Ms. Marvel #18
Ms. Marvel #18 (June 1978) delivers the first full appearance of Raven Darkhölme — the shapeshifting mutant who would become one of Marvel's defining antagonists, Mystique — completing a three-issue introduction that began with a shadowy cameo in #16. Writer Chris Claremont seeded her here as a Pentagon insider orchestrating the Centurion attack, establishing the espionage-and-infiltration template the character would carry for decades. The issue simultaneously marks the first time Carol Danvers fights alongside the Avengers, a narrative foothold that would eventually earn her Avengers membership. As a Bronze Age key, it sits at the crossroads of two of Claremont's most consequential creative threads: the evolution of Carol Danvers toward full superhero status and the slow-burn construction of the X-Men rogues' gallery across multiple Marvel titles.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
Mystique's visual design originated with artist Dave Cockrum, and Claremont — with Cockrum's blessing — introduced the character across the closing issues of the struggling Ms. Marvel solo series. By the time #18 went to press, the book had already shifted from monthly to bi-monthly publication, a sign of flagging sales, and editor-in-chief Jim Shooter oversaw the title. Interior art was handled by Jim Mooney, a veteran penciller who joined Claremont starting roughly around issue #4 and remained the series' primary visual voice through its cancellation at #23. The series was ultimately cancelled before Claremont could resolve the Mystique subplot; those unfinished plot threads were only completed in 1992's Marvel Super Heroes (vol. 2) #11, working from Claremont's original scripts.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First full appearance of Raven Darkhölme (Mystique) in her natural blue-skinned form; she is not yet named 'Mystique' in the issue's dialogue — that name had appeared in the prior issue (#17).
- Story title: 'The St. Valentine's Day/Avengers Massacre!' Written by Chris Claremont, interior art by Jim Mooney, cover by Dave Cockrum, edited by Jim Shooter.
- Cover date: June 1978; on-sale date: approximately March 14, 1978.
- Mystique is depicted as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Development at the Pentagon — having infiltrated the U.S. government using her shapeshifting — and is shown directing the armored villain Centurion against Ms. Marvel.
- The Avengers roster appearing in this issue consists of Yellowjacket (Hank Pym), the Wasp (Janet Van Dyne), the Vision, the Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff), and Wonder Man (Simon Williams).
- This is the first team-up between Ms. Marvel and the Avengers; the encounter laid story groundwork for Carol Danvers's later formal induction into the team.
- A Kree subplot runs in parallel, featuring cameos of Phae-Dor and Bun-Dall on the planet Hala, with the Supreme Intelligence also referenced — maintaining the Kree mythology Claremont threaded throughout the series.
- The unresolved Mystique story arc from the cancelled series (issues #24–25 were never published) was eventually completed in Marvel Super Heroes (vol. 2) #11 (1992), based on Claremont's original plot, with script by Simon Furman.
Cast · 13 characters
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Reprints
Reprinted in Ms. Marvel #9 (1979), I Fantastici Quattro #233 (1980), Miss Marvel #6 (1981), Essential Ms. Marvel #1 (2007), Marvel Masterworks: Ms. Marvel #2 (2016), Captain Marvel: Ms. Marvel - A Hero Is Born Omnibus #[nn] (2018), Ms. Marvel Epic Collection #2 (2019)
Key issues in Ms. Marvel
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