Ms. Marvel is the name of severalsuperheroines appearing incomic books published byMarvel Comics. The character was originally conceived as a female counterpart to thesuperheroMar-Vell / Captain Marvel. Like Captain Marvel, most of the bearers of the Ms. Marvel codename gain their powers throughKree technology or genetics. The first incarnation of Ms. Marvel,Carol Danvers, first appeared inMarvel Super-Heroes #13 (March 1968). The second incarnation,Sharon Ventura, debuted inThe Thing #27 (September 1985). The third incarnation,Karla Sofen, made her first appearance inCaptain America #192 (December 1975). The fourth and current incarnation,Kamala Khan, made her debut inCaptain Marvel #14 (August 2013).
Carol Danvers is the first character to use the codename of Ms. Marvel. Created by writerRoy Thomas and artistGene Colan, the characterfirst appeared inMarvel Super-Heroes #13 (March 1968).[1][2] She was a non-superpowered officer in theUnited States Air Force. After being caught in an explosion with theKree superheroCaptain Marvel inCaptain Marvel #18 (November 1969), Danvers resurfaces inMs. Marvel #1 (January 1977), with superpowers resulting from the explosion, which caused her DNA to merge with Captain Marvel's. As Ms. Marvel, Danvers becomes a mainstay of the superhero teamThe Avengers, beginning inThe Avengers #171 (May 1978). Danvers goes on to use the codenamesBinary,[3] and laterWarbird.[4] In July 2012, Danvers assumes the mantleCaptain Marvel in honor of its deceased, original bearer, Mar-Vell, afterCaptain America tells her that Mar-Vell would want her to have it.[5]
Sharon Ventura is the second character to use the codename of Ms. Marvel. Created by artistsMike Carlin andRon Wilson, the characterfirst appeared inThe Thing #27 (September 1985).[6] She was astunt performer with theThunderiders, where she met The Thing. InThe Thing #35 (May 1986), Ventura volunteered forPower Broker's experiment to receive superpowers in order to join the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation with The Thing, taking the name Ms. Marvel. Ventura later joins theFantastic Four herself inFantastic Four #307 (October 1987) and, after being hit by cosmic rays inFantastic Four #310 (January 1988), Ventura's body mutates into a similar appearance to that of The Thing and receives the nicknameShe-Thing.
Dr. Karla Sofen is the third character to use the codename of Ms. Marvel. Created by writerMarv Wolfman and artistFrank Robbins, the characterfirst appeared inCaptain America #192 (December 1975). InThe Incredible Hulk vol. 2 #228 (October 1978), Sofen becomes the psychiatrist of the villain Moonstone, also known asLloyd Bloch. Sofen tricks Bloch into giving her the meteorite that empowers him, and she adopts both the name and abilities of Moonstone. During the "Dark Reign" storyline, Sofen joinsNorman Osborn's group of Avengers, known as theDark Avengers, as the doppelganger of the previous Ms. Marvel, Carol Danvers, receiving a costume similar to Danvers' original (Danvers wore the Warbird costume at the time).[7] Sofen becomes the title character of theMs. Marvel series beginning in issue #38 (June 2009) until Danvers takes the title back in issue #47 (January 2010).
Kamala Khan is the fourth character to use the codename of Ms. Marvel. Created bySana Amanat,G. Willow Wilson, andAdrian Alphona, the characterfirst appeared inCaptain Marvel #14 (August 2013). She is a 16-year-oldPakistani-American fromJersey City, New Jersey, who idolizes Carol Danvers. Khan was given her ownMs. Marvel series, which premiered in February 2014, becoming Marvel Comics' firstMuslim character to headline her own comic book.[8]
Claire Napier ofNewsarama ranked theMs. Marvel comic book series 2nd in their "10 Best Captain Marvel stories" list, asserting, "Captain Marvel #18 is a diminished issue for Carol in terms of an active role, but a notable one for what was retconned onto it afterwards. In this issue, Carol appears to die, shot accidentally by Mar-Vell's enemy Yon-Rogg, which leads eventually to 1977’sMs. Marvel #1, whose cover proclaims 'At last! A bold new super-heroine in the senses-stunning tradition of Spider-Man!' Amen, indeed. Carol returns as a heroine and a features writer-turned-magazine editor, maligned by both the general public who believe her to be a publicity stunt and her editor, J Jonah Jameson, who happily badmouths 'women's lib'. Standing firm on her salary demands, making friends with Mary Jane Watson, confessing to amnesia during a brawl with the Scorpion, Carol is immediately more than she ever was."[9]
According to Marvel Comics,Giant-Size Ms. Marvel #1 sold out in February 2006.[10] According toDiamond Comic Distributors,Giant-Size Ms. Marvel #1 was the 121st best selling comic book in February 2006.[11][12]
According toDiamond Comic Distributors,Ms. Marvel #1 was 17th best selling comic book in March 2006.[13][14][15]Ms. Marvel TPB: Secret Invasion was 46th best selling graphic novel in March 2009.[16][17][18]
Hilary Goldstein ofIGN calledMs. Marvel #1 "good, but not a necessity," stating, "Brian Reed is trying to bring two of Marvel's best female superheroes back to the forefront. His first shot, theSpider-Woman: Origin miniseries, is a decent re-introduction to Jessica Drew.Ms. Marvel is a stronger title, however. Reed gets it. Here is one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel U and she has basically been seen as a B player. The contrast between her abilities and her low self-esteem is a great lead-in to a new series. Extra kudos to Reed for acknowledging Danvers ties to both the Avengers and the X-Men. While the focus is on her Avengers past, Reed brings back a classic X-Men villain to end the first issue. A solid start that has the potential to grow into something great."[19]
Chase Magnett ofComicBook.com gaveMs. Marvel #1 a grade of A−, saying, "Ms. Marvel is back and every bit as charming, fun, and caring as ever. Even with a new number one and a transition in art, this is clearly the comic that so many readers, both new and old, fell head over heels in love with. The creative team takes advantage of this over-sized issue to hit on all of the highlights ofMs. Marvel as well. Teen friendships and romance, the joy of fandom, over-the-top villains: it's all there in one returning series that couldn't have gotten here soon enough."[23] Jesse Schedeen ofIGN gaveMs. Marvel #1 a grade of 8.6 out of 10, asserting, "While much about Kamala Khan's life has changed in the months since Secret Wars, the quality of her comic hasn't. This series deftly picks up where the previous volume left off, building new challenges for its star heroine while doing even more to flesh out her world and the people who inhabit it."[24]
IGN gaveGenerations: Ms. Marvel & Ms. Marvel #1 a grade of 8.9 out of 10, writing, "As a Carol fan who is more than slightly miffed at her treatment of late, can I just say how great it is to see her back in action, being the hero we all know her to be? All in all, this was a freaking fun comic in a universe that has seemed of late to be nothing but dour. I can't wait to see how – or, perhaps it's better to say if – this comic affects Kamala and Carol's relationship in the future. Even if it doesn't, it was a nice dream. This is the type of comic that reminds you why you love them."[28]
