Skip to main content

Matt vs. Ms. Marvel




Besides Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvel's other great success in 2014 was the launch of  the new Ms. Marvel comic series. Ms. Marvel, the newest incarnation of the titular hero stars Pakistani-American Kamala Khan. Kamala Khan is a Muslim high-schooler from Jersey City who gains superpowers upon encountering a mysterious gas. While I am weary of Marvel's other attempts at 'diversity', Ms. Marvel is an interesting series in both tone and art style. In a medium often accused of one-dimensional characterization, and gender objectification, Ms. Marvel oozes personality, and creates a world which feels far more real than the rather cardboard Gotham City. The comic art is drawn in a way that gives the comic a somewhat grungy feel that one can reach out and touch it. The cartoonish style matches a hero who's primary power is shape shifting.   The series has also been a critical and financial success for Marvel and Kamala Khan proves to be a worthy entry into Marvel's pantheon.



The first few issues set up the world well, introducing of to Kamala's family, friends, and culture. The issues touch on race, religion, and culture but includes them in both a tasteful manner and in a way that reinforces the overall narrative. Kamala has to balance school, family, and her late-night extracurriculars all while learning to control her new powers. So far the comic series has been allowed to exist in its own bubble, Marvel's other heroes exist but are generally off-screen. However given the company's love of crossovers, I feel that this is short lived. The most recent stories featuring Wolverine is a clear example of this I am often torn when entertainment media adds new characters to increase diversity because often it is done in a way to fill some non-existent quota or as a gimmick.How ever the writers of Ms. Marvel actually creates decent characters who are defined by the personalities and actions rather than their minority status. I fully recommend this comic series to anyone looking for a break from the grim-dark that Marvel and DC publish on a near constant basis.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Matt and the Joker's Five Way Revenge

    Last year saw the passing of acclaimed comic book writer Denny O'Neill. O'Neill had a long history with many DC Comics superheroes as a writer and editor and is best known for revitalizing the character of Batman among others starting in the 1970s. I decided to pick up a copy of one of the more famous Batman issues of this era, Joker's Five Way Revenge which was written by O'Neill and drawn by Neal Adams. The story featured in Batman # 251, was released in November, 1973. While I am gaining a better appreciation for 1990s comics, I largely avoided avidly reading 1970s issues due to their seemingly dated nature and tropes. After reading this issue, I had some thoughts on both how the character and mythos of Batman has evolved over time and a greater appreciation for a more grounded Dark Knight. In Joker's Five Way Revenge, the Joker is seeking revenge for a presumed betrayal by killing members of his former gang and Batman is striving to stop him. By the time t...

Matt Versus 1917

Between the time the guns of August roared in 1914 until the signing of the Armistice in November, 1918, nations rose, empires fell, millions died, & the course of the 20 th Century was forever altered. World War I or the Great War is often called the forgotten war as it gets overshadowed by the subsequent World War II in American history and in popular culture. However the Academy Award nominated film ‘1917’ seeks to remind us all of this terrible conflict. While retellings of World War I can get entangled in the tales of kings, emperors, & statesmen, war must always be remembered as the story of ordinary soldiers. ‘1917’ focuses on two ordinary British soldiers who are tasked with a straightforward but crucial mission in the Western Front in northern France but through short conversations these two soldiers reveal quite intriguing conflicting on the so-called ‘War to End all Wars’ and war in general. In ‘1917’ William Schofield and Tom Blake are two soldiers and fri...

Matt vs Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F

For millennials of a certain age Dragon Ball Z was a significant part of our lates 90s and early 2000s experience.The franchise was everywhere from the anime show to video games to the monsoon of related merchandise. Goku and friends return in the sequel to 2013's Battle of Gods film. The Z warriors must contend with the return of Frieza, one of their deadliest ones in  Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F. The anime film had a limited edition run in select theaters in North America and I knew I had to go out of my way to give it a look. Let me start by saying I have loved Dragon Ball Z for years have several volumes of its manga, making a critical review quite difficult. I watched the film in a packed theater on the last night of its limited run with with a big smile on my face. The environment could not be beat with ages ranging from kids to 20-somethings like myself. The movie starts with Frieza's former minions using the wish-granting DragonBalls to bring their master back ...