Starred review from August 1, 2023
Gr 8 Up-The first two volumes of Wilson's "Ms. Marvel" series-which made headlines for Wilson for creating 16-year-old Muslim American New Jersey teen hero Kamala Khan-get mesmerizing adaptations with vibrant full casts. In No Normal, Kamala is Abu and Ammi's perfect little girl until she sneaks out to a party, tries alcohol, and ends up saving the queen bee from drowning (and her aggressive boyfriend) which is how Kamala finds out she's a superhero. Figuring out, much less controlling, her powers is gonna take work. By Generation Why, Kamala's learning more about herself (past and present). Her concerned parents send her to Sheik Abdullah hoping he'll correct her erratic behavior, but he turns out to be surprisingly supportive. Good thing because Kamala must team up with Wolverine (her fave!) to save Jersey City's youth from a delusional Inventor. Parasuraman, who convincingly embodies Kamala's transformation from bewildered "Wh-what?" to the confidence of "The world comes at you fast. You gotta stay light on your feet," headlines the stellar production. VERDICT Although Marvel owns distribution, the "Movie in Your Mind"-GraphicAudio folks get major kudos for creating a marvelous ride.
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