Book Reviews

Graphic Novel Review: Ms. Marvel, Volume 2: Generation Why

Title: Ms. Marvel, Volume 2: Generation Why
Author: G. Willow Wilson
Illustrator: Adrian Alphona
Publisher: Marvel
Pages: Trade Paperback; 136
Recommended Age Group: 13+
Release Date: April 7, 2015
Source: Library

Who is the Inventor, and what does he want with the all-new Ms. Marvel and all her friends? Maybe Wolverine can help! Kamala may be fan-girling out when her favorite (okay maybe Top Five) super hero shows up, but that won’t stop her from protecting her hometown. Then, Kamala crosses paths with Inhumanity for the first time – by meeting the royal dog, Lockjaw! Every girl wants a puppy, but this one may be too much of a handful, even for a super hero with embiggening powers. But why is Lockjaw really with Kamala? As Ms. Marvel discovers more about her past, the Inventor continues to threaten her future. The fan-favorite, critically acclaimed, amazing new series continues as Kamala Khan proves why she’s the best (and most adorable) new super hero there is!

After reading this second volume, I can’t help wishing that this series had been out when I was still a teen. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore Kamala right now and I’m well past my teen years. I just keep imagining how much earlier I would have found the world of comics if only things I could relate to were out there! I’ve never been a huge superhero fan. The physics-defying outfits that female heroes were put into just pushed me away. Kamala though? She’s sweet, she’s slightly accident prone, and she fan-girls like all the rest of us. What’s not to love?

That being said, this second volume is great! More of what I loved in the first, plus a lot more action going on. I can’t get over how many times I giggle while reading these. The creators of this amazing series have managed to pack the whole shebang into one volume. You have adorable Kamala, fan-girling over meeting her favorite X-Men member. You have a message to teens that, despite what they may hear, they’ve got a lot of importance riding on their shoulders. That they are the future. You also have Kamala trying desperately to make her superhero life and her “normal” life mesh. It seems like a lot, but it works beautifully.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. This series is well worth your time! Whether you go into it because you love the Marvel Universe, or to experience the absolutely stunning artwork, or simply because you want to see a person of color as a fabulous main character, pick this up! You won’t regret it.

Want to read it?