Sure, why not at this point?
Even though I hadn't liked the more recent directions that Marvel comics was taking Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan, and thus refused to spend money on them and read them, I wanted to give 'Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant' a chance, mainly out of curiosity, and because one of the writers is none other than Iman Vellani, the actress for Kamala Khan in the MCU herself. I had to check it out, and I'm relieved to report that this is not just done as a publicity stunt. Iman Vellani is Kamala Khan. She is a wonderful, adorable geek. She's great. She's truly relatable, and lucky!
In my opinion, she may not be as good a writer as she is an actor, but 'The New Mutant' is still an interesting, dramatic, dynamic, thoughtful, and dark take on and journey for everybody's favourite Pakistani Muslim American superheroine.
In a nutshell, Kamala died and was resurrected (standard superhero comics - now Ms. Marvel is a true superhero, no longer left out!), and it was then the X-Men discovered she is a mutant, with unlocked, dormant mutant powers. To say she is having an identity crisis is a massive understatement. To say nothing of her coming back from the dead. She goes to Empire State University, alongside her best friend and former love interest Bruno (but she's not enrolling there yet; we are assured it is a summer program for high school students - can't let any superheroes grow up and develop like that!), which is full of anti-mutant sentiment and propaganda. On a mission from the few X-Men left in this dimension, who are in hiding, she must spy on and infiltrate an anti-mutant organisation, the Orchis (they're terrorists, exactly like H.Y.D.R.A., but in this world and in the real world, they would instead be called a political party). Hiding being a mutant from her loved ones is bad enough, and merely wearing her new X-Man costume in public makes her a target for blind hate and ignorance in the newly mutant-hating world, no matter who she saves (I'm rather confused about that part, not having previously read any Marvel comics about the Hellfire Gala (I still don't know what that is)), but amidst the piling on of bigotry for this marginalised x10 heroine who is just trying to help people, Ms. Marvel has her own inner demons and psychological issues to deal with. Trauma, the same recurring nightmare for ten weeks, the lack of sleep. She definitely needs therapy.
So does everyone else; the rest of the sorry world. In Kamala's own words, she is a Pakistani-American-Inhu-mutant - "literally walking proof that we can all coexist!".
The mention of bigotry - the hatred and ignorance of marginalised groups of people, to the point of wishing them all dead - all coming down to, and is rooted (rotted) in, fear - fear of being replaced, of the formerly powerless, oppressed and hidden minorities in society rising and taking over, thus they are a threat to the survival of the human race, dooming society and the status quo as we know it - which is irrational, paranoia propaganda, and mass mob mentality, and scapegoating - this is especially poignant. Minorities are not only seen as the enemy, but competition; a one-upmanship popularity contest. There is the fear of a perceived dethroning of privilege and dominance; of losing control in a status quo system. These are relevant, vital points to make and understand in today's times.
Featured in this heavy adventure with serious themes are: Kamala's fanfic superhero creations becoming a plot point, dreamwalking, Kamala's uni roommate and physics geek girl Michelle, Bruno succeeding beyond the stratosphere as the best (and cutest) friend anyone could ask for, Tony Stark, and the X-Men. The ones who interact with Kamala are Emma Frost, Rasputin IV, Synch, Talon, and - wait for it - Kitty Pryde!!! Or Kate Pryde, aka ShadowKat, as she is now called. I swear I had no idea she would be in 'The New Mutant' before reading it! I am so glad to see she is being used again in the mainstream modern Marvel comics. But the ninja badass doesn't do anything! She barely appears in 'The New Mutant'. Same goes for the other X-Men.
Points of confusion for a Marvel returner like me: Tony Stark and Emma Frost are married. What the hell is that about? Emma Frost is officially a good guy, and not a total creep? How many telepathic mutants are there?! Where are Kamala's female friends from Jersey City? Why have none of them joined her for the summer university program? I know that she and Bruno dated near the end of the previous 'Ms. Marvel' comics run, so why are they suddenly just friends again? A female POC university student is shown to be the only person on campus to support Ms. Marvel and other mutants during a protest, but she is harassed and chased out by the mob of anti-mutant protesters, never to be seen again. I wish she could have returned, and Kamala could have befriended her. She isn't even given a name. And the villains, the two people we see who work for Orchis, and are in a lab underneath the university, are women of colour. I'm not sure how to feel about that.
And why does the volume end on the old issue, 'Garde State of Mind'? Out of all the classic issues!?
I know there is a lot I missed from not reading previous Marvel comics, but screw it. 'Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant' is enjoyable in its own right, on its own terms. It will always be relevant, as well. The artwork is some of the best I've seen from 'Ms. Marvel', too. It's cute, colourful, emotional and highly detailed.
'The New Mutant' is certainly better than the awful 'Ms. Marvel Team-Up', which I also read this year.
Vibrant, creative, action-packed, yet harrowing and poignant.
And the final Marvel comic I will read, for a very long time.
Like with my review of 'Captain Marvel, Vol. 1: The Omen', another current Marvel comic I decided to pick up on a whim, I will end this review by placing links - to my past 'Ms. Marvel' reviews. Here they are:
'Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal'
'Ms. Marvel Omnibus, Vol. 1'
'Ms. Marvel, Vol. 5: Super Famous'
'Ms. Marvel: Stretched Thin'
'Marvel Rising'
'Kamala Khan: Ms. Marvel Little Golden Book'
(Goddess, I can't believe it's been ten years since I first read a 'Ms. Marvel' comic.)
(I love you, girl. You will always be needed. You will always be appreciated and respected.)
'Inhuman. Champion. Avenger. X-Man. [...] These labels have one thing in common:
[...] They're inadequate. [...] There isn't a word out there that really describes what I am. [...] What matters is who I am. [...] The world can hate and fear me all it wants. [...] But I'll sleep just fine at night knowing that whatever people want to call me... [...] ...I'll always be Ms. Marvel.'
'Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant' Final Score: 3.5/5
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