Ms Marvel Vol 1: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona. Reviewed by Cavan Scott

It isn't hard to see why Marvel's new eponymous hero was the breakout comic hit of 2014. And I'm going to say it right now - Ms. Marvel is the freshest super-kid on the block since the Amazing Spider-Man himself.

Like Peter Parker before her,  Kamala Khan has enough to deal with before she receives super-powers. The daughter of strict Muslim parents, Kamala struggles to fit in with her friends and just wants to be herself, even if that's an awkward 16-year-old who is happiest writing Avengers fan-fiction.

Disobeying her parents, Kamala sneaks out to a party only to get caught in a mysterious fog. Overcome by the mist, she hallucinates a visit from the Avengers and wishes she could become Ms. Marvel, complete with the super-heroine's traditionally inappropriate outfit.

When the fog clears, Kamala awakes to find that her wish has come true. Suddenly, she is white, blonde, statuesque and wearing a revealing costume. Gulp! Her parents are going to kill her!

It turns out that Kamala has become a shape-shifter, able to take other people's form and stretch, grow and shrink on demand. Returning to her original 16-year-old form, Kamala has to piece her life back together - and try to work out how to save the world without getting grounded!

Collecting the first five issues of the series, Ms. Marvel is funny, action-packed and full of heart. G. Willow Wilson's streetwise script sparkles, perfectly realised by Adrian Alphona's dynamic art. And you'll be pleased to know that the spray-on, body-hugging costumes soon disappear! In Ms. Marvel, the house of ideas has produced an exciting new role model for young comic fans.

And for older comic fans too, for that matter.

Cavan Scott

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