Ms. Marvel #15 Review: The Wrath Of A Literal Online Troll
By Alex Widen
Kamala Khan has faced Neo-Nazis, mad scientists, clones, giant monsters, and ninjas. Can she take on the living embodiment of a cyber troll?
Ms. Marvel #15
Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Artist: Takeski Miyazawa
Colorist: Ian Herring
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Nearly everyone who has been online has seen or been the target of a cyber troll. They’re online bullies who harass or uncover secrets just for fun. Since the Marvel Universe has always tried to pride itself on offering heroes that face similar threats to everyday people, it was inevitable that it could come to this. Ms. Marvel, who has quickly become the most iconic teenage superhero of the 21st century, now has to face the living embodiment of an online troll. As usual, there is a twist!
Image by Marvel Comics
Ever since she left a World of Battlecraft campaign, Kamala Khan has found herself cyber-stalked by a creep using a cybernetic troll avatar. This goes beyond mere teasing. This troll has seemingly discovered her alter ego! Able to send her on wild goose chases and even infiltrate the cyberspace of the Circle Q shop, Kamala finds herself overwhelmed. She barely even shows up to school the next day. Her pals Nakia, Zoe, Gabriel Hillman, and Michaela (or “Mike”) all notice.
Image by Marvel Comics
The Same Troll Is Plaguing Everyone!
Yet as freaked out as Kamala is, someone else has it worse. A classmate named Clara also had some of her secrets leaked, and is the laughing stock of the school. At lunch, Nakia and Mike bond over the shared pressure of having to “live up” to their atypical upbringings or face ridicule. Kamala ultimately extends a hand of friendship to Clara before learning she was the victim of the same troll who’s been tormenting Ms. Marvel. As a result, Kamala has more resolve to stop the troll.
Image by Marvel Comics
Ms. Marvel’s latest foray into cyber sleuthing brings her to the door of construction forewoman Tess Beckford. Not only does her online signature connect to the troll, she ultimately reveals some mysterious super powers as well. In addition, the troll—dubbed the “Doc.X virus”—has hacked into all of Jersey City’s servers. After a thrilling fight at the construction site, Ms. Marvel gets the better of Tess and the police arrive. Yet has all of this been the troll’s latest ruse?
Image by Marvel Comics
It is amusing that G. Willow Wilson and her sometime co-writer Kelly Thompson (A-Force) have come up with a similar plot simultaneously. Both Kate Bishop in Hawkeye and Kamala Khan here are dealing with exaggerations of cyber harassment. Bishop is facing general sexist harassment exaggerated into a cyber-cult, while Kamala is facing “trolling” which has taken on a mind of its own. It’s a blunt way to be topical, but Marvel Comics also milked the Cold War for over 30 years.
Image by Marvel Comics
Ms. Marvel Is Therefore the Best Kind of Topical!
Because Kamala Khan is facing threats and challenges which are similar to many young readers, she remains relevant. It has allowed Wilson to elevate Khan beyond merely being Carol Danvers’ spin off into, arguably, a heroine who is far more important. What Spider-Man was in the 1960s and 1970s, Ms. Marvel has become for the 2010s. This angle is covered in a brief but notable segment where Nakia and Mike compare growing up different from what is considered “normal.”
Image by Marvel Comics
Consequently, while Wilson may be adept at writing Kamala and coming up with topical challenges for her, she sometimes struggles to create a rogues gallery for her. One thing that helped define Spider-Man was a roster of garish yet memorable enemies. Modern day comics are too decompressed for that, but there’s still no excuse to try. The Doc.X troll has a flair and a creepy demeanor all his own. It merely remains to be seen if a sentient computer virus is a lasting foil.
Image by Marvel Comics
Takeshi Miyazawa and longtime colorist Ian Herring once again combine for an amazing issue. By this stage, Miyazawa has evolved into the series’ main artist. Adrian Alphona seems only able to pencil a few pages or a random issue after the initial launch. This actually works out well as Miyazawa’s combination of Western and Japanese comic book techniques works well for the series. Many of the same young people who love manga are the type to try out Ms. Marvel.
Image by Marvel Comics
One of Marvel Comics’ Best Ongoing Series!
The battle between Kamala and Tess in the construction yard is easily a visual highlight. There is plenty of punching, crushed planks, and throws to thrill anyone. Yet Miyazawa may excel even more at showcasing emotion. The scene at the cafeteria is a key example of this, as Kamala and her oddball crew welcome the wayward Clara. Clare barely even talks, and her emotions are always clear. Kamala’s own anxiety and frayed nerves are also apparent from a visual standpoint.
Image by Marvel Comics
In conclusion, this is yet another issue of Ms. Marvel which is the total package. A part of me is wary of being part of a choir which is being preached too. However, much as the everyday threats and fears of common readers in the Silver and Bronze age were brought to life, so too must the threats and anxieties of the Millennials. I hope the troll gets a better name than “the Doc.X virus,” so he/she/it can become part of Kamala’s gallery and challenge her beyond one story arc.
Image by Marvel Comics
Next: See the first round of the Doc.X troll in #14!
Ms Marvel has been all over the universe lately. She’s leading her own team in Champions as well as forming a band of “Protectors” in Totally Awesome Hulk. It’s inevitable that she becomes the central figure in a crossover. Yet her best appearances are always in her own ongoing series. Her stories bridge the gap between generations and offer vital lessons disguised as innovative and exciting narratives. Watching Kamala grow up, and changing the world with her, is always a treat.