Ms. Marvel, Volume 2: Generation Why
Author: G. Willow WilsonArtists: Adrian Alphona and Jacob Wyatt
Series: Ms. Marvel (Marvel NOW!), #6-11
Published: 7 April 2015 by Marvel
Genres: Young Adult, Superheroes, Comic
Format: Trade Paperback
Source: Purchased
Links: Goodreads
Synopsis:
Who is the Inventor, and what does he want with the all-new Ms. Marvel and all her friends? Maybe Wolverine can help! Kamala may be fan-girling out when her favorite (okay maybe Top Five) super hero shows up, but that won't stop her from protecting her hometown. Then, Kamala crosses paths with Inhumanity for the first time--by meeting the royal dog, Lockjaw! Every girl wants a puppy, but this one may be too much of a handful, even for a super hero with embiggening powers. But why is Lockjaw really with Kamala? As Ms. Marvel discovers more about her past, the Inventor continues to threaten her future. The fan-favorite, critically acclaimed, amazing new series continues as Kamala Khan proves why she's the best (and most adorable) new super hero there is!
Rating:
Review and Discussion:
I am confused by the direction of this comic series. When I first picked it up, I was expecting superheroes, but I had hoped the focus would be on Kamala's identity and a mixture of her reality and being Ms. Marvel. Instead, the focus is 95% on superheroes, and I think it has allowed me to confirm that superheroes aren't really my scene. I can appreciate them and what they stand for, sure, but it's all a bit too cheesy for my liking.
What I do love about this series is its contemporary flair. The pop culture references, the internet culture, and the struggles of the 21st century teenager are all expressed beautifully. These elements are wonderfully intwined with the story, and add a lovely touch of humour and 'humanness' to the superhero plot. But this is where my positive comments have to end.
I am not a fan of the art style, but I suppose that is down to personal taste. I just find the art styles — two, in the case of this volume — to be very unclear and difficult to read. This was especially difficult in action scenes, where it was sometimes hard to follow the frames because they were in a strange order, or the artwork was blended or unclear as to what was happening. This was frustrating, and it meant that I ended up skimming many of the scenes.
The writing, too, lacked the punch of the previous volume. I felt like Kamala was much more juvenile in this volume, a complete change from the strong young woman in volume one. She seemed like a totally different character, and that was disappointing. I feel that Wilson had to take away much of her personality for the sole purpose of having the story follow a cliche superhero trope. The plot was predictable and simple, and altogether disappointing.
This second volume was definitely not as good as the first. It was enjoyable, but simplistic and weak at many times. The focus shift was disappointing, and I would like to see the story focus more on Kamala's life as Kamala, and not simply as Ms. Marvel. There seems to be potential for this in the next volume with the events that happened to her best friend, and I hope that the third volume can convince me to continue on with the series. The next volume will be my test to see if I can love the series, and if not, I will be disappointed but not surprised. There was so much potential with the first volume, but everything just fell flat in this one.
What I do love about this series is its contemporary flair. The pop culture references, the internet culture, and the struggles of the 21st century teenager are all expressed beautifully. These elements are wonderfully intwined with the story, and add a lovely touch of humour and 'humanness' to the superhero plot. But this is where my positive comments have to end.
I am not a fan of the art style, but I suppose that is down to personal taste. I just find the art styles — two, in the case of this volume — to be very unclear and difficult to read. This was especially difficult in action scenes, where it was sometimes hard to follow the frames because they were in a strange order, or the artwork was blended or unclear as to what was happening. This was frustrating, and it meant that I ended up skimming many of the scenes.
The writing, too, lacked the punch of the previous volume. I felt like Kamala was much more juvenile in this volume, a complete change from the strong young woman in volume one. She seemed like a totally different character, and that was disappointing. I feel that Wilson had to take away much of her personality for the sole purpose of having the story follow a cliche superhero trope. The plot was predictable and simple, and altogether disappointing.
This second volume was definitely not as good as the first. It was enjoyable, but simplistic and weak at many times. The focus shift was disappointing, and I would like to see the story focus more on Kamala's life as Kamala, and not simply as Ms. Marvel. There seems to be potential for this in the next volume with the events that happened to her best friend, and I hope that the third volume can convince me to continue on with the series. The next volume will be my test to see if I can love the series, and if not, I will be disappointed but not surprised. There was so much potential with the first volume, but everything just fell flat in this one.
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