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‘Ms. Marvel’ tackles a Muslim hero’s teen troubles in a starry-eyed Disney+ series

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Kamala faces a well-recognized set of points, rising up as a dutiful daughter whose protecting Pakistani immigrant dad and mom (Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur) are puzzled by her devotion to video video games, doodling and behaving like a giddy superfan for all issues Avengers, particularly Captain Marvel. Her dedication to attend a conference often known as Avenger-Con turns into a supply of stress, to the purpose the place she and her equally nerdy buddy Bruno (Matt Lintz) hatch an elaborate scheme to sneak out of the home.

Cleverly utilizing animation for instance Kamala’s internal fantasies, the producers convey the skinny line between these goals and a less-exciting actuality that prompts her to say, “It is not likely the brown women from Jersey Metropolis who save the world.”

However the title provides away that Kamala’s circumstances are about to vary, within the type of a mysterious bracelet that imbues her with Marvel-ous powers. As for the supply of that artifact and what it would imply, like a lot of the Disney+ collection, “Ms. Marvel” does not seem in any nice hurry to disgorge its secrets and techniques within the first two episodes.

Whereas that slow-go strategy has confirmed nettlesome with a few of Marvel’s TV efforts (most not too long ago the pallid “Moon Knight”), it really works significantly higher right here, partially as a result of the tone makes clear that Kamala’s journey is outlined at the least as a lot by what occurs when she’s in civilian garments as a dressing up. And whereas Disney has made comparable inroads in different fare, nor ought to the importance of a Muslim-American hero and the present’s cultural specificity be ignored.

Spider-Man is an apparent demographic template, however there’s additionally one thing endearing and relatable a few youthful hero who embraces her unusual predicament, partially, as she acknowledges, as a result of her head is already “caught in fantasy-land.” Maybe most impressively, Vellani is making her performing debut, so give Marvel props each for playing on a newcomer and selecting so properly.

The proliferation of Marvel initiatives to feed the streaming beast has created alternatives for every kind of tales — together with, on this newest section, origins for lesser-known characters — with various levels of success.

Already earmarked for an look in subsequent yr’s “Captain Marvel” sequel, “Ms. Marvel” could be comparatively small in scale, however after a few disappointments within the streaming house, on the subject of fulfilling its promise this child from Jersey Metropolis stands comparatively tall.

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“Ms. Marvel” premieres June 8 on Disney+.

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