Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1 - Category B, Prompt D

A major turning point in Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1 occurs in issue #4, when Kamala defies her parents and, after finally confiding in Bruno, begins working on a flexible supersuit that will allow her to confidently fight crime. She's now committed to her second life as a superhero and takes on the mantle of Ms. Marvel (after favorite hero Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel's previous identity).

There are two major fight scenes after this point: one at the end of issue #4, and one in the beginning of the All-New Marvel NOW! Point One bonus material. During one of these scenes, I'd play "Battle Symphony" by Linkin Park, off their new album One More Light (2017).

[lyrics available here]

This would be a serious, uplifting/inspirational interpretation of the song (much like "Iridescent" in Transformers: Dark of the Moon or Soundgarden's "Live to Rise" in Marvel's The Avengers). The major theme of these passages is that Kamala believes in herself and believes fully that she is doing the right thing by safeguarding Jersey City against villains like the Inventor. 

To get to this point, however, took a lot of courage and willingness to get past her the pain of her first, failed attempts. 

I been searching for an answer

Always just out of reach

Blood on the floor

Sirens repeat

I been searching for the courage

To face my enemies

She also had to defy those who would just worry (like her parents) or those who ostracize her (like the cool kids).

They say that I don't belong

Say that I should retreat

The biggest reason to include this song (perhaps even in a trailer) would be the inspirational, powerful chorus.

I hear my battle symphony

All the world in front of me

If my armor breaks

I'll fuse it back together

Battle symphony

Please just don't give up on me

And my eyes are wide awake

If I fall, get knocked down

Pick myself up off the ground

If I fall, get knocked down

Pick myself up off the ground

Category B - Prompt C

Kamala's Twitter

https://twitter.com/kamala_marvel

I decided to create a username for Kamala that included part of both her real name and her superhero identity. She seems to find her identity at the end of the comic. Her identity is rooted in her confidence in herself as Kamala as well as her super powers. I posted a few tweets that tied together her life as a teenager and a superhero. Rather than posting in chronological order following the events of the novel, I posted things that Kamala would have said towards the end of the novel. I wanted to highlight her confidence in herself and her newfound identity. I included tweets about being grounded, fighting crime, and eating food. Of course, I had Kamala follow all things superhero. Her love for Marvel and The Avengers specifically got her where she is now. I also made sure Kamala followed a few Jersey City related pages. She would need to stay updated on current events and the weather in order to fight crime and help people in need. I followed a page called “Bruno guy” in representation of Kamala’s friend Bruno. I also followed “Zoe Zimmer,” a page created for Zoe by a fellow classmate. Even though Zoe is self-centered, Kamala is still interested in what she is up to. Kamala did save her after all.

Christina Bonfanti 

Ms. Marvel Category B Prompt 2

The theme I focused on in choosing these memes was female identity -- more specifically how Kamala struggles to find her own. The first meme I chose reflects how she desires to be white and blonde. It doesn't matter that she has superpowers at first, she just wants to fit in. Society preaches to everyone, women especially, to "be themselves" despite the fact that the "selves" they wish people to be are laid out for them with little to no choice. This leads to the second meme I chose which is reflective of Kamala feeling uncomfortable in her new physical appearance. What was once a dream come true, turns into a nightmare as once again she struggles to grasp her identity. The third meme I chose is one that I've seen many times online about the difference between a "girly girl" and a "tomboy". Kamala seems to struggle with this too as she attempts to find a balance between femininity and masculinity. She enjoys video games but also wants to wear heels when she fights crime. However, the graphic novel seems to imply that femininity isn't what women should desire as Kamala ends up feeling uncomfortable in her costume. The final meme I chose is inaccurate in the ethnicity it speaks about, but correct in the message. Again, Kamala struggles with her identity since she is too Americanized for her family, but too Muslim for her American schoolmates. This shows a struggle to find an identity that balances different aspects -- religion and culture, femininity and masculinity, and society versus self.
 

Category B - Choice D : Liren Xue

Reading through the story for the first time, the song that came to mind immediately when Katsa discovers Po’s fighting Grace after the first dinner party was Britney Spears’ Toxic. This interpretation is serious, but would probably be best in a not-so-serious adaptation since the song is a bit old and campy now. I thought it was fitting since Katsa’s immediate relationship with Po is very murky and driven by emotions which she couldn’t comprehend. Most directly, their sparring is similar to Toxic’s comparison between infatuation and a drug-induced high since Katsa, without even thinking about potential other reasons for why she would feel so strangely around Po, truly enjoys the opportunity to finally be able to fight a worthy opponent. Also, since the story is pretty heavy-handed about suggesting her infatuation with him, the song’s aggressive, romantic lyrics fit well—especially considering Katsa’s original distaste toward relationships in general. Finally, I think that since the book is aimed toward an adolescent audience, the usage of a pop song would be apt in a movie adaptation though I’m not sure how outdated Britney is at this point. 

