As I said in a previous piece, both DC and Marvel have been hard at work rebooting various franchises and introducing new characters. Amongst this new cache of comics is Ms. Marvel, an extremely fresh take on character growth as a whole that I think seeks to move comics in a new direction. Ms. Marvel was my first introduction into what I consider a new age of comics and I was both nervous and thrilled when I picked up the first volume. Before then, I was always partial to manga and the world of Western comic books seemed confusing and uninviting. Now I have spent easily as much on DC and Marvel titles in the last 6 months as I have on manga in several years. I am not sorry.
So what can you look forward to in the new Ms. Marvel? Well, some of the same things you can find in Batgirl. A modern slice of life, albeit for a younger protagonist, a fresh and clean aesthetic, and character development that goes beyond gaining new powers or meeting a new face to punch. If that doesn’t get your attention, maybe some other details will. Kamala Khan is a 16-year-old living in Jersey City. She’s the youngest daughter of an immigrant, conservative, Muslim family and kind of fangirl for heroes which often makes her the black sheep in her house. Kamal is also an Inhuman, and when exposed to Terrigen gas, gains incredible shape-shifting powers and a healing factor that protects her damage, but also takes a massive toll on her endurance. Taking up the mantle of Ms. Marvel, she is torn between school, family, friends, and what she feels in her duty to snuff out evil and villainy wherever it is festering in her hometown. I don’t want to spoil anything by going into detail but there are several crossovers involving Kamala in many other Marvel works and many heroes come into her world to offer assistance.
I’m four volumes in and can’t wait to get my hands on more. If you’re looking for something new, diverse, and intense, Ms. Marvel is worth a read.
