Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Ms. Marvel. 1, No Normal

Ms. Marvel. 1, No Normal
By Willow G. Wilson
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., 2014. 120 pgs. Graphic Novel

Kamala is a teen living in Jersey City who dreams of being an Avenger and escaping the sometimes stifling atmosphere of her close Pakistani family. But when she finally gets her wish, she struggles with her identity - trying to discover if this is what she really wants after all, and if she will give up too much of herself to go after her dreams.

This is a great teen graphic novel and I can easily recommend it to fans of superhero comics and The Avengers. The main character is a Pakistani and a Muslim, and her culture and identity are strong themes in the novel. She desires to both surpass and still be a part of her culture and her family, and she struggles with how to do this in an authentic way. Kamala's parents also play a strong role both as supporters and sometimes antagonists (sound familiar, teens and parents?). I also appreciated how Kamala is portrayed as a realistic teen - she makes mistakes but ultimately wants to do good and tries her best.

BHG

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