Ms. Marvel, Vol. 7 & 8 // I've missed this!

It's been too long since I'd last caught up with Ms. Marvel, so here are a couple of mini reviews for the last two issues. You can find my reviews for the first 6 issues here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 7: Damage Per Second - ★★★☆☆

I'd forgotten how much I missed Kamala! Volume 7 deals with the importance of voting, life in the age of technology, and has an issue that catches us up on what Bruno is up to. As always, Ms. Marvel is filled with relatability and optimism. It asks for us to have better internet discourse and challenges perceptions of race, sexuality, and disability. 

It has been a while since I've read this series, but I feel as though this volume didn't do anything special or outstanding. It wasn't my favourite, but Kamala's story makes me smile too much for me to ever want to stop reading.

Favourite quotes:

• "It's like being an immigrant kid... you have to be the best, 'cuase if you're not, it's proof that your parents and their culture messed you up."
• "So why is it so hard to be kind? Why does being nice feel so embarrassing? Why can't we just say "Hey, it could've been me. I've sent those emails. I've taken those selfies. I've tried to hide stuff from my parents. It could've been me, so I'm gonna help you through it. I'm gonna stand with you through the waves of mortifying embarrassment and it's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay because we're gonna make it okay." Imagine what would happen if compassion were normal. Imagine how many people would still be here. Imagine that."
• "They see the crutch, the limp, the useless arm. Even though I'm acting wildly suspicious, they know I'm not a threat [...] people look at me and think I'm broken."

Ms. Marvel, Vol. 8: Mecca - ★★★★☆

Volume 8 was another great chapter in the adventures of Kamala. The tone felt a little off in volume 7, but the latest instalment felt like things were back on track. 

There are two main storylines in this volume. The first is set at Eid and had a lovely sense of community, even when villains try to interfere. The parallels between the treatment of immigrants and of superpowered people were not subtle, but they were powerful. The second storyline involved a little more self evaluation from Kamala, and things start to shift when a familiar hero comes to Jersey City. All in all, another good update to the series. 

Favourite Quotes:

• "you don't get to throw people in the back of a truck just because you don't like the way they look."
• "I always thought the kinds of people who run the government would accept people like me eventually. Like one day, I'd be part of the club [...] Shared values, you know? But then stuff like this happens. And I realize we don't actually share any values at all."