When House of M was originally being published, it always struck me as odd that writer Brian Michael Bendis set up a human as the most beloved super-heroine in a world dominated by mutants. The subplot was abandoned in that limited series, and it didn't turn up again until a recent issue of New Avengers. It turns out that throwaway bit from a crossover limited series was to serve as the launching pad for this new series, but it's clear that the real point of the new Ms. Marvel title is to capitalize on the popularity of those other two books. The premise here is a simple one, and in fact, it's just too simple. Aside from the standard super-heroics, this story explores a super-hero's inferiority complex, and it's not all that engaging.
Carol Danvers remembers a completely different life, a world in which she was the darling of the masses, the focal point of every camera and the answer to the prayers of every person in need. In the world of the House of M, she was Captain Marvel, the world's greatest super-hero. But that dream is over, and Carol finds herself once again as Ms. Marvel, a second-string super-hero whose life is like an old Camaro that's sitting up on blocks. Ms. Marvel sets out to become the most respected super-hero in the world, because she's seen the other side of the looking glass and knows it's a goal that's within reach. Picturing the goal and attaining it, however, are two different matters entirely.
De la Torre's artwork puts me in mind of the styles of such artists as Paul (Fantastic Four, Superman) Ryan, Olivier (House of M) Coipel and Mie (Amazing Spider-Man). Generally, he strives for a strong sense of realism, and he pulls it off well. I can't help but wonder if a series that's just about a super-hero being the best super-hero she can really needs to go big on realism. The action and storytelling flows well visually; even the repeated flashbacks with no overt cues in the art aren't confusing at all.
One has to give writer Brian Reed credit for offering up such an accessible first issue. Despite the title character's long and convoluted history, he doesn't let it get in the way of the story. He approaches Ms. Marvel has a generic super-heroine, and her generic nature ends up being the central character-driven conflict of the series. He throws the protagonist in the deep end of the pool, so to speak; the story does dawdle but rather steams ahead full speed.
One of the reasons it's able to do so is that thus far, the series seems to be without supporting characters, save for a guest-starring New Avenger (in civilan garb) and Carol's therapist. The reason there are no peripheral characters? Ms. Marvel has decided to make super-heroing her whole life, and therein lies a problem. By trying to become a special super-hero, she abandons any kind of life or identity. Furthermore, her need to be the best is pure ego. It's not enough for her to just help people, and I don't find that character trait to be to my liking all that much. This new and "improved" Carol Danvers is kind of boring, and what personality she does exhibit isn't terribly appealing. 6/10
