Ms. Marvel: No Normal by Willow G. Wilson & Adrian Alphona

Pages: 120
Intended Audience: Teens and up
Genre: Graphic novel; superheroes
Notes for Parents: The main character disobeys her parents to go to a party where there is drinking, but she doesn’t drink herself.

The Back Cover

Kamala Khan is an ordinary girl from Jersey City—until she’s suddenly empowered with extraordinary gifts. But who truly is the new Ms. Marvel? Teenager? Muslim? Inhuman? Find out as she takes the Marvel Universe by storm! When Kamala discovers the dangers of her newfound powers, she also unlocks a secret behind them. Is Kamala ready to wield these immense gifts? Or will the weight of the legacy before her prove too much to bear? Kamala has no idea, either. But she’s comin’ for you, Jersey!

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This story is part of the Marvel universe which also includes The Avengers, The Fantastic Four, The X-men, and Spiderman. Kamala Khan, this incarnation of Ms. Marvel, is Marvel’s first Muslim character to headline her own comic book.

What’s good?

Kamala Khan feels different, like an outsider, probably in part because of her religion and ethnicity, but mostly because she’s just a typical, geeky, awkward girl with strict parents and a good moral code. This graphic novel is a collection of the first five comic books in the series. It has bold, expressive art with fun details and there’s plenty of action, humor, and strong, positive messages about self-acceptance. The robust supporting characters include: Nakia, a young Muslim woman who wears a hijab by choice; Bruno, the friend who wishes he was the boyfriend; and Kamala’s strict but loving parents. Kamala’s religion and ethnicity are an integral part of who she is, but it isn’t the basis of the story. Rather, it brings a good sense of diversity to an otherwise typical hero origin story.
Best Part: The winged sloth, the burkini with a fanny pack, and weaponized garbage.

What isn’t good?
Not surprisingly, there’s some stereotyping when it comes to Kamala’s Pakistani, Muslim family. Since this is an origin story, the plot was very straight forward and the story was simple. At times the story felt rushed, probably because many things weren’t explained—like the mist—because readers of the Marvel universe already know what’s going on. (Apparently the smoke is “Terrigen Mist” that has an “alien” ability to give humans superpowers).
Worst part: Having to use google to find out how Ms. Marvel gets her powers from the mist.

Recommendation þþþþo

This was a fun read. I loved Kamala. She was realistic, very relatable, and the diversity of her character was refreshing and interesting. Several things went over my head because I’m not a comic reader, but it certainly wasn’t complicated to fill in the blanks. I really liked Kamala’s parents and how they were stern but supportive, reminding her that she’s perfect just the way she is. There were great messages throughout. Definitely recommended.

Wilson, G. Willow & Adrian Alphona. Ms. Marvel: No Normal. New York: Marvel Now, 2015.