Obscuring a Mythos: Wonder Woman #1

The following is my review of Wonder Woman #1, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

The strength of any ancient myth is measured by how well it conveys its themes. There's a reason why certain myths transcend generations, cultures, and network cancellations. They reflect ideals and insights into the human condition. The stories may include colorful plots like gods knocking up mortal women, but the strength of that story is what separates timeless myths from boring reruns.

Wonder Woman's entire persona is built around the themes of ancient myths. From her divine creation to her divine abilities to her divine insights into the affairs of man, she personifies the strength of every myth, regardless of who some playful god impregnates. She epitomizes the ideals of womanhood and the warrior spirit. The strength of her story transcends eras from the hyper-masculine bravado of the '80s to the communist paranoia of the '50s.

Now, the events of DC Rebirth are poised to confuse and confound this story, adding uncertainty to the entire foundation of Wonder Woman's mythos. Is she the daughter of Zeus? Is she molded from clay? Is she the rightful God of War? Is she destined to emasculate Steve Trevor at every turn? These are all questions that linger in the backdrop of Wonder Woman #1, but little is done to answer any of them. There aren't even any telling hints, be they ominous teasers or divine impregnations.

Instead, Greg Rucka attempts to set up a new story and a new conflict with Wonder Woman. On paper, the concept has some merit. He even succeeds in fleshing out this concept to some degree, but that success is marginal at best. That's not to say it fails though. There is some intrigue at work within this narrative. It just leaves too many unanswered questions and too few reasons to get excited. The effect is undeniable. When Wonder Woman fighting mythical monsters fails to excite, then there's definitely something missing.

The story itself basically starts in the middle of a conflict. Wonder Woman is on a journey, which is a common narrative in many classical myths. That journey puts her in an exotic locale that is much more colorful than the streets of Gotham or the skies of Metropolis. While the snarling beasts aren't quite as memorable as homicidal clowns, it does reflect Wonder Woman's mythical heritage and gives her a target for her mythical strength. Without any added context, however, it may as well be a typical Tuesday for Wonder Woman.

That's not to say there aren't other forces behind the scenes, providing context to Wonder Woman's journey. Rucka actually introduces a key figure in Wonder Woman's mythos that has been absent in recent years, namely Etta Candy. However, this version of her is very different a lot less colorful. She's basically an Amanda Waller wannabe, running some secret government operation that adds unnecessary bureaucracy to everyday heroes. It's an intriguing introduction with intriguing potential, but much of that potential goes unrealized.

Wonder Woman #1 focuses less on realizing potential and more on creating a foundation. That foundation does build somewhat on the recent events of DC Rebirth, which led Wonder Woman to question the details of her origins story. Any origin that involves gods impregnating mortal women or bringing clay figurines to life is bound to be confusing, but the foundation here does little to resolve that confusion. In some ways, it outright ignores it, which is a noticeable crack in the foundation.

Rucka tries to fill those cracks in by developing a sub-plot with Steve Trevor and Etta Candy, tying their conflicts to Wonder Woman's journey. The connection between these details is lacking, but it there is at least some sense of cohesion. It's limited, but it effectively gives roles to Wonder Woman's supporting cast. As Batman can attest, a supporting cast is vital in any iconic mythos.

Unlike Batman though, Wonder Woman's supporting doesn't directly aid her journey. They just make sure nobody distracts her so she can focus on the task at hand. However, the nature of that task doesn't become clear until later in the story. Before then, Wonder Woman spends most of her time just warning the monsters that attack her and fighting them when they ignore her warnings. It's not exactly the kind of tactic that makes a myth epic.

Even so, Rucka does make an effort to highlight the most important aspects of Wonder Woman's character. She's not just a warrior and an icon who can survive being on a team with Batman and Green Lantern. She's a woman of compassion and mercy, offering it even to monsters who stand in her way. Even though they ignore it as if it were typical trash talk, it reinforces a key component of Wonder Woman's identity.

That identity is a lot more vital in wake of DC Rebirth. With Wonder Woman being so unsure of her origins, it makes sense to remind herself and others of who she is and what she stands for. It ends up being the only real certainty conveyed in Wonder Woman #1 because many other details are left undeveloped and unaddressed.

