Ms. Marvel #8
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Artist: Adrian Alphona
Cover: Jamie McKelvie & Matthew Wilson
Everyone’s favorite teleporting canine is now tagging along with the newest hero in the Marvel Universe, and things just couldn’t be better! After Kamala’s last adventure, she’s not giving up on finding the kids that were taken by The Inventor. So she follows up on a lead from the girl she and Wolverine rescued, and with Lockjaw’s help she finds herself at a secret location and facing down a pretty large guard.
There is too much to like about this issue as it is with the entire series. Things are moving a bit faster since we’re stepping away from the origin, and we get to see Kamala’s character flourish. She’s adjusting to her new situation, and Wilson is having her experience the learning curve of becoming a hero in a very organic way. Though she pretty much sums it up in the first couple of pages of the issue where Kamala first sees Lockjaw.
It was also good to see Alphona handling artistic duties on the title. It’s just a crazy, fun style that fits the narrative like a glove. The opening pages where we get to see the world through Lockjaw’s perspective are one of the best sequences here. Then as we shift to the over the shoulder shot of Kamala pleading with her parents to let her keep him, Alphona nails the pleading teen look perfectly. Alphona always gives an issue that plays with perspective in some way, and just lets you have fun with the art as much as you do with Wilson’s story. Things do get a little wild during the surprise attack, but overall it still looks fantastic.
What’s really cool about Kamala is that she’s not some troubled teen on the run. Nor is she being pursued by S.H.I.E.L.D., Avengers, or even the Inhumans, but being allowed to just evolve on her own. An interaction with the larger superhero community here and there is fine, but allowing us to get to know Kamala is even better. And since we’re still pretty early in the series, this issue is actually a pretty nice jumping on point. You get a nice recap in the beginning, and Wilson touches on Kamala’s abilities throughout the story, so there’s no confusion. Making this yet another solid issue in the new series.
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