Well, I’ll be damned if the magnificent Ms. Marvel hasn’t been in the global public spotlight the last few weeks!
And well she should – but don’t get her confused with the $160 million (as of last Sunday) box office opening of the Captain Marvel film. That character is this Ms. Marvel’s originating namesake.
You see, Carol Danvers, the current Captain Marvel whom everyone adores, was Ms. Marvel once upon a time. Back in the late 1970’s Marvel Comics published the monthly Ms. Marvel series which ran for two years. But that character would gain immense popularity over the last few decades – so much so that Carol Danvers would go on to effectively command the infamous Avengers, under the name Captain Marvel.
The Magnificent Ms. Marvel, the Ms. Marvel of our focus today, owes a large debt to the success of the Carol Danvers version of Captain Marvel…and the changing times we live in.
The Magnificent Ms. Marvel #1
Written By: Saladin Ahmed
Illustrated By: Minkyu Jung
Published By: Marvel Comics
Teenager Kamala Khan and her shape-shifting abilities, the new Ms. Marvel, first appeared (as a cameo) in 2013 within issue #14 of the monthly Captain Marvel comic book series. She made her first real appearance as a superhero in issue #17 of the same comic book title.
Opportunity and popularity saw her spin out into her own well-regarded series, affectionately titled Ms. Marvel – a nod to the late 1970’s publication. She was the first Muslim character to headline her own Marvel Comics series. Can you believe it took this long? Those first appearance books now command a queenly sum in the comic book collecting after-market, not to mention the first issue of Kamala Khan’s own Ms. Marvel series.
Aided by a well-written and finely drawn monthly series, she was a cultural hit straight away – and the character has since appeared in books, television cartoons, video games…and, if all goes well, her own cinematic film told smack dab in the middle of the ferociously successful Marvel Cinematic Universe! Really, it’s only a matter of time!
But this Magnificent Ms. Marvel #1 is a brand new series featuring Kamala!
Written by Eisner Award winner, Saladin Ahmed (Black Bolt, Exiles) and kinetically illustrated by Minkyu Jung (Batgirl, Nightwing), Kamala is not only busy super-heroing against aliens in Jersey City, she’s also busy growing up. This is a coming-of-age story, after all. And it’s one intended for audience of all ages – but specifically for younger tween readers who can see both themselves, and their lives, in Kamala’s exploits. There’s nothing better than that!
Make the Wednesday run to your local comic book shop today and pick up Magnificent Ms. Marvel #1…either for yourself or for your tween!
The series is the reason why we all got into reading comics in the first place!
