At this point, the staff here has basically adopted Kamala Khan. It took almost NO time for this book to become a favorite among the Black Nerd Problems crew and why not? This is easily one of the best ideas Marvel has had in a long while. G. Willow Wilson has definitely hit a hell of a home run in her introduction of an all new successor to the Ms. Marvel mantle. I often talk about the differences in the Big Two’s characters of color. Where Future’s End and it’s handling of Mister Terrific is a poster child for the overt shenanigans in DC’s People of Color department, Kamala Khan is a monthly master class in doing it right.
This month’s installment starts off moments after the last issue where Kamala’s second impromptu call to action ended with a bang. No, seriously…it ended with someone getting shot. In a fictional universe of gods, sorcerers and super soldiers, it makes for a decent shock when a gunshot can still result in shit getting real. Even in situations when things turn serious quickly, Wilson still handles the resolution in a lighthearted manner that’s almost reminiscent of the sort of antics we’d see on Adventure Time. The past few issues were mainly dedicated to Kamala exploring her newfound powers, but this one gets the wheels moving toward giving our hero her first villain. The thing that makes for interesting comic fare, however is how her powers relate to her self esteem. Essentially, she can’t even visualize herself, a dark skinned girl just growing into her body, in the same role as the blond-haired/blue eyed/perfect bodied hero she idolized. It’s been dealt with in sort of a roundabout way in the issue before, but it’s spelled out and resolved in highly entertaining fashion this time around. Marvel addressing their own usual depictions of female superheroes in such a heartwarming yet self-effacing manner makes for a great read. Adrian Alphona’s pencils show off Kamala’s powers perfectly, maintaining the colorful, whimsical tone Wilson’s script sets up. The standout moment comes when the police arrive to find a (semi) victorious Ms. Marvel….but not in the way the expect. I’m not saying anymore than that because it’s worth you picking up for that laugh alone.
Bottom Line: Shapeshifting, triumphant brown girls, realistic depictions and body issues? Ms. Marvel is a marriage to Miles Morales Spider-Man away from becoming the new poster child for this website. 9.5 out of 10
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