Ms. Marvel Review

Wilson, G. W. Ms. Marvel: No Normal. Solisco Printers, Canada. 978-7851-9121

4Q 4P MJS

The new Ms. Marvel series tells the story of Kamala Khan, an average girl living in Jersey City. Coming from a Muslim family, with a brother she sees as being overly religious, especially in the years post 9-11, Kamala does her best to fit in with both her family (and what she believes to be their strict rules) and at school. A superhero fan, she frequently visits fan sites and writes her own fan fiction. After disobeying her parents to sneak out and drink with kids from school, Kamala gets caught up in a mysterious fog covering the city, during which she believes she is speaking with Captain Marvel and wishes to be her. When she comes to, her wish has been granted and she realizes, with some difficulty that she has turned into Ms. Marvel. A girl that believed she was too brown to fit in at school, but too modern to fit in at home, and now she's a superhero? How is she supposed to handle all of this? By becoming the best superhero she can be of course! Often jumping in head first without thinking her actions through Kamala, (or should I say Ms. Marvel) does her best to protect her city, her family, and her identity - only allowing her best friend Bruno (who secretly harbors a crush on her) to know the truth. Ms. Marvel is a fun comic series. Teens can relate to her struggle to fit in. Add some hero antics to the mix and you've got a winning combination. To find out all of the adventures Kamala gets into follow the Ms. Marvel series...

1: No Normal
2: Generation Why
3: Crushed
4: Last Days

Ms. Marvel - Thoughts

Ms. Marvel is where I started reading comics. I began working as a YA Librarian and had read graphic novels previously (Sandman, Watchmen) but I had never opened a comic (and by comic I'm loosely referring to one with Marvel or DC characters). Upon some prompting from my boyfriend I figured I should at least read something since a lot of the teens that come in take out the graphic novels more than the books. So I started with Ms. Marvel. And from it I kept going (gradually, as I have way too much to read already).

The previous librarian had only ordered volumes 1 and 2. So I finished that up by ordering 3 and 4. After accidentally leaving Volume 1: No Normal on a chair in the department when putting something else away, a 6th grade girl I had seen often but not spoken too grabbed it. And read the entire thing before she left. Taking volume 2 home with her. And then she came in looking for 3. And then 4 (which at the time I had at home and promised to read that night so she could have it the next day).

Now this girl comes in every time I work to ask what book I think she should read next, or to return the last one she took so I can read it. She's also begun to come to all the programs and situate herself in the core group of kids that are usually there. For one program she brought five friends with her. All because of Ms. Marvel.