Monica Rambeau has been known by several superhero names over the past 40 years – Photon, Pulsar, and Spectrum – but when she was first introduced, Monica was Captain Marvel. Roger Stern and John Romita Jr. created Monica in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16 (October 1982), introducing her as a woman living in New Orleans where she worked as member of the harbor patrol. When Monica found a dangerous weapon, she tried to stop it from harming others but was exposed to extra-dimensional energy.

Monica gained the ability to transform herself into different forms of energy found in the electromagnetic spectrum, such as visible light, gamma or cosmic rays, ultraviolet or infrared radiation, and radio waves. She became intangible and gained the ability to fly while in those energy forms, and while in her human form, she learned how to project those energies as blasts.

A protector at heart, she decided to use the new powers to fight crime and the media soon dubbed her Captain Marvel. Wanting to learn more about her abilities, she sought the Avengers for help and was given the status of member in training. Captain America and Wasp became her mentors, she fought Egghead and Plantman, and became the first black superheroine to be an Avenger.

She fought Moonstone and Blackout when they tried to break out of prison, and came up against them again when they joined Baron Zemo’s Masters of Evil. While executing a plan to occupy Avengers Mansion, they trapped her in the Darkforce dimension, so she used the Shroud to escape and retook the mansion.

Captain Marvel became the leader of the Avengers, and led them in the battle against Marrina when she was transformed into a sea monster. During the fight, Monica turned herself into a bolt of lightning to stop the beast, but she touched the water and unintentionally conducted herself across the ocean. Her atoms were dispersed, and she barely had enough energy and power to return to her physical form.

The confrontation left Monica frail for a period, but eventually she regained her powers. Throughout her comics career as Photon, Pulsar, and Spectrum, she has been a member of the Mighty Avengers, the Ultimates, and S.W.O.R.D.