Ms. Marvel #19
Previously in Ms. Marvel #18
Put aside the superpowers and villains, and Kamala Khan’s Ms. Marvel is a wonderful coming-of-age tale. The superpowers and villains are just bonuses.
When we last saw Kamala she was reeling from the discovery that her mother has known she’s Ms. Marvel for months. This makes a lot of sense because teenagers are never as slick as they think they are. To her credit, Ammi isn’t mad. She’s proud that her daughter has been helping others.
Most of this final issue (pre-Secret Wars) was about making amends and tying up loose ends. As such, we witness a shocking apology from Zoe, Kamala’s very own mean girl. It’s a bit trope-y that the former bully was fueled by jealously, but since that is typically why teenagers bully, I was fine with it.
Kamala also has a long overdue sit-down with Nakia. Though she doesn’t tell her best friend what’s really been going on with her, Kamala does acknowledge she’s been a pretty crappy friend. I was grateful for this because I had honestly forgotten this girl existed.
Saving the best for last, Kamala skips out of the end-of-the-world dance party kicking off in the gymnasium to spend some time with Bruno on the roof. While the world fades away, they finally admit their feelings for one another, though Kamala isn’t sure she’ll have anything left of herself to offer as she’s devoted to being the best Ms. Marvel she can be.
Also, the world is ending.
It has been such an amazing journey to witness Kamala come into her own as a superhero and a young woman. She never veered from who she was inside, who her parents raised her to be.
Kamala took on the responsibility of using her powers for good, always putting others first - sometimes to the detriment of her own personal relationships (Bruno, Nakia, etc.). She’s one of the most realistic fictional characters I’ve ever encountered because she was often times a beautiful contradiction: vulnerable, brave, fangirl, badass. Human.
Or Inhuman.
I cannot wait to see what Wilson has in store for Kamala after Secret Wars.
And who do I have to harass to get Kamala on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and then her own Netflix series?
Ms. Marvel #19
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Plot - 9.5/109.5/10
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Dialogue - 9/109/10
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Art - 9/109/10
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Back Matter (Letters, additional materials, etc.) - 8/108/10
Summary
A sweet conclusion to this part of Kamala’s story. Loved seeing the neighborhood band together, everyone being the best they can be in the face of the end of the world. I need to acknowledge how awesome the facial expressions are in this series. I’ve had some issues with other books where the facial expressions (usually ones showing shock or anger) were laughably bad. Alphona captured every emotion wonderfully, especially Kamala’s. That girl can pout like no one’s business and I love it.
