Comic Info
Comic Name: Ms. Marvel (Volume 3)/All-New Marvel Now Point One
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Artist: Adrian Alphona
# of Issues: 6
Release Date: 2015
Ms. Marvel (3) #2 Variant
Reprints Ms. Marvel (3) #1-5 and All-New Marvel Now Point One #1 (March 2014-August 2014). Kamala Khan wants to be an ordinary girl. She lives in Jersey City with her Muslim family and likes to hang out like all teenagers. When Kamala is exposed Terrigen Mist, Kamala discovers that normal isn’t going to be a term applicable to her. Kamala is an Inhuman and with the ability to change her form and size, Kamala is out to take Jersey City by storm…if she can get home before her parents find out.
Written by G. Willow Wilson, Ms. Marvel Volume 1: No Normal introduced the new Ms. Marvel after her cameo appearance in Ms. Marvel (2) #14 and later appearing in Ms. Marvel (2) #17. The comic was released to positive reviews and received a lot of news coverage due to decision to have a comic led by female Muslim girl.
Comics have always had a way to innovative. They had African-American heroes early on, interracial romances, and comics exploring LGBQT characters before that was even a common term…but balanced Muslim characters didn’t really see much play. With a changing political tide, comics set out to be more inclusive and characters like Kamala and DC’s Green Lantern Simon Baz were a new direction for comics…and it is a good one.
Ms. Marvel (3) #5
What is good about Kamala is that Wilson didn’t simply make it about Kamala being a Muslim but being Muslim was part of Kamala’s life. Too often comic companies introduce a character with a unique trait and make the comic focus on the trait…when the comic fails, the trait is blamed. Kamala feels like a teenager who just happens to be Muslim. It defines her but it isn’t the definition of her life. Like teenagers, she has family problems and friend dramas…and she just happens to be a superhero. It is very similar to early issues of Spider-Man.
Adrian Alphona also provides a nice style for Kamala. The series really pops with color and style as Kamala tries to emulate her heroes and be her own hero. I kind of expected more exploration of the idea that the first time Kamala gains her powers she just physically copies Captain Marvel’s appearance…until she realizes she can just be herself.
Ms. Marvel is an entertaining read and a comic that has a ton of potential. It is tricky introducing a new character especially when the character is meant to replace a classic character. This has been screwed up so many times, but Ms. Marvel seems to be taking it in a step in the right direction…we’ll see how it goes. Ms. Marvel 1: No Normal is followed by Ms. Marvel 2: Generation Why.
Related Links:
