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.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Matt V.S. Sonic the Hedgehog

Growing up, I've had several video game systems including the Gameboy, NES, and Nintendo 64. However I would be remiss if I did not mention the Sega Genesis. The year was 199X (specific year I can't recall) and my brother and I made the jump from 8 bit to 16 bit. At the time this blew our minds. We played games such as Road Rash, Mortal Kombat, and several excellent licensed games based on Batman, Disney, ect. However I can clearly say that one of my favorite titles was Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Compared to the more primitive 8 bit era and its immediate predecessor Sonic 2  possessed certain qualities which made it not only the most successful game on the console but one of my favorite of all time. Sonic 2 was bigger, faster, and better designed than Sonic 1. From Emerald Hill and Chemical Plant to Oil Ocean and Sky Fortress, the game had amazing variety and design and also giving Sonic his trademark SpinDash. (This excludes the death pit in the Mystic Cave level). Giving the abi...
2 comments
Read more

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

Matt Vs. War for the Planet of the Apes

Hail Caesar The Planet of the Apes remake trilogy has been the most underrated film series of the past decade and it reaches its poignant conclusion in War for the Planet of the Apes. A lab created simian flu has wiped out most of humanity and given rise to a race of super intelligent apes. In what remains of the United States, Caesar the original super-intelligent ape, leads a colony of apes that are trying to escape guerrilla warfare orchestrated by a cra z ed colonel and his soldiers. War is part revenge story, and part prison escape, wrapped in the Moses Exodus story. War for the Planet of the Apes is an impactful film that humanizes apes and dehumanizes man in more ways that one and I heartily recommend it. I picked seeing this film over Spider-Man: Homecoming as I was growing tired of superhero films and felt that I needed to see something meatier. Having enjoyed both Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes , seeing...
Post a Comment
Read more