Shuri No. 6 review: Shuri’s Brooklyn adventures featuring Miles Morales
By Rotem Rusak
Shuri’s hunt for her missing space alien takes her on a journey to Brooklyn. There are no aliens waiting there for her, but there are new friends and new adventures.
In Shuri No. 6, guest author Vita Ayala and artist Paul Davidson step in to briefly take over the world of Shuri for a special, two-part story. Moving out of the larger arc for a moment, the audience is invited into a fun, super-powered, yet sweet, adventure between a few superhuman teens, who showcase an incredible diversity of perspectives on what it means to be hero.
Though, in the last issue, Shuri agrees take up the mantle of Black Panther, in No. 6, she sets that resolution aside temporarily once more, to be continued likely after the two-part special is complete.
With the Lubber, an insect-like, space alien, which creates black holes, still in the wind on earth, Shuri is on the hunt to track it down and destroy it. When a familiar energy signature pings her rader, she follows the trail to Brooklyn, hoping to find the creature waiting.
But the Lubber will have to wait another day. In Brooklyn, there are no space aliens, only friendly neighborhood Miles Morales dealing with a young, supervillain-in-training, who is recklessly creating black holes all over town.
Credit to Marvel Comics.
Marvel’s strongest suit is its ability to create a nuanced, and incredibly convincing, universe for itself, which looks like the real world, but is just slightly evolved. In this issue, that facet really sings, with Miles being a huge fan of Shuri’s, having watched her talks in class and knowing all about Wakanda, T’Challa, and the Royal Family. There’s a very resonant, fourth-wall breaking, sort of fannishness to their interaction, an invitation to the reader to imagine their own reactions should they get to meet the heroes of the comic pages.
Credit to Marvel Comics.
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Shuri is, perhaps, less impressed, with Miles, at first, but quickly comes around, admiring his determination, smarts, and dedication to his home. There is a great sequence of the two of them respectively calling their mothers early in the issue, which reminds the readers that, at the end of the day, these are still two young people who have extraordinary gifts and talents, but can be quite isolated because of their heroism. Though they save the world, they have all the struggles and needs that any other human, especially a young one, might have.
In each other, Shuri and Miles recognize something important, a friend.
Credit to Marvel Comics.
For the rest of the issue, the duo try to track down their compatriot on the other side of the coin, whose unstable gloves continue to create bigger and bigger black holes, even attracting the attention of a real supervillian, Graviton. There’s a distinct feeling though, that, whoever the kid on the other side of the gloves is, if anyone can get through to him, it’s Miles and Shuri.
But to do that, they’ll need to get a chance first, and the battles they’re fighting don’t seem to be going their way.
Good thing there is always more help on the way.
Credit to Marvel Comics.
Miles, Shuri, and now Kamala!
This comic is a fount of inspiration for any and all young people reading, especially those of diverse backgrounds. It is wonderful to see such a collection of power coming from sources African, African-American, Pakistani American, young, female, and more. You name it, this comic is showing it off to the highest degree, which is a move that should be applauded and emulated.
Here’s to more incredible team-ups in the next issue!
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Shuri No. 6 is available online and in-store now. Be sure to look for Shuri No. 7 when it comes out on April 17th.