My thoughts after reading Ms. Marvel issues 2 and 3

One of the things I enjoy about the series is Kamala continues to grow as a character. Her flaws are what make her human. I would like to say I will try not to have any spoilers, but sometimes I think spoilers are good. In my opinion spoilers encourage the reading. But I will say my spoilers may not be in order, as I am writing my thoughts on both issues
 

I like her brother, he was funny in issue #2. I thought that part was so funny when she came home past curfew and he asked Kamala who had done this to her. This being her clothes dirty and a mess. When she said no one, just like a brother he said well then you are in trouble.

In issue #2 Kamala deals with her first save the citizen encounter. (Save the citizen, sorry I have watched Sky High one too many times.) She also faces her first “with great power, comes great responsibility” moment when she rescues her first person. In this moment she is reminded of a quote from her dad. “Whoever kills one person, it is as if he has killed all mankind and whoever saves one person, it is as if he has saved all mankind.” Can I say, I rather liked the pun, this hands thing is getting out of hand. Classic Marvel super hero.

In issue #3 she also faces her first on breaking news moment, after saving someone’s life. In issue #3 Kamala learns she can change into anyone she wants besides Ms. Marvel, however we learn she is still not comfortable in her own skin. But if we all remember being a teenager than we all understand trying to figure out who we are. Of course in this issue Zoe would not be the popular kids who has yet to learn her lesson, but saying when Ms. Marvel saved her life she told her she was like better than this. Like getting drunk is uncool. Like you know?

By the way I enjoy the set up. Biokinetic polymer makes fabric stretch. Wink, wink. I also enjoyed the nod to Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, “strange things are afoot at the Circle Q.”

I can’t believe they shot Kamala. I know that was a huge spoiler. But when you’re reading a comic. (Yes, I said comic. I’m sorry I’m old school.) And they end a comic that way, and you have to wait until the next issue. It’s like having to wait until the next season of Walking Dead or whatever other show that the world to you because you have invested so much in the characters. And if something happens to one of the characters or the story line, and you can’t stop thinking about it the whole week because it’s all consuming. But you can’t help face the fact that you’ll have to wait until next time. Sorry about that as you can see, I am really wanting to know what happens next. Sometime those three words are devastating. Okay maybe not devastating, that’s a bit dramatic, it’s more like a Tom Haverford, "Noooooo!"

Those three words being, "to be continued …."

Give Me Back My Story

Disclaimer: I am not a prude.

I wanted to write about something that is not necessarily a pet peeve. Perhaps it might be, I am not sure but I will say it is something that I talk about from time to time. (I want to apologize to my husband in advanced for talking about it again.)

I often ask, why does a good movie or television show have to be interrupted with sexual content? Again, I am not a prude. But can I please have my story back? I’ll give an example. A little while ago my husband and I decided to begin watching Game of Thrones, so we placed the series on hold through our local library. (I highly recommend public libraries folks. They have books, magazines, DVDs, Blu-ray, music galore. And they are free!) 

So we begin watching the show, and we are both like hey this story line is pretty good. Then all of a sudden... private regions. I think we spent seasons 1 and 2 fast forwarding through most of the DVDs. I was, I have to admit pleasantly surprised with how we did not fast forward as much through season 3.

My main point of asking for my story back, is I get the idea. I do not need to see two people being fully intimate to understand what is going on. If I were watching a movie and two people are kissing and then fade to black. It does not take a lot of imagination to figure out what happens behind closed doors, or wherever said place is.

Dude seriously, can you imagine how much of the story you can fit into a television show, or how many more action scenes you could have in a movie if you took out sexual content? In my opinion, it would be pretty sweet. I just like it when a movie focusing on the story and character building verses trying to shock people, or gain viewership. 

Bonus, some story lines would not feel as rushed either. Plus there are plenty of shows where there story line can be super awesome without the story having 98% sexual content in each episode. The Walking Dead, BSG, Star Trek, The Guild, Firefly, Doctor Who, just to name a few.

 

Not to mention how it depicts women. I am not trying to get all soap box here. But why does a strong female lead character have to display that strength through sex. (Side note… Yes, I know, Starbuck in Battlestar (side note to side note. Reimagined BSG, not original.) had… What do the kids call it? Oh yeah sex.) But that was a flaw in her character and we didn’t see skin for minutes on end.) Back to my point. Why can’t smart and funny be displayed as strengths? While we are on the subject, when did society be the ones to determine what beautiful is. Whoever is in said “society.” Societal based beauty is the reason why some little girls think they have to dress a certain way, and sadly pretend they are not smart in school by not raising their hand in class.

To say that I just don’t understand it would be an understatement, but it’s all I can ask because sadly it won’t change. All we can do is hit fast forward, or simply turn off the power button.

I can draw! I can draw?

I recently saw a speaker who asked a group of adults, who here can draw? In a room of over 1,000 people only about 5 or so raised their hands. Then he went on and said, if I went to a high school about 10% of students would raise their hands. Then he asked, if I were to go into a kindergarten class how many students would raise their hands? If you are like me your answer is the same as mine. 100% would raise their hand.

I have been thinking about that question a lot. It’s true what happened? When we (and again this is not in reference to every single person) were younger we were never afraid of being wrong. And we were never afraid of saying I can do this. 

Which reminds me of a movie I’ve seen recently, About Time. For you Bill Nighy fans, if you love Nighy-isms, you’ll enjoy this movie. Tim’s dad played by Nighy tells his son (Domhnall Gleeson) that the men in their family can travel back in time. There are a couple of conditions that come with the time travel. They can only travel to places they have been. Tim decides to use this power to find love, as he and his dad call it the mother ship.

Later in the movie Tim learns his dad (Nighy) has cancer, after he passes away Tim’s wife wants another child. Tim is unsure because it means that he will never be able to see his dad again. If they travel to far back before their children are born they will come back to a completely different child. For example instead of a daughter, they would have had a son.

Tim’s dad tells him to live each day twice. Once with all the tension, and sets of everyday life and the other with seeing everything in appreciation. Soon Time learns just to live life enjoying the small things. 

Sorry I went off on a bit of a rant. One because it was an awesome movie, and for two I have a point to this movie summary.

It seems like the older we get the more in line with society we become, the more afraid we are of saying the wrong thing or just being afraid to make a mistake. At times it can be exhausting because we have to force ourselves to remember the joy in the little things. And it shouldn’t be that way, we should not have to force ourselves. 

I don’t say this to be on a soap box, and my we’s are not to everyone or anyone…just something I have been thinking about.

“Every so often I’ll have, like, a moment. When just being myself, in my life, right where I am is, like enough.” –Angela Chase, My So Called Life.