CSBG Archive
Ms. Marvel #5 Review
One of the funnest things in following ongoing comics is seeing artists develop their styles. Roberto De La Torre has gone from being a decent enough artist on Ms. Marvel to really becoming an asset for the title. It is really fun to watch him grow as an artist. His current style reminds me a bit of Oliver Coipel. It’s nice stuff.
Brian Reed, meanwhile, impressed me more with this issue than the last, where I Was a bit annoyed at how Dr. Strange was used (once again) as the guy who guest stars just to be beaten up to make the hero of the book look better.
Strange fared a bit better in this issue, which was nice to see. I especially loved the bit early in the issue where Strange contacts Carol through a dream of hers. Clever stuff.
Reed also does a really cool job of using Carol’s powers in interesting ways. For instance, Carol absorbs energy, right? So what about MAGICAL energy? Interesting, eh?
In addition, the idea of Carol having an arch-enemy from another reality who she’s only faced once in this timeline? Pretty clever. I especially like when Traveler takes her to a world where alien insects have devoured the entire world. It leads to an awesome scene where Traveler takes Carol in time to the point right before the swarm attacks, and that’s the setting for their final showdown. Very nice use of dramatic tension.
The use of Carol’s powers is cool later when she teams up with Strange to defeat Traveler. Good stuff.
Also, do I have a terribly dirty mind? You tell me what is going on in the scene where Strange and Carol are right next to each other and suddenly there’s an awkward pause.
Finally, the ending ties us into Civil War. It’s going to be really interesting to see Carol be Pro-Registration without being written as a moron/tool/creep. It will be a challenge, and I wish Reed luck with it!
As for this issue, nice story and nice art?
I would recommend it without reservation.
8 Comments
toothpick
July 16, 2006 at 3:33 pm
no, you’re right. the sexual tenstion between strange and carol was mos definitely high.
plus that panel where strange has his arm around her waist and her captions read “stephen and I…together….”
i wouldn’t mind seeing that coupling happen.
Jordan D. White
July 16, 2006 at 7:11 pm
Here’s the part I thought has been odd…
The villain’s name is… uh… Something Treveler. I forget his first name.
His first name is NOT: “Judas”, as in ‘Judas Traveler’… a Spider-Man villain from the 90′s who had long gray hair, a long coat, and amazing magical powers, who turned out to be crazy.
So… yeah. Just thought I’d mention that.
Brian Cronin
July 16, 2006 at 9:42 pm
Good point, Jordan.
I, too, was wondering about the odd reuse of the last name.
Telvin
July 16, 2006 at 11:30 pm
On the other hand, this guy is from an altered reality (I am not sure the House of M counts as separate universe). When he is first seen (in Giant Size Ms Marvel), he has the whole grey hair, long coat. Also check on the magical powers and batshit crazy.
Really, if he is a nod or a play on the earlier Spiderman villain, I think it is great. As a nod to continuity that requires nothing of new readers but is a little fun for real hardcore fans I think it works nicely.
And as to any sexual tension, I also think that works well. Strange has a really distinguished persona, oodles of power and some real charm. If there is a little bit of flirtation, I can’t think of any negative for either of the characters.
Ryan
July 17, 2006 at 7:05 am
“It’s going to be really interesting to see Carol be Pro-Registration without being written as a moron/tool/creep.”
I don’t understand this, as my experience has been just the opposite: I can’t read anything said by any of the Anti-Registration characters without thinking something like, “You think vigilantism is okay because that’s just the way it’s always been? Wow, that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”
I guess making us react in completely different ways is the whole point, though, right?
Ben Herman
July 17, 2006 at 7:19 am
Ryan said … I don’t understand this, as my experience has been just the opposite: I can’t read anything said by any of the Anti-Registration characters without thinking something like, “You think vigilantism is okay because that’s just the way it’s always been? Wow, that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.â€
Definitely have to agree with you there. I am pretty middle of the road in my politics, but I do have a tendency to lean to the Left now and again.
That said, I cannot believe just how nutty the anti-Registration side appears, and yet the writers are obviously intending for us, the readers, to agree with the characters who oppose the Act. In the last issue of New Avengers, Captain America came across as a ranting paranoid conspiracy theory wacko. Which really pissed me off. I’ve been a fan of the character for years, and I usually hate when he’s scripted just to advance a writer’s policial views. This was one of the worst examples of that I’ve ever read. I ought to write a review.
Brian Cronin
July 17, 2006 at 1:10 pm
Whether you agree with Cap or not, it’s clear that the writers do, so that’s why it is interesting to see how a character like Ms. Marvel will be handled.
peach
November 16, 2007 at 4:17 pm
not hot at all I am hotter