The Premise: Truth time - Ms Marvel is my favourite female superhero in comics. Not even Jubilee or Stephanie Brown can compare to her. And more than that, she's the most prominent solo female of the last decade for Marvel comics. And yet she never really gets her due, especially when you consider the facts.
-Had a successful 50 issue series in today's market
-Is almost entirely dependant from male influence as reason for existence
-What small male influence is long dead by DECADES, and scarcely relevant to the character anymore
-Kicks arse without being a stereotype, and is empowered up the caboose.
The easiest parallel for me to pull is to compare her to Wonder Woman (something Jeph Loeb and Art Adams once ran with for a Hulk story, interestingly enough), at least in what she *Should* be worth. And so here's a small one page story where I try to exploit that, kind of. In spirit.
(also yes if I do a Wonder Woman script it'll be called 'Marvelous' and be just as completely irrelevant to her opposite number, natch)
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#.1
Show of Ms. Marvel from the waist up, arms folded and looking annoyed at the scene in front of her.
Caption(Ms. Marvel): I used to wonder why I'm here. You know...
#.2
We zoom outwards to focus on the rest of the scene, with the Avengers (Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Giant Man and Hawkeye) bickering amongst themselves in the all-encompassing shadow of some monstrous being which I'll address in the necessary panel.
Caption(Ms. Marvel): With THEM. The Avengers.
#.3
Close-up on Ms. Marvel's mouth, sneering slightly.
Caption(Ms. Marvel): Not anymore.
Ms. Marvel: Enough of this.
#.4
Ms. Marvel is stepping through the crowd of Avengers, pushing them gently apart as she lays out her plan of action.
Caption(Ms. Marvel): I'm capable. I'm a leader and a clear thinker. I'm the clarity needed when the others are all wrapped up in their own dramas and distractions.
Ms. Marvel: Men, please. You're over-thinking and bickering over something REALLY simple. We are powerful. We have POWERS. When faced with a threat that's just some big powerful thing, we fight it. Now, come on...
#.5
Ms. Marvel leads the group as they run, fly and grow (apply as appropriate, natch), to reach their opponent, a giant, six-armed, overly muscular god, smashing the cityscape of New York.
Caption(Ms. Marvel): I have everything I need to save the day, and the willpower to do it. I'm MS. MARVEL.
(Note: the MS. MARVEL in this caption should probably be her logo-font-name-thing)
Ms. Marvel: ASSEMBLE!
Caption(Ms. Marvel): And I'm Wondrous.
I really do love this. Carol has so much of my love, but, unfortunately, not enough to buy that lackluster New Avengers. How could Bendis go from having her as leader of the Mighty Avengers (even if for 12 issues) to having her basically sidelined in New Avengers? Why does she barely speak in crossovers and tie-ins? Heinberg is treating her a bit better in Children's Crusade, but somehow Wolverine's assholism takes more of the spotlight. She's a fucking powerhouse, but she gets treated like Squirrel Girl (forgive me for those who have Squirrel Girl love). I think this is a Marvel problem, not a Carol problem. She, and many, many, other women deserve the spotlight, yet no one is willing to give them their due.
ReplyDeleteThey're fighting Ganesha? Awesome! :)
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, I really dig this page, Max. Nice work!