Red Headed Femme: Review: Ms. Marvel, Vol. 8: Mecca

January 30, 2018

Review: Ms. Marvel, Vol. 8: Mecca

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 8: Mecca by G. Willow Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Now this is more like it.

When I read Ms. Marvel Volume 7, I thought it simply did not meet the series' usual standard of excellence. I missed Kamala's interactions with her family, and thought the villain and storyline was just weak. I stated that I hoped the next volume would pick things up again.

Apparently G. Willow Wilson (or the Marvel gods) was listening, because this volume did just that.

This storyline, in addition to checking back in with Kamala's family (her brother in particular, who is expecting a baby with his new wife), is also reacquainting us with a character from Civil War II, her "friend-in-law" Kareem, AKA the Red Dagger. (Kareem also seems to be setting up as a love interest for Kamala.) But the meat of the story is the serious examination of superheroes and discrimination--in this case, by the reappearance of two villains from previous volumes: Becky St. Jude, or "Lockdown," and Chuck Worthy from Hydra. They are attempting to round up all "unregistered super powers" in Jersey City, including Kamala's brother, and this confrontation leads to a really interesting aside involving Lockdown's henchman Discord, who proves to be a kid named Josh who Kamala has known from elementary school. He explains how lost he felt, and we see how Lockdown manipulated this to recruit him by giving him a "purpose." Because Josh has revealed himself to Kamala, she does the same--taking off her mask and letting him see who Ms. Marvel is. I'm sure this will have repercussions, further down the line.

The second storyline, involving Laal Khanjeer or Red Dagger, is a more straightforward mission of derring-do, stopping a runaway train. But even it poses interesting questions of "superhero" worship, and the new "hero" in town, and how Kamala begins to realize she must take care of herself so she can help the people in her city. All in all, this is a most welcome return to form, and I'm glad the series is back on track.

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My Ratings System

Disclaimer: I do not get paid for any of this. I just post these reviews because I like doing it. Anyone and everyone following along, welcome aboard.

One star: Bad to awful; usually don't finish. If I finish a book and label it one star, it's almost always because the ending was so horrid it spoiled everything that came before.

Two stars: Marginal. I generally finish these, but they have significant flaws in worldbuilding and/or characterization (my two main criteria) with just enough good points (barely) for me to tough it out to the end. Sometimes I go into detail regarding these flaws; it depends on how much the book irritated me.

Three stars: Liked, with caveats. A lot of first novels fall in this category. The flaws still exist, but they are lesser, and the promise is definitely there.

Four stars: Really liked. These are books that excite me, with minor flaws.

Five stars: Launching my socks into orbit amazing; hits all my sweet spots. The pacing is spot on, the worldbuilding is logical and well thought out, and the characters have depth. I can usually rave about these books for several paragraphs (and do).

Quote of the Day

"I know some who are constantly drunk on books as other men are drunk on whiskey." ~H.L. Mencken

A fragmented excerpt from The Filer and the Astronaut by Louise Carol:

‘The time has come,’ the Filer said,
‘To talk of many things:
Of pups — and picks — and palimpsests —
Of Cadigan — and King —
And why this movie, cult is not —
And whether trolls believe.’

‘But scroll a bit,’ the Pixels cried,
‘Before you have your chat;
For some of us are full of links,
Oh do not rush so fast!’
‘No hurry!’ said the Astronaut.
They thanked him much for that.

‘A post of fifth,’ the Filer said
‘Is what we chiefly need:
Filking and Punnery besides
Are very good indeed —
Now, if you’re ready, Pixels dear,
We can begin to read.’

‘Pixels,’ said the Astronaut,
‘You’ve had a pleasant run!
Shall we be posting here again?’
But answer came there none —
And this was scarcely odd, because
They’d scrolled up every one.

~Comment from Stoic Cynic on File 770

I wandered lonely as an airship
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a fleet
A host, of modern dirigibles;
Above the lake, beyond the trees,
Floating and dancing in the breeze.
For oft, when at my laptop I browse
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of altitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the dirigibles.

[From Wordsworth’s steampunk phase]

~Comment by Camestros Felapton on File 770

I met a Filer from an antique Scroll
Who said — “Two vast and towering stacks of books
Stand in the bedroom … Near them, novels by Pohl,
And others of a Golden Age, whose frowns,
And uncracked spines, and sneers of cold control
Beckon toward the fan. They lay there waiting, and unread.
Worlds, though built, not yet explored by glance or looks
At pages filled with men of space, who from Earth have fled.
And on the nightstand, these words appear:
My name is Tsundoko, Stack of Books;
Look on my pages, Pixels, and Despair!

~Comment from Bill, on File 770

January 30, 2018

Review: Ms. Marvel, Vol. 8: Mecca

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