Ms. Marvel (2015) #26/#27

Previously in Ms. Marvel #25

We’re now several issues into this arc that is completely free of Kamala Khan and Ms. Marvel is doing just fine. Jersey City? Not so much.

There’s no better example of how well the supporting characters have been fleshed out than former mean girl, Zoe. She’s grown into a generous, valuable member of Kamala’s inner circle. After coming out, Zoe emerged as a confidant young woman who provided many of the series best laughs. When we first met her in issue #1, no one could have guessed she’d become so well loved and carry an entire issue on her own.

Issue #26 saw Zoe taking her turn to patrol the streets as the fill-in Ms. Marvel. She runs into Red Dagger, and later trouble, when they escort an elderly man, Harold, back to the nursing home. They’re chased by a giant, mechanically engineered lizard, which leads Zoe to believe they’re once again dealing with The Inventor. Since he’s supposed to be dead, the rest of Team Ms. Marvel doubt that’s the case and Zoe sets off on her own to find proof.

She and Harold discover his missing elderly friends are, in fact, being held by The Inventor, but are quickly taken captive as well. This leaves the rescue up to Red Dagger, and Mike, Nakia, and Gabe; each decked out in their superhero gear. But not before Zoe calls out The Inventor for his mess. Once again, he’s targeted a demographic he deems unimportant to the rest of society. Who will miss the old folks? Sadly, he was right. No one bothered to listen to Harold’s complaints; even Zoe dismissed him at first. But who is he to decide who’s indispensable? Even though Harold’s generation has thrown her generation under the bus, that doesn’t mean Zoe’s going to let The Inventor use them to power his experiments.

Each of Ms. Marvel’s stand-ins prove their worth in the ensuing fight, proving that it’s not just superpowers that make a hero. Still, The Inventor’s giant turtle robots escape into the city. This leaves the team with just one option: they use Ms. Marvel’s locator pendant and end up with a bit more marvel than they expected. Elsewhere, Naftali gathers leads on Kamala’s whereabouts so our heroine should return soon.

I can’t end this review without calling out how Nico Leon’s art creates some of the funniest, laugh-out-loud moments I’ve ever seen in a book. Whether it’s a facial expression or perfectly placed peace sign, each issue provides a nice chuckle.