen was a talented psychiatrist, but instead of helping her patients, she instead enjoyed feeding their paranoia and increasing their mental distress. It was in this role that Karla was able to gain access to the prison cell of Lloyd Bloch, the original possessor of the Kree device known as the Moonstone. By preying on Bloch, she acquired the powerful device, making Karla the newest villain to be called Moonstone. It was in this guise that she was eventually recruited to Norman Osborn's Dark Avengers, officially taking on Carol's then-codename of Ms. Marvel.

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In a new cosplay shared on Instagram by @jlopez11062, the photographer Jose Lopez displays a photo set of Dark Avenger Ms. Marvel, aka Moonstone. The cosplayer model is @novembercosplay, who strikes a pose as the nemesis of Carol Danvers. The beautifully shot set shows off the complex, psychologically and physically dangerous nature of Karla Sofen, whose full power makes her one of Marvel's most powerful villains.

The comic-accurate costume is more reminiscent of Carol's original Ms. Marvel identity rather than her current one of Captain Marvel, with a bodysuit and long, flowing scarf. The colors are a darker version of Captain Marvel's red, blue, and yellow with an emblazoned Kree star symbol prominently displayed. Karla has superhuman strength, durability, and flight, as well as the ability to control and weaponize light and become intangible, however she is also so fully bonded to the Moonstone that she will die without it. She utilized these abilities to discredit Carol Danvers, who was enraged to see her proud legacy stolen by a pretender.

Karla originally pursued redemption for her villainous ways under the name Meteorite, as part of Baron Zemo's Thunderbolts team, and even began a romantic relationship with Hawkeye when he took over the team. She also did some good as part of Osborn's Dark Avengers, taking on major threats such as the Molecule Man and the Void. However, she has always ended up returning to her roots as a villain, often at odds with the real Captain Marvel.

This cosplay from @novembercosplay perfectly captures this dark version of this popular Marvel powerhouse, and her true nature shines through in the masterful photography by Lopez. There have been a few who have donned the guise of Captain Marvel, but none have been as twisted as the villain turned Dark Avenger, Moonstone.

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Sources: @jlopez11062, @novembercosplay

Last son of a dying world, Adam Brunner is a comic news writer for ScreenRant, and an author of the book series: Friday's Bar for Supervillains. With a masters degree in comparative literature he is uniquely qualified to argue why comic books are the highest form of literary canon. Brunner works as a writer, designer, and educator in the New York City area, and has an enduring love for Superman, Captain America, and the Oxford Comma. These days he spends his nights working furiously on novels and his days showing his son how to be a good nerd. Check out his books on Amazon, or say Hello to him on Twitter @AdamJBrunner