There's nothing egregious about the way Rucka handles Wonder Woman or her supporting cast. Nobody sleeps with a god, makes a deal with Mephisto, or trusts Lex Luthor. The story surrounding these characters is simply lacking in context and detail. Without that, the story falls flat and there's a reason stories like that don't make their way into AP English classes or comic racks.

The aftermath of DC Rebirth is affecting all corners of the DC Universe. With Wonder Woman, however, these effects seem detached and distant. Wonder Woman #1 tries to build a new foundation on top of one that is still incomplete. The elements of her mythos are there. There are even a few new elements that have the potential to develop. Despite this, the details aren't there. The connections are weak, if present at all. For a mythos as iconic as Wonder Woman, the standards are high and potential alone never slayed a titan.

Final Score: 4 out of 10

Uncanny X-men #9: Nuff Said!

There aren't a whole lot of ways that can make a conflict involving Apocalypse more shitty, but the X-men usually find a way in every major crossover event. As in real life, any crisis can be made worse by injecting ex-lovers into the mix. I'm convinced that a jaded ex-lover will suck Mephisto's cock just to make someone a little bit more miserable. They will make a deal involving their soul and a half-eaten bag of skittles to add to such misery.

This is the situation Psylocke finds herself in with Apocalypse Wars. She's been trying to save one former lover in Angel, who isn't all that jaded. To do that, she must deal with a far more jaded ex-lover in Fantomex. As a character who tries to be a sophisticated kind of douche-bag anti-hero, he is uniquely qualified to make the shit storm in Apocalypse Wars even worse. Uncanny X-men #9 has him poised to add more shit and make Psylocke want to rip his heart out through his asshole. I usually don't root for jaded ex-girlfriends, but I'll gladly make an exception for Psylocke.

I also make that exception because Psylocke has Magneto in her corner and generally, it's not wise to be on any side opposing Magneto. He still managed to get himself captured with Psylocke in an earlier issue. Psylocke spent a lot of time and effort trying to free him, having to go through her douche-bag ex in the process. In the end, she doesn't succeed, but Mystique does.

Yes, she has finally arrived. Jennifer Lawrence couldn't hog her completely. Her presence has been teased mercilessly since Uncanny X-men began. Finally, she shows up and at the best possible time. She doesn't just free Magneto. She does it while busting his balls and probably giving him a boner at the same time. Few women who didn't marry Larry King can make such a claim. Sure compares Magneto to Apocalypse, which does plenty to piss him off. However, he's pissed off in Akkaba City where Genocide is prepared to take a giant, genocidal dump on the mutant race. That means he has someone to take it out on.

Can we all just agree that Mystique know show to piss people off in just the right ways at just the right times?

As this shit storm in Akkaba City is unfolding, there's another conflict that is still woefully disconnected in the sewers of New York. That's not to say it's a meaningless conflict. It involves Monet and Sabretooth fighting mutant zombies, courtesy of Monet's evil, ass-ugly brother Emplate. So meaning or not, it's still pretty entertaining and personal. I'm just not sure what the fuck it has to do with Apocalypse Wars. Like light beer, that's not going to stop me from enjoying it, even if it takes a little more to get the same buzz.

The fight began in the previous issue. Now, it's progress naturally to a point where Sabretooth fucks up and gets considerably maimed by Emplate. I know he's still inverted. I know he's trying hard not to be a raging asshole. I'm just saying it's still entertaining as hell watching him get maimed. Some inversions just can't change that.

Monet doesn't let Sabretooth get maimed too much, only to the point where it's still entertaining as fuck. This is personal for her. She hasn't clashed with her brother since the Clinton Administration so this is a pretty big deal for her. Like a Backstreet Boys comeback tour, she can't afford to fuck this up. Emplate doesn't make that easy for her though. He confirms that he's the one who drew her to the Morlock tunnels. He also confirms he didn't draw her there just to maim Sabretooth, although I'm sure that was a nice bonus. Like any whiny brother, he wants her help. He just uses mutant zombies to get his point across. Not saying that's right, sane, or logical, but I can't say it doesn't work.

