Last week I read that it's important to watch the "Ms. Marvel" series before
going to see "The Marvels" in the cinema next month. That's unfair. It's being
streamed on Disney Plus, a streaming service that not many people have.
Relatively speaking. It has 140 million subscribers, which is only half as
many as Netflix. I have Disney Plus, so maybe I shouldn't complain too loud.
I've watched the six episodes of the Ms. Marvel mini-series over the last
three days.
First I'll say that in my opinion it's not essential to watch the series
before seeing the film. I'll tell you everything you need to know in a short
paragraph:
Kamala Khan is a 16-year-old girl from Jersey City. After putting on a
bracelet inherited from her great grandmother she has the power to create
solid light. Supposedly the power comes from within her, but she needs the
bracelet to channel it. Her great-grandmother was a Djinn, and Kamala has some
of the Djinn properties. Kamala's costume is similar to the costume of Captain
Marvel (Carol Danvers) because Kamala is a cosplayer who likes to dress up as
her. There's no obvious connection to Captain Marvel herself until a brief
after-credits scene in the final episode when Kamala disappears and is
replaced by Captain Marvel.
That's it. I'm not putting you off if you want to subscribe to Disney Plus,
but there's no rush.
My opinion of the series is mixed. The new Ms. Marvel (why not Miss Marvel?)
is an interesting character, but the series is somehow childish. Kamala and
her friends are 16, but based on the way they talk and act they could just as
well be 12-year-olds. It's Marvel for kids. The first three episodes, which
take place in New Jersey, are very superficial. The following episodes, which
take place in Pakistan, have more substance. That's just my gut feeling.
You'll see what I mean if you watch it yourself.
Now I'll sit and wait for "The Marvels". I hope I shan't be disappointed.
I've been reading posts on forums, and many Marvel fans says that the MCU
films should have ended with
"Avengers Endgame",
followed by a reboot. I agree. It's time to start again.
I take it that the date on posts is when you watched it rather than when the posts went up?
ReplyDeleteI rather liked Ms. Marvel, largely for the fresh energy and the Pakistani cultural and history sequences giving the show/characters their own feel. It's Ms. instead of Miss due to when the character originally debuted back in 1977. Ms. was symbol of enlightenment and power in them ancient times. Legacies cling.
BTW - there is one nice benefit for some from the ongoing Hollywood strikes. Ms. Marvel aired on ABC over two consecutive weekends to help fill the programming gap. So non-D+ subscribers did get a chance to see it on that channel if they had it. But, yeah - they really should include any essentials in the film since the series wasn't universally available.
As for childish behaviour from the characters - sadly, the argument could be made that it doesn't reflect on their ages so much as them being Modern Americans. Our society is rapidly regressing to children, so they fit right in.
The current plans seem to call for a reboot after Avengers 6 - that one will be the big multiversal collision that would naturally lead into a rebooted universe formed from the aftermath.
Yes. I have the habit of backdating posts to the time when I watched the films (or series). Usually it's only a day at the most. I was two days late writing about "Ms. Marvel".
DeleteThe title of the 1977 comic book (which was actually very good) made sense. Carol Danvers was an adult woman, and the use of the title Ms. was in vogue as a way to remove the distinction between married and single women. In the case of a child it's silly. Everyone knows she's single, so she can be called Miss.
As for the reboot, the sooner the better. Just do it right. The Spider-Man reboot with Andrew Garfield was a mess, and the trilogy was abandoned after the second part.
On Ms. Vs. Miss - You're using Real World logic. That often conflicts with Business/Lawyer logic (which here is based in Trademarks & Copyrights and holding the rights on the previously established name over simple rationality). Your way makes more sense, but is irrelevant to their thinking.
Delete"Just do it right."
Indeed.
The heroine's name isn't used in the series itself. She's just called Kamala or (unwillingly) Night Light. "Ms. Marvel" is only used as the title of the series. Incidentally, many people pronounce "Ms" and "Miss" the same, so it doesn't really matter how it's spelt.
Delete