Review: MS. MARVEL #2

MS. MARVEL #2
Written by G. Willow Wilson
Art by Adrian Alphona
Published by Marvel Comics
Release Date: March 19, 2014

MSMARV2014002_DC11_LRjpg_Page1Ms. Marvel continues to parse out the origin story of Kamala Khan with the second installment, which is even better than the first. G. Willow Wilson shows us exactly why Kamala is the type of person you hope gets powers. If you have functioning eyes and a heart, plus a love of the superhero as a vehicle for exploring notions of personal identity, this is the story for you.

Kamala, a teenage girl, has woken up with superpowers and doesn’t know how they work. This is a necessary step in the introduction to any new hero, and in many cases this step determines whether or not I like a character. How do they handle it? Is there a period of adjustment, or are they a natural? It’s well trod material in superteen stories, but there are always new ways to do it. Every moment of trial and error reveals something more about Kamala and the way she thinks and feels. Most importantly, Wilson gives Kamala a defining moment. In the midst of a struggle with her identity – her outward appearance, her self-doubt, her place in her family – Kamala faces a life or death crisis. Immediately, she shuts down the other stuff, and goes to work. She still doesn’t know how to use her powers, but given a situation where she can try to help and save a life, or do nothing and definitely lose that life, she knuckles under and rushes in.

This is what I like from my superheroes. I don’t admire a character who gets powers and then acts like a total asshat until something happens that makes them realize they should use their powers for good. Some argue that’s more “realistic”, but I argue that I read superhero comics specifically to read about amazing people doing amazing things. This particular issue shows us that an ordinary girl can be extraordinary, when put in extraordinary circumstances. You can have a teenager with family drama and personal angst and a desire to just fit in and find herself…who doesn’t hesitate when thrown into a crisis. Kamala’s moral center is set, as far as superheroing goes. She’s the kind of person you want to get powers – someone who will do whatever they can to help. Kamala’s journey outside of that – fitting this new piece of her into her already chaotic life – is still evolving.

Adrian Alphona and Ian Herring do a beautiful job building an ordinary world for our ordinary protagonist, and then turning it on its head when the weird stuff starts. The book visually reminds me of a children’s storybook, with a very light and airy quality. There’s a lot of subtle things happening on faces, a lot of body language, and a lot of fun details hidden in the backgrounds. It’s all very mellow and subtle, and further gets the point across that this isn’t a traditional punch/fight/scowl superhero comic. The whole thing is framed beautifully by Joe Caramanga’s lettering (as is the case with every book he’s on – like the Dude’s rug, excellent lettering really ties the room together).

Wilson’s depiction of a young woman learning her own heart and mind is as authentic as anything I ever experienced growing up. Kamala’s story is personal, it feels personal, and she feels real. The only drawback to this book is that I’m starting to itch for more action, and the decompressed introduction to Kamala necessitates a bit of a slower burn. I understand that, and it’s definitely the right way to tell the story, but MAN I want to see her punch Doctor Doom with her giant fist at some point. In the meantime I’ll settle for the sweet story of a slightly weird girl from Jersey with loving but neurotic parents and an annoying brother and homework.

The Verdict: 9.5/10

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