It's hard to top the entertainment value of mutant zombies and Sabretooth getting maimed. That said, Mystique and Magneto fighting side-by-side against the forces of Genocide is pretty damn close. It's a battle that I think Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence would approve of. They're not relying on Psylocke to work around her douche-bag ex. They're taking matters into their own hands, looking to kick Genocide's ass on their own terms. It's one thing to piss off Storm, Cyclops, or Wolverine. Pissing off Magneto and Mystique though? Even Apocalypse's minions are really pushing it.

The battle leads to a fucked up, disturbing, and oddly satisfying revelation. You know all these monstrosities and Skrillix wannabes that Genocide is making? Well, he didn't just buy them from Sinister, although I'm sure he considered that. He creates them from Angel's flesh. Sure, it requires a healthy bit of torture, but so does waiting for Comic Con tickets. It's a matter of perspective. For Angel, it's worth it because having the blood of Apocalypse in him really fucking sucks. It's another echo from the Dark Angel Saga and completely understandable in that context. Like actually paying to see the last Adam Sandler movie, it's one of those scars that just doesn't go away easily.

I still don't get the sense that Angel thought this through completely. Sure, he's a handsome, rich, charismatic preacher for some cultish church that reeks of bad televangelism and Scientology. However, he's also helping Genocide and making himself a real pussy in the process. So while his choice is understandable, it's still a dick move. In a story that has Mystique, Sabretooth, and Fantomex though, I guess it's a matter of perspective.

The same perspective applies to Emplate. He's done maiming Sabretooth, which may be disappointing to some. However, he offers a few more important revelations as to why he feels the need to communicate with mutant zombies. It turns out feeding on them is the only thing keeping him anchored to this world, which in turn prevents him from slipping back into a world that really fucking sucks. It has to suck if he considers it a downgrade from a New York City sewer. The problem is that mutants are kind of going extinct thanks to giant Inhuman fart clouds. He's going to run out of mutants soon so he kind has to get proactive.

This leads to another powerful brother/sister moment in a non-creepy, non-Game of Thrones sort of way. Emplate actually makes clear that he loves his sister. He doesn't love her enough to not attack with mutant zombies, but that's beside the point. He loves her enough to want her help and she's willing to help him, provided he stops killing mutants. However, she can only do that by making a really shitty deal for herself. It's a powerful moment and while it doesn't seem to do shit for Apocalypse Wars as a whole, it is a nice reminder of why she's awesome.

Touching, non-incest moments between siblings is nice and all. Flashy, explosive battles between Magneto, Mystique, and Holocaust are still way more fun. I'm all for sentiment in comics, but there's just no substitute to seeing Magneto and Mystique kick ass. It's not the most brutal battle. It's not Wolverine and Cyclops fighting over an old pair of Jean Grey's panties. It's still entertaining as hell and given how much Mystique pissed Magneto off earlier, it ends up being a fairly even fight. Since Apocalypse battles usually require the fucking Phoenix Force to tip the balance, this is a nice change of pace.

So all this epic shit is going on. Where is Psylocke? Did fighting with her ex really distract her that much? Well, I think we can all forgive someone for getting a little side-tracked when an asshole ex enters the picture, but she's supposed to be tougher than this. Modern feminism demands it. Instead, she encounters some of the fucked up monstrosities that Genocide created with Angel's flesh. She's so spent from fighting her ex at this point that she doesn't stand a chance when they attack and poison her. Of course Fantomex sees this and of course he's probably resisting the urge to dance to a Taylor Swift song. He's just that big a douche. It really is a low point for Psylocke. It's definitely one Olivia Munn will want to avoid for future X-men movies.

There is an indirect benefit/problem for situations when Psylocke is in that much trouble. It pisses off Arcangel, her drone/attack dog/boy toy. He doesn't talk much and has been basically a blunt instrument since Uncanny X-men began. Now, Psylocke is in trouble and her ex is eager to piss on her corpse. Brainwashed or not, Archangel can't have that. He finally arrives, ready to fuck up Genocide and Fantomex's balls, but not necessarily in that order. I still find it strange rooting for jaded ex-girlfriends, but when this is the shit it inspires, I'm happy to make an exception.

So...is it awesome?

