This week on View from the Gutters our topic work is Ms. Marvel, written by G. Willow Wilson with art by Adrian Alphona and Jacob Wyatt. Launched in 2014, Ms. Marvel follows the adventures of Kamala Khan, a Pakistani-American teenager from Jersey City, NJ, who gains superpowers after being exposed to the Terrigen Mists. Kamala—an avid fan (and fanfic writer) of the Avengers—almost immediately launches into a superhero career, taking up the name Ms. Marvel which was recently abandoned by her idol, Carol Danvers (who is now Captain Marvel).
The series is timely, inclusive, and above all incredibly honest. It whole-heartedly embraces Kamala’s identity as a Mulsim, a daughter of immigrants, and as an American teenager. It also demonstrates what is best in superheroes comics (and no, I don’t just mean Lockjaw).
For this episode we read all of the issues currently in print, #1-9.
The article referenced on the show is Putting The Sidekick In The Suit: Black Captain America, Female Thor, And The Illusion Of Progress. The previous discussion on the same topic is in the comments section of Back Matter #7.
In our recommendation section, our hosts nominated The Auteur, Atomic Robo, Pretty Deadly, The Rabbi’s Cat, and Four Eyes for discussion on the next episode, and our selected title is Four Eyes.
Our hosts for this episode are Andrew Chard, Joe Preti, Brant Gillihan-Eddy, Keyleigh Fleeman, and Tobiah Panshin.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:21:20 — 37.3MB) | Embed
Nice episode. I’m a big fan of Kamala Khan Ms. Marvel as well. The series is fun and really how super hero comics should be.
I’m surpised and sad though, that there is no mention of Connor Hawke, Cassandra Cain or Renee Montoya when you mention legacies who are PoC. I am happy you mention Ryan Choi as Atom.
Good mentions, all. It’s a shame that DC has either white-washed or banished them to the nether.