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Ms. Marvel #1

Ms. Marvel #1

Jan 14

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MS. MARVEL #1

Capsule Review

I sampled a few issues of this newest Ms. Marvel when they hit digital about year ago, and thought it a very good book that I didn’t particularly like. After checking back in with this new re-launch, I’m a fan. Kamala Khan’s life has gotten more complicated since I saw her last — her powers are more evolved, she’s joined the Avengers (!), and it looks like it is harder than ever for her to juggle her school and personal life with her superhero duties. All of which makes for grounded and believable internal conflicts in the story of a teenage girl who changes her shape and pals around with Iron Man. The art in this issue is split between Takeshi Miyazawa and Adrian Alphona (the Dreaded Deadline Doom strikes already?), but both artists are excellent, and Ian Herring’s nuanced colors hold it all together. G. Willow Wilson’s script reflects a writer that has become very confident with her subject — about half the issue is devoted to two-thirds of a love triangle which deeply concerns our hero, but she doesn’t figure in those scenes at all, save by her absence. And the rest of the issue features Ms. Marvel fighting the twin forces of a giant frog and creeping gentrification — the kind of plot you’d expect from the late, great Steve Gerber! Wilson makes them both work in this throughly delightful book.

Approachability For New Readers

There’s plenty of backstory but it doesn’t get in the way of our tale.

Read #2?

You bet. And I expect I’ll go back and give Ms. Marvel’s first issues a second chance, too.

Sales Rank

#18 November

Read more about Ms. Marvel at Longbox Graveyard

Read more capsule reviews of Marvel’s All-New All-Different rolling reboot.

 

Ms. Marvel #1

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Silk #1

Silk #1

Jan 7

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SILK #1

Capsule Review

I gave the new Amazing Spider-Man poor marks because so much of what made Peter Parker into Peter Parker had gone missing. I think I found those missing elements — they’re at the core of Silk. This spider-hero is a penniless young person making their way in the big city with a low-paying media job, covering up her core insecurities by quipping with the villains, and facing family issues that would challenge someone several years her senior. Sound familiar? I’m still not sold on the need for multiple spider-characters, but I liked Cindy Moon well enough. The credits page slug told me she was bitten by the same radioactive spider that nailed Peter Parker (hey, it’s comics), and that she was raised in a sealed bunker, which sounded interesting but didn’t really pay off in this issue. Her powers are broadly similar to Spidey’s. There’s also some espionage and double-crossing stuff going on that adds a dollop of intrigue. The tone and pace were similar to Spider-Gwen, but with less teen angst, and because we aren’t literally going over the same ground as classic Spider-Man stories, Silk’s running battle with a Green Goblin cult felt fresher. Writer Robbie Thompson’s script was breezy and fast-moving. I wish colorist Ian Herring had used the same rich palette on display in Silk’s back-up story from Amazing Spider-Man #1. This particular outing didn’t look as warm, failing to round the rougher edges off of Stacey Lee’s art (which shows a little manga influence, for better or worse). It all holds together. Entertaining book.

Approachability For New Readers

Slightly better than the other rebooted spider-books, which is to say not very good. But captions from Cindy’s point of view pull us into the character, and we get to discover the world through her eyes, which helps a bit with onboarding. Would be nice to have had more whys and hows about Cindy’s early life in a “hermetically sealed bunker,” but I’m willing to be patient.

Read #2?

Yes.

Sales Rank

#33 November

Read more about Spider-Man at Longbox Graveyard

Read more capsule reviews of Marvel’s All-New All-Different rolling reboot.

Silk #1

 

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