It has Mystique finally joining the battle and fighting alongside Magneto. Does I really need to write an essay on why that shit is awesome? It took a while, but it finally converged in a cohesive way. Then shit started blowing up. That's basic level awesome at its best. The advanced levels aren't on as big a display as before, but for good reason. Uncanny X-men #9 focuses less on drama and more on moving the plot forward. It does this with a lot of destruction, suffering, and mutant zombies. It's not as concise in some areas, but it's still entertaining as hell. If you can't be entertained by mutant zombies, then adjust your medications because something is wrong with you.

Final Score 7 out of 10

Extraordinary X-men #11: Nuff Said!

Let's face it. We're all conditioned to root for the cute teenage girl in any story that involves a monster, serial killer, creepy old man. Naturally, Apocalypse Wars panders to this sentiment, as every slasher movie has since the mid-70s. Extraordinary X-men already caters to every sentiment X-men fans have ever had about apocalyptic futures and for the most part, it works. It doesn't suck on the level of a Matrix sequel or Wolverine Origins. It doesn't break much new ground either, which has kept the story from being interesting. So far, it's biggest accomplishment is creating sexual tension between Old Man Logan and Storm while establishing how much Glob Herman wants to bone O5 Jean.

Those accomplishments are respectable in the same way that losing a dick measuring contest with Ron Jeremy is respectable. Except now Jeff Lemire is dumping some habanero sauce into the mix. He threw a Venom-powered Old Man Logan into the conflict alongside an Apocalypse-infused Colossus. With O5 Jean still so young and vulnerable, like every camp counselor ever at Crystal Lake, I'm sufficiently intrigued by what Extraordinary X-men #11 has to offer.

Like most overly innocent teenage girls, O5 Jean tries to reason with the monster first. She goes into Old Man Logan's mind, hoping to help him fight the Venom symbiote. The fact she does this fully clothed may give her an advantage in a slasher movie, but against a version of Wolverine, she might have been better off flashing him her tits. She tries to be genuine, heartfelt, and encouraging. She's Jean Grey. That's one of her strengths. This not being the first moment she's shared with Old Man Logan, her effort has real depth to it.

However, she still might have been better off flashing him her tits. This isn't just Wolverine. This is Old Man Logan. He's killed all his friends before without the aid of a symbiote. O5 Jean might as well give flowers to Jason Vorhees. It's only going to make shit messier.

Despite sincere effort, Old Man Logan is now old, grumpy, and fueled by a venom symbiote. Like giving a racist a Twitter feed, it doesn't bode well for anyone. O5 Jean is forced to fight him while the rest of the X-men fight the other horsemen of Apocalypse. It sets up a battle that is epic in principle, but not in execution. Hamberto Ramos' art makes it colorful and pretty, but other than O5 Jean's efforts to save Old Man Logan, it feels somewhat muted. It's still more exciting than typical chase in a slasher movie, but Oscar Issac's performance in X-men: Apocalypse has set a higher bar and this one doesn't quite reach it.

That's quite a feat for a battle that involves a horsemen version of Deadpool. Except, Apocalypse Wars takes a page right out of the Wolverine Origins playbook and reveals that his mouth got sewn shut so he couldn't unleash unholy pestilence and/or bad poop jokes. Short of adopting the draft strategy for the Cleveland Browns, there aren't many worse models to follow so anyone who actually paid to see Wolverine Origins may have traumatic flashbacks.

This is not to say the battle doesn't have its moments. In addition to O5 Jean's effort with Old Man Logan, the young mutants who shined in earlier issues get to shine again against Colossus. Glob Herman still doesn't do much to make O5 Jean want to bone him, but Ernst really kicks ass here and it's always somewhat satisfying when a D-lister kicks a little ass. Sure, Colossus is a horseman and he's able to fight back and remind them that they're still a long ways from teaming up with Wolverine, Captain America, or even Squirrel Girl. Still, they get to accomplish more than most teenagers not named Kamala Khan.

While the battle in the future rages, there is also another ongoing side-plot in the past. This one involves Magik and her new student, who has powers that allow her to domesticate demons. In terms of a teacher/student relationship, it couldn't be a more fitting dynamic outside a Batman comic or a bad porno. However, that dynamic comes to an unexpected and somewhat forced end.

