It’s not often I’m reading a superhero comic and think, why don’t they just call the cops, but really… they should have just called the cops.

There’s a kidnapped teenager and house full of deadly robots. You can call the cops on that one. They may just call the Avengers, but you can call the cops. Instead there’s a montage where Kamala trains to save the kidnapped teen. Wilson doesn’t specify how long it takes, but it seems like at least two or three days.

During those two or three days, she’s grounded, which Wilson never talks about once quickly establishing it and the kid could be killed too.

It’s lazy plotting. Wilson’s going for cool sequences instead of a solid plot. And the ending, featuring the reveal of the villain, is an awkward one. Either the villain’s goofy or just looks dumb.

Still, it’s fine–Kamala’s a great protagonist.

B 

CREDITS

Urban Legend; writer, G. Willow Wilson; artist, Adrian Alphona; colorist, Ian Henning; letterer, Joe Caramagna; editors, Devin Lewis and Sana Amanat; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Well, this issue definitely delineates Wilson’s strengths when it comes to writing scenes. The opening where Kamala reveals her secret identity to Bruno is a fantastic, long scene. Wilson gets to do all the “I’m a superhero now” exposition and brainstorming about a costume amidst a sincere scene between two friends.

Then there’s a comic ending to the whole thing when the cops show up.

And the scenes with Kamala’s mom are good, even though it ends way too quick because Wilson has to move things along to the big action scene. The big action scene is where there are problems.

Ms. Marvel fights little evil robots in a crappy beach house while trying to save a high school classmate. Why are their evil robots? Who cares, it’s a terrible idea. Wilson’s clearly having a problem finding her awesome protagonist superhero adventures.

There’s a disconnect and the heroics feel forced.

B 

CREDITS

Past Curfew; writer, G. Willow Wilson; artist, Adrian Alphona; colorist, Ian Henning; letterer, Joe Caramagna; editors, Devin Lewis and Sana Amanat; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Wilson does some really cool stuff this issue–having Kamala not just deal with the possibilities of her superpowers, but also what the ability to shape shift means for her identity–but she also gets way too after school special melodramatic. She’s mixing too many subplots together.

And she goes for a really cheap hard cliffhanger. It’s an effective one, sure, but in a cheap way, especially given all the complicated connotations of it given the overdone subplot combination.

Alphona’s art is particularly good this issue, something I don’t want to forget to mention either. The superhero stuff almost feels like a dream. Ms. Marvel is definitely not the standard Marvel comic.

What Wilson does best, at least for this issue, is give her plot gravitas while focusing on Kamala. One really sees the story from her perspective, even when there are diversions with other cast.

It’s just too complicated.

B 

CREDITS

Side Entrance; writer, G. Willow Wilson; artist, Adrian Alphona; colorist, Ian Henning; letterer, Joe Caramagna; editors, Devin Lewis and Sana Amanat; publisher, Marvel Comics.

I remember worrying about whether or not Wilson would be able to maintain the first issue’s level of quality as Ms. Marvel went on. Apparently I didn’t need to concern myself, because not only is the second issue just as good, Wilson starts to show her hand.

First up, the superhero alter ego is going to be more important to the protagonist than to anyone else. I can’t imagine how Wilson will deal with a crossover. Second, the family and friends aspect is going to continue to be where Wilson gets the majority of the drama. In some ways, it’s not a very Marvel comic, but in others… it’s very much one.

There’s some excellent art from Alphona too. The setting has to be mysterious, familiar and contained all at once. Then the second half is (good) family comedy. Alphona handles both styles equally well.

Wilson and Alphona have Marvel covered.

A 

CREDITS

All Mankind; writer, G. Willow Wilson; artist, Adrian Alphona; colorist, Ian Henning; letterer, Joe Caramagna; editors, Devin Lewis and Sana Amanat; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Finally. And it’s a Marvel book–insert Jeanette Kahn doesn’t work here anymore jokes about DC here. But someone finally did a superhero book aimed at teenage girls without being exploitative or objectifying the protagonist.

I wonder if Jeph Loeb read it and thought, “But she really needed to kiss that other girl!”

Sadly, it’s way too soon to say if Captain Marvel is going to be good. It’s not going to be full of crap, not with G. Willow Wilson writing it, but Wilson’s basically writing a funny drama here. The family stuff is awesome, for example. The teenager stuff is decent; really strong in passive scenes, somewhat tipsy in active ones.

Very nice art from Adrian Alphona too–it’s simultaneously wistful and humorous. Still, there’s no danger in it, which might get to be a problem.

Wilson’s apparently going to be very ambitious. I hope it works out.

A- 

CREDITS

Meta Morphosis; writer, G. Willow Wilson; artist, Adrian Alphona; colorist, Ian Henning; letterer, Joe Caramagna; editors, Devin Lewis and Sana Amanat; publisher, Marvel Comics.