MS. MARVEL VOL. 1: NO NORMAL, originally released back in October of 2014 is a volume that swept through the community. It impressed old Marvel fans, and brought onboard countless new ones along the way. From that moment onward, Kamala Kahn had a place in our hearts.
Ms. Marvel, aka Kamala Khan is a character that got a lot of ink, even before her first issue hit the stands. For the most part, the talk about her was overwhelmingly positive, and with good reason. Kamala brought with her many changes, as well as several elements worth new fans latching onto.
Kamala Khan, a girl from Jersey City turned hero. Before she was one of us. A massive fan of superheroes, a fan fiction writer, and a gamer. But that was before the terrigen mist got into her, revealing the truth. She was an Inhuman. The mist brought about a transformation, and with it came new powers for this new dynamic hero.
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Many fans have confessed for some confusion surrounding her name. She is Ms. Marvel, but she is not the first. As mentioned above, she was (and still is) a massive fan of superheroes. One of her idols was the one and only Carol Danvers, who had previously been known as Ms. Marvel. Kamala picked up the mantle when she became a hero since Carol was no longer using it (as she had moved on to Captain Marvel).
Ms. Marvel Vol. 1 had a strong creative team working to bring the series to life. G. Willow Wilson took the forefront of the writing, while Adrian Alphona, Sara Pichelli, Jamie McKelvie, and Ian Herring all lent a hand to create the visuals.
Story
Ms. Marvel Vol. 1: No Normal is a groundbreaking volume. Here we’re introduced to an all-new heroine, with a completely different history and background than we’ve ever been allowed to see within the comic book world. It made a huge impact, especially for those readers desperate to see a reflection of themselves within the comics they love so much.
Kamala’s introduction is a fast-paced one, all while being unafraid to delve into the personal elements that make Kamala feel more real and human than ever. Her love of her family, her devotion, brought about extra complications. That may not sound like much, but remember she also has the whole problem of being a teenager hiding her superhero identity from the world, and all of the extra little issues that would naturally come with that.
The whole first plot arc involves Kamala trying to learn how to work with her powers. More importantly, it’s a process of how she learned to be a hero, as well as coming into her own. Over the course of a few adventures (and attempts to save the day) Kamala quickly learned that she couldn’t copy what everyone before her had done. Instead, she needed to create her own path in life. This is something that resonated with many fans, and certainly increased the impact of her tale.
Ms. Marvel’s series has continued to be groundbreaking, not just in this volume, but later ones as well. This is a series that has consistently been unafraid to comment on current events, from politics to disasters, and everything in between. It’s no wonder this series sticks in our minds (and hearts) so firmly.
Artwork
Ms. Marvel Vol. 1 had so much going for it, not least of which being the artwork. The creative team behind her series has worked diligently to bring us a charismatic character, one who could believably fit in the real world.
Her series is full of little details and touches to remind us of the world and life that she comes from. Everything from the way she designed her costume (with the fan references included), to the food she craves. All of those details are included within, and it brings her character to life. Just look above to get a sense of how vibrant her series is. This is a series that does not shy away from showing the culture of Kamala’s life. Be it from her heritage, or from the city she lives in.
Her series, as a whole, tends to go for such dramatic and iconic issue and volume covers. It’s something that has helped her to stand out (more than she would on her own, that is). It also consistently gives fans an excuse to get excited all over again, something we’re sure they appreciate.
Kamala’s powers are portrayed in such clever ways in this volume in particular. Perhaps they are so noticeable because she is still learning, but one this is clear: the creative team did a fantastic job of portraying that struggle.
Conclusion
Ms. Marvel Vol. 1 was the start of something new and beautiful. Kamala’s character came bursting from the pages, and she is here to stay. Her character is so refreshingly unique and human, all while being unafraid to address what she is passionate about. There is something so beautiful in that, so it’s really no surprise that fans have come to love her so much.
This article has focused on the first volume, but there are plenty more adventures of Kamala’s worth following. She also makes an appearance in the Champions (as a leader, for a time) and several other iconic Marvel series. So it is clear that she’s making just as big of an impact on the Marvel universe as on the fans.