For reasons that are somewhat vague, Magik's new student decides to leave. She claims she just started having nightmares of killing her teacher. She's young. I don't think she understands that every teenager feels that way about certain teachers at some point. Granted, her dreams involve real demons, but it still feels abrupt and shallow. There is some heartfelt words in her goodbye note to Magik, but they're hardly Pixar level heartfelt. Anyone who saw Inside Out last year is not going to be very moved.

Back in the future, there's still plenty of battle to go around and it's not the kind of battle that would ever make it into a Pixar movie. Sensing that fighting Old Man Logan/Venom without O5 Jean willing to flash her tits is a losing battle, Nightcrawler and Storm decide to skip a couple steps and fight the source of this shit storm.

It also gives Nightcrawler a chance to show that his balls have descended again, which is important since he's dealing with Storm and he gave her a lot of reasons to question the integrity of those balls earlier in the series. He wants to prove himself by helping her take down Apocalypse. Short of getting nude pictures from Emma Frost, I can't think of a better way for any X-man to prove himself.

Nightcrawler and Storm channel their inner Indiana Jones, minus the Crystal Skull, and navigate Apocalypse's lair. It's full of the same traps and shit that Indiana Jones faces every other Thursday, but it also has Moon Knight standing in their way. Pretty sure Indiana Jones would have problems with that. There are just some obstacles that can't be overcome by a whip and an awesome hat.

It does give Nightcrawler another chance to prove himself and he succeeds. He's able to fight off Moon Knight and I'm a bit more convinced that his balls have at least partially descended. It's hard to say whether Storm is convinced, but I think she's more confident. Probably still would've helped if he got some nude pics of Emma Frost, but one step at a time I guess.

Finally, they reach Apocalypse. I won't say it's anti-climactic, but I will say that without Oscar Isaac, it's hard to have the right impact. He's not that imposing. He looks like a Vegan with food poisoning. It's like he spent most of his future in a shitty retirement home in Mississippi. He claims to be the heart of Omega World and I guess that's pretty strenuous. While this does provide a legitimate reason why he's not as imposing as before, it also limits the scale of the battle that follows.

That's not to say Apocalypse is a pushover though. Even at his weakest, he can still kick more ass than most people not named Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. In some respects, it makes the battle between him and Storm much more even. That doesn't stop Apocalypse from reminding her that mutants had their shot and they fucked up. He already decided that they shouldn't survive. She's just pissing into the wind at this point and blaming Cyclops for it. Can't say he's entirely wrong in his sentiment either.

Now the final battle against Apocalypse and the ongoing battle with his horsemen is escalating. It's all coming together in a final clash to decide the future. It's the kind of shit that gives X-men an appeal that the racist, Xenophobic, slave-owning Inhumans will never have. This battle might not be on the same level as Secret Wars, Messiah Complex, or even Deadpool fighting off squealing Ryan Reynolds fans. It is somewhat generic, but it's still a battle that has all the classic elements of an X-men vs. Apocalypse clash. It doesn't have Sophie Turner, Jennifer Lawrence, or Oscar Isaac to give it some extra personality, but other than sewing Deadpool's mouth shut, it doesn't fuck up the formula too much.

It only becomes overly fucked when Nightcrawler shows up, having failed to save the ark of mutant embryos that instigated this shit storm in the first place. So how does he make up for it? He fucking impales Apocalypse with his sword. Okay, I'll say it now. Nightcrawler's balls are back and I'll gladly fondle them to make up for all the times I called him a whiny little bitch. Sure, stabbing a weakened Apocalypse is like winning a fight against a hung over Jackie Chan. It's still a badass feat none-the-less.

Unfortunately, it also means that the X-men are now fully fucked. They're stuck in the future, remember? Apocalypse is the heart of Omega World. If he does, what happens to Omega World? Same thing that happens when you rip the heart out of anything. Nightcrawler may have doomed the X-men, but at least he'll die with a full set of balls and I guess that's something.

So...is it awesome?

