Hear me out!
A few years ago my friend took me to a comic shop. I'd never been, and she wanted to pick up some more Manga. I'd always been curious, since like many people my age, I had grown up with Batman movies and animated series. I thought to myself, "Why not get into the comics? No better time than right now!"
So off we went, to The Silver Snail in downtown Toronto. I was quickly overwhelmed, but the manager made me feel right at home and knew exactly how to get me hooked. I became a Batman fangirl. I weathered the New 52, falling for Animal Man and Wonder Woman and Nightwing and Birds of Prey and...
But my forays into Marvel were always limited. Sure, I got their Alpha Flight miniseries because, hey! Canada! And I did read Alias on a recommendation and I loved it.
After the more recent snafus from DC (plus that one time they insulted me personally) I started branching out, slowly, into what Marvel had to offer. It can be really tough to break into comics, especially series that have been around forever. But let me tell you, I am liking what I am seeing!
So, Ms Marvel #1. Virtual ink has been spilled all over the place about this comic. Yes, she's a teenager. Yes, she's a Muslim teenager. Yes, she adores The Avengers. Yes, she gets powers.
This comic gets it. The book manages to encapsulate the angst of teenagers without becoming angsty itself. That is a hard thing to do.
And the main character, Kamala, is completely believable, sympathetic, and layered. She struggles with she wants for herself, what her parents want of her, what her friends want of her. She wants to branch away from some traditions, yet still have her parents be proud of her. Teenagers testing boundaries yet still longing for the approval of their parents is a tale as old as time, and Marvel gets it.
The old adage of "be careful what you wish for" is certainly coming through here.
The art? Soft. Lovely. Yet, perfectly conveying the "UGH"-ness of a frustrated teenager.
I can't wait to read more!
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