Ms. Marvel adds a young hero to the MCU roster with Kamala Khan only daydreaming about super heroes! Kamala Khan first full appearance was in Captain Marvel #17 (2013). The character was introduced in the one-shot story, "Garden State of Mind" in All-New Marvel NOW! Point One #1.NOW. This was by the creative team, G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona, the credits note "Based on the Marvel comics", but doesn't credit the writer and artist. She moved into her own title with Ms. Marvel #1 (2014). The series is created by Bisha K. Ali who also wrote the pilot. The directors are Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. The superhero series began streaming on Disney+ on June 8th. The first episode, “Generation Why” is 50 mins. which seems like two episodes together. The title refers to the comic books in the Volume 2 trade paperback, collecting issues #6-11 (2014-2015).
This review will focus on the first half of the pilot. It begins with the paper studio logo with narration by Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani). She is showing the last part of her 10 part series on Captain Marvel. The cut out figures look like a homemade Tik Tok, still the artwork for them looks cartoony and by a pro. She relates the Battle of Earth from Avengers: Endgame (2019). The summary is charming and should have been the intro for the post-Endgame movies and shows. She notes her information on Captain Marvel comes from the Scott Lang podcast. Also, the changing hairstyles of her hero and notes the disappearance of Captain Marvel by saying, “Can a woman just live, hmm?” Funny. Kamala hopes to find out more at Avengerscon in New Jersey that weekend. She hopes to cosplay there as Captain Marvel.
She uploads the video and adds the “like, comment, and subscribe” to Sloth Baby Productions. Pullback to Kamala on her computer called by her mother about being late for her driver’s test. Her brother, Aamir (Saagar Shaikh) is praying, Kamala gets driving advice from her mother, Muneeba (Zenobia Shroff), and also words from her father, Yusuf (Mohan Kapur). A full kitchen of family members, relatable. Kamala is next in the car with the driving instructor. She hits the gas pedal and flies in reverse hitting another car! This happens to be the instructor’s car. His car is about to be towed away while Kamala’s parents argue with him. They drive Kamala back and Muneeba puts the blame that her daughter can’t help with her brother’s wedding. Yup, as if Kamala doesn’t have enough to deal with after failing her test. She stares out the window and imagines the paper Captain Marvel flying past. Kamala smiles.
Then, we have the school bell ringing for Coleman Academic High School, Kamala enters the hall glum. Kamala’s coach passes by calling her “Camelia.” She tries to go to her locker for her Chem book, but it is blocked by two girls. Sigh. Her friend, Bruno Carrelli (Matt Lintz) had bet that she would pass the test, but got the text from her mother. He brings up the Avengerscon and Kamala says she needs the “final flourish” for her costume. Bruno hands over the money he bet to their other friend, Nakia (Yasmeen Fletcher), she wears the hijab. Kamala is awkward bumping into people including Zoe (Laurel Marsden). She compliments Zoe on her jacket, Zoe in turn says she likes her necklace, which Kamala explains is her name in Arabic, kinda cool. Zoe just shrugs at her comment and walks away. Over the P.A., Kamala is ordered to the office by Mr. Wilson (Jordan Firstman) who has everything cats with coffee cup and on his laptop.
Over the P.A., Kamala is ordered to the office by her counselor, Mr. Wilson (Jordan Firstman), who has everything cats with coffee cup and on his laptop. He goes over Kamala getting hit in the head by a dodgeball, her lab experiment exploding, and her drawing of a teacher with demon horns. Kamala starts to drift off, Mr. Wilson snaps his fingers, and then he drones on about her junior year. Later, she rides her bike to the Circle Q to meet Bruno. She is excited that this will be the first AvengersCon. He has a back up plan which he explains as he touches up the Captain Marvel cosplay. Ask her mother to take them to AvengersCon. They ride their bikes taking about the “final flourish” as we see the graphics along the walls. Next, we have Kamala collapsing upside, nice shot. She sits up and sees a box from nani, her grandmother, Kamala looks through it and finds a bangle. Muneeba wants Aamir to take the box up to the attic, she is going with Kamala to prepare for his wedding, then we hear some Pakistani music as they go shopping.
Kamala has arms full of bags when they reach a dress shop. Aunt Ruby (Anjali Bhimani) enters to gossip with Muneeba. They agree that Kamala is too short for her red dress. Night, Yusuf is watching himself in a camera at home that Bruno has set up as a security camera. Muneeba and an exhausted Kamala return home. Bruno wants Kamala to ask her mother. Muneeba gets him a whole bag of food to take home. Kamala stands in front of her parents and explains AvengersCon. Also, that it is historical and Bruno is interested, so wants to bring Kamala along. Her parents eye each other. I like that Yusuf tries to support his daughter. They think she’s going to a party at night. Kamala says that she will dress as Captain Marvel and Muneeba says it will be too tight. She says she is 16 and pulls in Amir whom Kamala says her parents allow anything. Yusuf says she is not normal and Kamala runs upstairs. Kamala is on her bed when her brother enters with some chai tea.
Aamir says he respects her “bold move” and will try to talk to their parents. Kamala turns on her star projector and texts Bruno, her text is cleverly projected on the roof. Bruno is walking his bike to the Circle Q, we see his text back as a yellow road marking and the exchange on varous signs. He goes up to his room above the Circle Q. The next morning, Kamala tries on her Captain Marvel costume and sees herself in the mirror. Her mother enters, Kamala slips on a bathrobe, and Muneeba says after talking to Amir that they decided she can go to AvengersCon. She will be driven there and can spend two hours. Then, Muneeba surprises her with a green Pakistani outfit as the Hulk. Her father enters with the same outfit and he is painted green! Very funny. Then, Kamala says Yusuf can’t come and finds him “humiliating”! They honestly tried to get in the spirit, but Kamala doesn’t want to meet her parents half-way. Ms. Marvel has vivid, fun graphics, a teen who is awkward and torn between respect for her family and her own, Captain Marvel-inspired life!
Four Bangles out of Five!
#MsMarvel, #ImanVellani, #MattLintz, #ZenobiaShroff, #MohanKapur, #SaagarShaikh, #YasmeenFletcher, #LaurelMarsden, #JordanFirstman, #AvengersCon
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