Well there's a lot of apocalyptic action and ominous foreboding, but that's fairly typical for the course for the penultimate issue of a major story. Shit is dire and grim. Again, it's the penultimate issue. It would be weird if the X-men didn't face a grim scenario where they are about to die, get exiled in the future, or be stuck in a locked cage with Deadpool for all eternity. There aren't a whole lot of revelations and there aren't a lot of tie-ins with the other X-men comics. It's not overly complicated or convoluted either, which is as rare as a decent Johnny Depp movie these days. So Extraordinary X-men #11 doesn't drop an atomic shit bomb or anything.

That said, it's not going to make anyone's panties wet. The character drama and personal moments that highlighted earlier issues aren't as intense. The clash with Apocalypse feels underwhelming. This is a guy who had to be taken down by the Phoenix in X-men: Apocalypse. Yet here, he's taken down by a sword that World of Warcraft fans probably have laying in their closet somewhere? Not saying that kills the story, but nobody can say their assholes clenched at any point during this battle. With one issue left though, Apocalypse Wars still has plenty going for it. The fact it resorts to sewing Deadpool's mouth shut gives me cause for concern though.

Final Score: 6 out of 10

Broken Legacy Chapter 5: Rising Bloodlust is LIVE!

Let’s face it. There are some topics that DC will just never touch with Superman. He’s too much of an icon and an ideal to ever address tough issues that make people feel too uncomfortable. There’s no question that if he wanted, Superman could fly all over the world and confront atrocities like war crimes, refugees, and mass exploitation by governments and criminals alike. It exposes the very depths of human corruption and depravity. It’s just too hard and distressing to create a story about that.

I like to think I’ve made a concerted effort to tell that story in Broken Legacy. It isn’t just a Superman/Wonder Woman story. It’s a story about them dealing with a very sensitive, very harsh issue that will never be mentioned in the comics. These aren’t just unpleasant secrets surrounding who their ancestors are or who Zeus knocked up. These are direct affronts to every concept of justice that we as a people value. It’s not Lex Luthor trying to take over the world. It’s the scars left by atrocities that cannot and will not heal.

Tyr-El is the personification of this concept. He is on a different level compared to Lex Luthor. It’s not about ego or greed for him. He just has a goal and he’s willing to torture, maim, and desecrate anyone or anything that gets in his way. In fact, he will go out of his way to do just that if it makes his goal more stable and achievable. That’s what makes him a threat unlike anything Superman, Wonder Woman, or the human race have ever faced before. It’s also what makes him so dangerous.

This story has set up and confronted all these grim concepts. Now, it’s time to set up the final clash. As I’ve said before, I have had to tweak this story at times. The recent events of the comics, especially those surrounding Superman, have made it difficult to make this story on the same level of Strangers In Paradise. It’s just hard to put that kind of energy into a story when inspiration is lacking. However, I am still committed to completing this story in as satisfying a way I can. This chapter should set the stage for a defining resolution that I hope Superman/Wonder Woman fans will enjoy during these dark times.

Broken Legacy

Chapter 5: Rising Bloodlust

I don’t yet know how many chapters this story will end up being. Again, don’t expect anything on the scale of Strangers In Paradise. I always intended this story to be more concise and focused. It may be my last Superman/Wonder Woman story for a while, but that’s just all the more reason to make it awesome as it can be.

Bracing for Heartbreak and Embracing it: Ms. Marvel #8

The following is my review of Ms. Marvel #8, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

Everyone has an inflated opinion of those they idolize. Those inflated opinions allow people to overlook flaws like Tony Stark's drinking, Spider-Man's irresponsibility, or Deadpool's crude sense of humor. For better or for worse, idols often become tied to identity. When one of those idols messes up in ways that make for great tabloid headlines, some take it as an affront to their identity. In this sense, Kamala Khan is setting her identity up for a beating.

Civil War II effectively drew the lines in the conflict. Now, targets are finding their way towards certain characters and Kamala Khan is at the front of that line. Few characters who aren't Spider-Man clones are as closely tied as Kamala Khan and Captain Marvel. Kamala Khan's entire persona as Ms. Marvel is built around her idolizing Carol Danvers. She is the quintessential fangirl and it shows in lovably humorous ways every time their paths cross. Now, G. Willow Wilson is setting Kamala up for a level of heartbreak that exceeds that caused by any Skrull imposter or Hydra agent.

