Ms. Marvel was exactly what I needed – a spunky protagonist, diversity, and a walk in the comic universe.
Summary
Kamala immerses herself in comics and all things related to superheroes – until one day she becomes one. Now she gets a real taste for the action and struggles. It turns out the costumes tight elasticity don’t leave much room for underwear. But that’s one of her smallest problems, as she finds herself lying to her parents, saving her best friend, and facing an enemy she has yet to fully understand.
Review
Let me start off with the glaringly obvious question – artistic style. This is one of the deal breakers for me. I’ve turned down a few comics because of their style just not really being my cup of tea. Comics are like immersive film boards to me. Part of their charm and power is in their ability to transport you to another word. A huge part of this is due to their visual appeal. Ms. Marvel is perfect for me. It is colorful, detailed, and has a gorgeous artistic layout to it.
Now let’s get to the center of this fantastic graphic novel. I loved the main character, Kamala. She is clever, funny, and also vulnerable. She struggles with many issues such as the struggle of fitting in that make her extremely relatable. Her struggle with her religion and parents is refreshing to see in a comic, especially a superhero one. I particularly love the nuance brought to it by having her best friend, Nakia, be a practicing Muslim, so that we can see the differences.
Overall
I just enjoyed this comic book so much. There were so many witty societal comments (like “Metube”) that I could not get enough of. What Kamala struggles with – that maybe is relatable to us – is the challenge of being a superhero. It’s not about the costumes or the fame, but the desire to save people, because it’s only that which will get you through the hard parts (and maybe that isn’t enough at the end of the day).
You can pick up Ms. Marvel from Amazon(US), find it at your local indie, or add it to Goodreads.
Discussion
What’s your favorite comic?
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