Adam Graham's Blog: Christians and Superheroes - Posts Tagged "ms-marvel"

Ms. Marvel, Volume 6: Ascension by Brian Reed

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book is a bit of a hodgepodge.

It starts out with Ms. Marvel Annual #1, which is a team-up between Spider-man and Ms. Marvel after Ms. Marvel attempts to capture Spidey for being unregistered fail and a group of roots attack the city. The story is fun, although Spider-man steals the show, but also has a few remarks that are a bit sophomoric.

Ms. Marvel/The Storyteller Special #1 finds Ms. Marvel flying to warn the Storyteller, a boy with the power to bend reality to his imagination, that AIM has found him, but finds herself being drawn in to his fantasy. This story is part fun but also a bit bittersweet.

Issue #31 has Carol visiting her dying father, and we get a look at her messed up family relations and how Rogue stealing her memories has affected that.

Issues #32-34 focus on Carol's past and we get a story of how she was shot down, captured, and tortured in #32 in far too much detail. We also see her with ridiculous strength as a pre-Super Powers Carol Danvers and how she rebuilds herself and joins military intelligence.

All of this is leading up to Issue 34 where she plans to steal something from the CIA but doesn't use her powers. Spider-man shows up in the mix and we have to wait until later volumes for resolution.

Overall, despite the unresolved nature of the book and the torture stuff in Issue #32, this was a solid volume, and it left me wanting to pick up the next book.



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Ms. Marvel, Volume 7: Dark Reign by Brian Reed

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book collects three stories. First, is the three issue "Death of Ms. Marvel" storyline which answers a lot of questions from Volume 6 such as why Carol wasn't using her powers because after her encounter with the Cru they are spiking. At the same time, we learn about Carol's investigation. It's a good conclusion to the previous arc.

Then there's, "Meet the New Boss" where with Carol assumed dead after the previous arc, Karla Sofen (anti-hero/Thunderbolt Moonstone) has been chosen to be the new Ms. Marvel as one of Norman Osborn's Dark Avengers, but first she has to meet with the official psychiatrist, who has an agenda of his own. This is a good introduction for Sofen. It doesn't cause you to like her or sympathize with her, but it does show what she's about and serves as a good introduction for the character.

Finally, we have the last three issues which are very fast-paced. The Dark Avengers are trying to secure Modokesque clones of the Storyteller, however AIM wants them back and hires Deadpool to help, while it's Karla's job to protect them. Meanwhile, colored female light-shaped entities are searching for Ms. Marvel and they don't mean Karla, and the New Avengers are drawn into the case leading to a stunning reveal to end the book and set the pace for Volume 8. Overall, best book in the series so far and sets the stage for the next book.



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Ms. Marvel, Volume 8: War of the Marvels by Brian Reed

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is the War of the Marvels featuring an epic battle between Carol Danvers and Karla Sofen for who will be the one and only Ms. Marvel.

The battle between Carol and Karla is epic. The action is intense with each using their power. Carol's a warrior with skills and grit that Karla just doesn't possess, but Karla's advantage is that she's just a ruthless psychopath. Both maintain a line of talking smack that would make most wrestler bow before them and declare in Wayne World'seque fashion, "We are not worthy!"

The book is not one big battle scene. They're interspersed in between Karla and Norman Osborn trying to figure out what they're supposed to do and the journey of Catherine Donovan from LA to New York as she deals without doubts about her own identity. The question of who Donovan is and how exactly this all happened is a bit of a contrivance, but it doesn't ruin the story.

The finale is superb. It leads to a definitive end to the war, a reveal of Karla, and Carol stepping up in probably the most interesting thing she's done in the entire Ms. Marvel series.

Overall, while this is not a great character-defining arc for Carol Danvers, it is a great ride of a story that makes for a fun read.




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Ms. Marvel Vol. 9: Best You Can Be (Ms. Marvel by Brian Reed

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The end of Brian Reed's run on Ms. Marvel that will be sure to leave you asking, "Is that it?"

This book has four issues in it.

First up is Carol Danvers' date with Spider-man that she promised at the end of volume 6. The story's not horrible, but this story brings home the point that post-OMD (One More Day) Peter Parker is a pathetic creature and not funny.

Then Carol solves the mystery of what happened at the Church of Hala and it runs her right into Mystique and a convoluted revenge plot involving a fake Captain Marvel.

After the conclusion of the battle, we get a final scene with Carol talking about how she realized how great she was and adjusted her perspective. This felt totally unearned, based on the story and the way she'd progress. It felt rushed, as if Brian Reed knew how he wanted to end the series and inserted his ending, even it doesn't make any sense.

Oveall, a lackluster end to a good series.



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