Ms. Marvel #8 begins the process of tying Ms. Marvel's story into the larger conflict unfolding in Civil War II. It's a process that is destined to pit this young, aspiring hero against the idol who inspired her. The emotions surrounding this conflict are as volatile as can be without a Hulk being involved, but G. Willow Wilson doesn't focus on this initially.

Instead, Ms. Marvel #8 starts from the opposite end of the emotional spectrum. Wilson focuses on the hope and benefits of having someone who can accurately predict the future without the added complications of time machines, stage tricks, or excessive phone bills. Just like Civil War II #1, these benefits manifest in major ways for Ms. Marvel. However, just like Civil War II #1, the fine print in these benefits promise to send her to the other end of that emotional spectrum and that end comes with a lot of pain, as War Machine can attest.

Captain Marvel, her trusted idol, tasks Ms. Marvel with making use of Ulysses' foresight. This means she gets her first team of side-kicks, an important milestone for any superhero not mentored by Bruce Wayne. Thanks to these new resources, she is able to stop the leader of a Canadian syndicate of ninjas from going on a rampage in a tank. The basic details of that scenario sound so absurd when said out loud, but they are a testament to the kind of cartoonish conflicts that make Ms. Marvel's narrative so much fun.

The fun doesn't last though. As often happens with teenagers trying to change the world for the better, they trip over some unpleasant realities along the way. Ms. Marvel finds herself treating potential crimes as actual crimes, something every non-Hydra version of Captain America would have problems with. However, Ms. Marvel still believes in the greater good that this method offers. She still believes in her idol and cherishes the trust she places in her. It's like having the keys to all of Tony Stark's cars. It's not easy to give up.

It reflects one of G. Willow Wilson's most effective tactics in making Ms. Marvel such a lovable, endearing hero. She sets Kamala up for heartbreak and disappointment, but she does it in a way that has a powerful emotional impact. That impact is perfectly consistent with the ongoing themes surrounding Civil War II and the themes that make Ms. Marvel such an impactful character.

Wilson effectively uses the opposite approach that slasher movies use with stereotypical jocks. She creates this narrative where its hard not to root for Kamala Khan and her ideals. Her heart is in the right place. Her ideals are respectable. She sees the world through Disney-like ideals. It's clear that those ideals are destined to shatter under the weight of the real world, but even though the outcome is hardly surprising, the emotional undertones are clear.

Those undertones are largely driven by Ms. Marvel's adulation of Captain Marvel. This adulation goes back to before Kamala Khan got her powers. She builds her entire superhero identity around the ideals the standards that Captain Marvel sets. In the same way fans of Spider-Man don't want to believe that he would make a deal with Mephisto, Ms. Marvel doesn't want to believe that Captain Marvel is on the wrong side of a conflict. It makes the looming heartbreak even more powerful. Kamala might even need counseling from Mary Jane Watson when the dust settles.

The emotions and drama mix well with battles involving Canadian ninjas hijacking tanks. G. Willow Wilson also attempts to add a more contemporary context on the whole Civil War II conflict, exploring the history of Kamala's family and the historical conflicts within that history. However, this part of the narrative falls flat and acts as a distraction more than a supplement. Some details are relevant, but not enough to have a noticeable impact on Ms. Marvel's narrative.

There are other attempts that are slightly more successful. Ms. Marvel shows some discomfort in treating potential crimes as actual crimes, but it's not the kind of discomfort that a typical teenage superhero doesn't handle on a regular basis. Some parallels between Civil War II and the whole "tough on crime" era of the '80s and '90s come into play. Again, these efforts fall flat. It's only when the threat becomes personal to Ms. Marvel that the impact starts to manifest.

That impact and the undertones surrounding it remain the greatest strength of Ms. Marvel #8. It takes the larger conflict created in Civil War II and personalizes it. Like a bad movie teaser, it does somewhat spoil the outcome. Ms. Marvel is setting herself up for disappointment and heartbreak. All that idolizing and admiration for Captain Marvel is going to take a crippling gut punch. That punch is going to hurt, but it's worth enduring for certain characters. Kamala Khan is one of them.

Final Score: 7 out of 10