I picked up Ms. Marvel #1 not having read any of the pre-release hype but more because of its writer G Willow Wilson whose Cairo, the original graphic novel from Vertigo, is such a lovely read. I guess it was good that way as I picked it up with no knowledge whatsoever with the only expectation that Wilson would have hit another home run.
And she does along with artist Adrian Alphona and colorist Ian Herring.
So the newest Marvel superhero is a 16-year old Muslim girl -- Kamala Khan -- from Jersey City who is sorely tempted to eat infidel food and draws the Avengers in her free time. She's curious. Inquisitive. And like a breath of fresh air. Her problems are far different from when Peter Parker was a teen-ager.
Wilson's writing effortlessly flows in a large part because of Alphona's dazzling and intricate art with delightful colors by Herring. It's a delight to read through each panel while going through the intricate artwork and all the facial expressions. There's humor which is good as Wilson works through busting racial stereotypes. There are here friends and her family and you just really want to get to know them more.
The ending is the kicker right there -- what happened? Did the Inhumans' Terrigen Mists descend upon Kamala? It sure looked like it.
If I spend more than 20 minutes on a comic book that means not only am I engrossed but I am savoring each panel as if it were a morsel of food by one of the world's best chefs. And in the case of Ms. Marvel #1 featuring Kamala Khan, the flavors come out leaving you wanting more.
The sleeper hit in the vein of Fraction's Hawkeye, Waid's Daredevil, and Aaron's Thor is right here. Now who needs all these Forever Evil types for good old comic book storytelling?
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