Category A Prompt C: Graceling

         I think that one literary device that Kristin Cashore uses in Graceling is foreshadowing.  Early on in the book, we learn about Katsa's dislike towards Gracelings with the ability to read minds.  Katsa's attitude towards the child that can read minds is very judgmental and she does not even give the child a chance.  Katsa says "Then she'll know I'll want to knock her senseless if she so much as looks at me" in regards to the mind reading Graceling (Cashore 28).  I think that Katsa's strong dislike towards this child who has the Grace to read minds foreshadows the dislike she will have for Po once she learns the truth about his Grace, which is the ability to sense Katsa’s thoughts and intentions towards him.  Katsa is appalled by the idea of anyone having the ability to read minds and does not understand “why anyone would want to keep them close” (Cashore 28). 

         Also, I think Cashore foreshadows Po’s fear of people learning the truth about his Grace.  In this scene, it is disclosed, “mind readers were valuable tools for a king to wield” (Cashore 28).  This foreshadows Po’s predicament with telling his father and brother’s the truth about his power.  Po keeps his Grace a secret because he does not want to be used by his father or brother’s to gain political ground.  This truth about mind readers being used by royalty to gain ground over their opponents and enemies is emphasized in this book early on, and this is one thing that Po, and later on Katsa, want to avoid throughout the book      

         This avoidance towards the world discovering the truth about Po’s Grace can also be argued foreshadows how Katsa snaps out of King Leck’s trance.   Katsa kills Leck in order to protect Po’s secret. If the necessity of keeping this secret was not emphasized early on in the book with the child mind reader, then it would be harder to understand Katsa’s rash decision. 

         Overall, I think Cashore foreshadows Katsa discovering the truth about Po and Po’s fear of the world finding out the truth about his Grace early on in the novel.  There are many similarities between Katsa dislike towards the child mind reader and Po’s Grace of perception in Chapter Two of Graceling. This use of foreshadowing gives the reader early insight about Po along with what to expect with Katsa reaction to determining the truth  about him and his Grace.  

Katsa of Herself Twitter

https://twitter.com/Katsaofherself

Twitter

//twitter.com/Katsaofherself

I made her username Katsaofherself instead of something like Katsaofthemiddluns because she belongs to herself and she is also a person who likes to keep things simple. I chose the profile and header pictures because they are gender ambiguous and they represent Katsa finally seeing the beach and the freedom she gained over the course of the book.

I followed Planned Parenthood and the Karate Girls because Planned Parenthood is a safe place for people to go to ensure that they are healthy and for family planning. Throughout the book Katsa says that she does not want marriage or kids and I think she would support a group that empowers women by giving them access to healthcare, birth control, and fertility help. The Karate Girls is a twitter that is about girls who do Karate. Katsa thought it very important that girls are able to defend themselves. She even questioned why men are given all the training when girls are supposed to be need protection. She did not like that women were left to rely on their brothers, husbands, sons, and fathers for protection. I followed Hillary Clinton because I think she represents a strong woman and I think Katsa would agree and support her. I followed Ashton Kutcher because of his work in trafficking. I think Katsa would follow that because her work with the council shows that she likes to save people and she would follow someone who also saves people. I followed Ruby Rose because she is genderfluid and prefers a more androgynous look. I think Katsa, if she lived in our time, would be similar.

1. I also made a few tweets.

I'll do whatever it takes to empower those who need it

Women should be able to defend themselves

Lik

He showed me control and I showed him acceptance

R

Like

My saving grace was learning of my survival grace

A woman doesn't need a husband or a child to find purpose in the world.

The tweets are about some of her principles and one is about her relationship Po. that is the most vague tweet because I don't think she would be overly emotional or obvious when she tweets about him and she wouldn't tweet about him often.

Category B Prompt C

Graceling ft. Perfume Genius

“She knew that this was her moment to choose. She knew her choice.” The fight scene-turned-love scene in Graceling is composes elements of adrenaline, risk-taking, and breaking boundaries. Katsa decides to take Po as her lover, something that is very revolutionary at the time, especially when she doesn’t show interest in marriage or children. This scene, if in a movie, would best be featured while Perfume Genius’ “Grid” plays in the background. I feel as though the lack of a large amount of lyrics and heavy, repetitive bass line would mirror the heightened heart rates between the two characters. When the lyrics do appear, they mirror the same uncertainty of the future as Katsa views in the people in her life—nothing is permanent for her, and she is okay with people coming and going. The modernity of the tune frames the modernity behind Katsa’s sexual decisions as well, which is very important to grasp in this scene, as well as throughout the book.