I didn’t want to spoil the big reveal at the end of Ms. Marvel #16, way back in June, but it’s on the cover now so what can I do? IT’S CAPTAIN MARVEL. Ms. Marvel’s hero and namesake, meeting Kamala Khan for the first time and I am SO EXCITED.
Kamala handles it pretty well, all things considered.
Captain Marvel explains about the planets in the sky. Apparently it’s what happens when realities are bumping up against each other, and Carol only came to tell Kamala that no one else is coming to Jersey City, Kamala will have to defend it on her own. But Carol agrees to stay and help rescue Kamala’s brother from Kamran, Kamala’s evil ex-crush.
Most of the issue is Carol and Kamala wandering around the city looking for Aamir, Kamala’s brother. Carol dispenses a lot of superhero advice, and it’s good advice — a step beyond what she’s learned from Wolverine and Lockjaw. It’s harder advice, and there are kittens involved. (I just hope the kittens come back, otherwise there may be crying involved. Those are the cutest kittens I’ve ever seen.)
Unfortunately, even though the advice is pretty okay, the dialogue is uninspiring. There’s no real personal connection between the two women, or if there is it’s one-sided. The final effect is just of a paint-by-numbers conversation, like Captain Marvel could’ve given the same advice to any young superhero. There’s too much of it at once, rather than an organic conversation growing from where Kamala is now as a superhero. Just bang-bang-bang, advice-advice-advice. I want more out of a team-up I’ve been anticipating for a year and a half!
We do get this gem of a panel though, after Carol compliments Kamala’s skill with her powers, and it really sums up the entirety of the Ms. Marvel series…
The team-up isn’t over, and there should be more plot development in the next issue. To be continued!
Sourcerer 
Reblogged this on Things Matter and commented:
It’s Ms. Marvel day!
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Does new Miss Marvel get better (or at least more compelling) villains than birdhead guy? I read volume 1 as part of the Hugo nom packet, and while I enjoyed it, I thought the reveal of the Inventor was something of a letdown. She struck me as a good character in need of a better rogue gallery.
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Getting into the end of volume 2 and especially in volume 3, she’s dealing with Inhuman terrorists and (even though I thought the Inventor was hilariously awesome) it’s a more compelling structure. At the same time, it was a different artist for a while and the consensus seems to be the plot and writing suffered during volume 3 as well. I blame that on scheduling irregularities and tie-ins throwing off the groove. Anyway, if you enjoyed volume 1 it’d be worth getting through volume 3 to see if you like the direction they’re heading!
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Kamala strikes me a lot as one of those pet characters who would easily be ruined by the hands of other creators/contributors. Being forced to exist as a component of the greater Marvel Universe will probably hurt her in the long run, but until that happens, might as well enjoy the ride.
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I agree. I worry about her ending up with another writer eventually… But hey, even the best superheroes have bad runs now and then. 🙂
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I really enjoyed the brief snippet of her in what we’ve seen of ALL-NEW, ALL-SOME-OTHER-ADJECTIVE AVENGERS.
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I’ve not read it yet!
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