Ever since Carol Danvers took the Captain Marvel mantle, the Ms. Marvel mantle she left behind has been empty. But no more, as part of Marvel’s “All-New Marvel NOW!” promotional and editorial initiative (more or less a prolonged soft reboot to their main universe) the Ms. Marvel mantle will be filled next shortly into the new year with the debut of a new Ms. Marvel title book. The titular heroine taking up the mantle will be new superhero Kamala Khan, a teenage Muslim Pakistani-American shape-shifter from Jew Jersey.

Coming February 2014 it will be written by G. Willow Wilson, (Air, Mystic, Vixen: Return of The Lion, Alif the Unseen) and illustrated by Adrian Alphona (Runaways, Uncanny X-Force).

The cast (so far)

Wilson is notable for being of the Muslim faith and is one of if not the most prominent Muslimah writer in monthly comics. She too, hails from New Jersey. The appointment of Wilson to the title is more or less a marriage made in heaven and follows a pattern Marvel seems to be making by appointing writers  with the actual experience and know-how that correlate to the characters they are writing. This follows in the steps of appointing writer Charles Soule (Swamp Thing, Thunderbolts, Strongman) a comic writer and attorney (whodathunk) to write Jennifer Walters, the green powerhouse also known as She-Hulk who also is an active lawyer for a new solo title also returning next year.

Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk will be additionally joined by brand new female lead solo books new year for Black Widow, and Elektra. This added with the ongoing success of Brain Wood’s starring all female X-Men flagship title and a “second season” of Captain Marvel  seems to reiterate that Marvel is truly making the effort to diversify and push their female heroes as well as taking risks. Their adoption or experiment with “seasons” for titles such as Young Avengers is a curious invention that is something to be watched. It is possibly a great way to keep titles fresh especially in the highly unstable and fickle comic buying market which will no doubt be changing greatly in the next five to ten years anyway. Additionally the appointment of more and more modern and stylized artists (who thankfully know how teenagers dress or just know fashion period) and a more sophisticated mod “house” aesthetic ushered in by the popular Hawkeye title have additionally made many of Marvel’s new offerings and cover art in particular very fresh, hip, and surprisingly experimental.

Marvel’s not perfect, but with their certain choices they seem to be at the least, aware of criticism of the medium and are making strides to rectify it. You’d think DC would notice by now what they’re doing (an Hourman TV show? Really?) is exactly the opposite of what they should be doing.

Now about Marvel’s 10000 Tony Stark and Wolverine books….

Max Eber

max@sub-cultured.com
Twitter: @maxlikescomics