Once again, another comic I've thoroughly enjoyed! Like Ms. Marvel, I especially appreciated the ethnic background that fuels the storylines. In this story, we get a Chinese protagonist who has an unhappy mother and ex-fighter father who migrated to America in search of a better life. Similar to Spiderman, Hank's father is shot and he then makes it his mission to defeat the man who did it and bring down the evil hierarchy that endorses such violence and greed. The story utilized spiritual elements that were very interesting. I also found this theme in Ms. Marvel when she would mention the Quaran. Reading these pieces make me feel as though I am getting closer to the culture, learning to respect its traditions and even its downsides, and learning to accept a new type of hero. Coincidentally, that is one of the main themes in this piece: 'something new'. Hank is sensitive, often makes comments that he does not wish to hit girls or a blind man, even if they are trying to kill him. His push-over nature is given extra brawn by his 'shadow hero', the Tortoise. The mother had me busting up laughing plenty of times as well, which definitely made the read even funner. The end where the Anchor is revealed as a robot or human reinforces the idea of Hank being 'something new'. He wasn't just another super hero, like the Anchor, because Anchor isn't even from earth or human presumably so, therefore, he is not a super hero because, as I quote mean girls, 'he doesn't even go here!'. Therefore, with Hank being someone with actual supernatural advantages and deciding to use them the same was as Anchor (rather than his nemesis, who also has a shadow power), he breaks the tradition of both and, in turn, becomes a real super hero. Something new.
Wow... just Wow. As a fan of female heroes, Ms. Marvel left me jaw dropped. I had originally planned to read the issues sporadically throughout the day, but I ended up liking it so much that I finished the first arc in one sitting. I absolutely loved what they did with Ms. Marvel; making her muslim, modernizing the language and setting, making her something other than the typical blonde, voluptuous vixen. I especially appreciated the twitter-esque "LOL" language they occasionally throw in. The entire piece felt very young and hip and it made me want to read it. Honeslty, I don't like to read. I love comics and I love action heroes but I would much rather play a video game or watch a Buffy episode on Netflix. However, this series has me going back for more. Her issues with her family, religion, social status, and feminine roles make the series so much more than just a Captain Marvel comic, but a comic about growing up and coming to terms with who you are, accepting yourself and inevitably detaching from yourself and going through a journey to realize acceptance and initiate growth. It was so creative and I, again, love it. I also liked the little hero references they through in (Avengers, original Ms. Marvel, etc). Truly felt fitting as an addition to the comic universe as a commentary on where comics are-- Kamala is a young girl, gamer, active tech user, and student, something so relatable to youth in this generation.
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May 2015
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