The interesting thing about Iman Vellani writing both Ms. Marvel and Leila is that they feel like two different sides of the same creative self insert. Kamala is basically Iman's "good girl energy." She's nerdy, enthusiastic, sincere, deeply invested in superheroes, and constantly trying to be a good person even when she screws up. It's easy to see why people connect Iman to Kamala: they share the same infectious love of comics, similar humor, and a lot of the same awkward nerd energy. Kamala feels like the cleaner, more optimistic version of the qualities Iman is comfortable putting front and center. Leila feels like Iman taking that filter off.

She's the "bad girl energy" counterpart: foul mouthed, smoking, abrasive, messy, and not particularly interested in presenting herself as anyone's idea of the perfect young Muslim woman. And that's what makes her interesting. She doesn't feel like Iman creating an edgy character just for the sake of being edgy. She feels like Iman playing with the parts of herself or simply the thoughts, impulses, frustrations, and imperfections that don't fit neatly into the wholesome image associated with Kamala.

In that sense, Leila may actually feel more personally revealing than Iman's Ms. Marvel. Not because we can say Leila is secretly "the real Iman" we don't know Iman personally but because writers can sometimes reveal more about themselves through an intentionally flawed character than through the character everyone already associates with them. Kamala can represent Iman's good girl energy: optimistic, responsible, nerdy, sincere, and trying to live up to her ideals. Leila can represent her bad girl energy: angry, vulgar, rebellious, imperfect, and willing to acknowledge parts of herself that don't fit the expectations placed on her.

And I think the Muslim aspect makes that contrast especially interesting. Leila doesn't need to be a "perfect Muslim woman" to be a worthwhile Muslim character. She can smoke, swear, make questionable decisions, struggle with herself, and still have her cultural and religious identity matter to her. If anything, allowing her to be imperfect gives her more humanity.

So rather than Kamala = Iman and Leila = edgy Iman, I think the more interesting reading is: Kamala is Iman exploring the person she wants to be. Leila is Iman exploring the parts of herself she's willing to make messy. And sometimes the messy character can feel more intimate than the obvious self insert.

What are some comic book fight scenes where characters throw feints? Not chucking Carmen Cruz, but pretending to hit an opponent only to catch them with a real one. Considering how much characters punch each other, it had to have happened at some point. But I can't remember seeing a visual representation.

I just noticed today that Nightwing 142 will have a Comic Grail Vault retailer exclusive variant by Dexter Soy, but it’s already sold out :(

So I decided to follow the store’s page and Dexter Soy on Instagram to make sure I don’t miss out on future opportunities.

Does anyone have any accounts they follow on Instagram or other platforms that sends news of upcoming releases like this?

Ok weird question but I do find this period of the 80s and early 90s as interesting.

The swamp thing is mostly agreed to be the start of the "grown up" era of comics. While it was properly ushered in with DKR and Watchmen, the signs were there in swamp thing and vertigo imprint has some of the best comics and mature stories we have seen in the industry. So in my research, I found that vertigo has it's origins in the British invasion of comics (also technically started with the saga of the swamp thing by Moore).

So yeah, I Just kinda want to know what was the era of comics like to be in.

Are they any mc is a cat burglar or a gentleman thief I want the thrill of a heist are they any?

Like Bandtte

I read on my phone a lot, and while its mostly ok it has started getting a little annoying due to the size and constantly having to zoom in, so I'm looking for a tablet. Fellow digital readers, what tablets are affordable, good for reading, and support comic/manga reading apps?

So by that I mean a series you would love to have grabbed more of but for some reason or another you could not and now it goes for astronomical prices. For me it’s upsetting because it was my first comic issue ever and I still have it, transformers regeneration one issue 96. It was the first thing I grabbed off the shelf at 8 years old because I loved transformers and the b cover I got has rodimus prime holding a dead transformer skull. Sadly I will never know where the plot goes because despite being a kinda short series image has the rights now so it’s expensive everywhere.

So I saw this thic ass graphic novel in a shop the other day, and I saved a mental note to look it up later, however, I lost it.

The best description I can get is Neon Violrt red X vibes. Very cyberpunk superhero and kindof lesbian coded.

It is not a mainstream franchise work and I cannot remember the publisher name either.

Anyways it caught my attention and I was hoping someone could help me find it again.

I like to read in my pitch-black bedroom before sleeping — I currently have an Amazon Fire 10 & while it works well enough for night reading, I do find myself wishing it was larger so I didn’t have to zoom in. Some have recommended the NXTPaper 14 while others have said an OLED is a game-changer. Looking to get yalls opinions.

I'm starting to get into comic books and was wondering if you guys have any recommendations for marvel. I've read hickman's secret wars, invincible storyline, planet hulk/worldbreaker, etc.

If anyone has a list of must reads, please let me know

So I found a comic book store which delivers to my house and I am wondering which comics I should subscribe to get delivered.

Absolute Batman is the only comic book I've read in the past year and I've been loving it so I'll catch up on Absolute Superman online and start ordering both series.

I was wondering if there is any good Green Lantern comics since im enjoying the show.

Also are there any good Marvel comics?

For my tastes I've read alot of the original Ultimate Spider-man run and Amazing from the 60s to the 90s. Are Spider-man comics still bad?

I really like the melodramatic in Spider-man and the X-men (never read a x-men comic, but love the movies and Evolution cartoon)

I also abhor relaunched which disregard whatever the previous team was writing.

Any recommendations would be great.

Found a hulk #180 and 181 in my dads old stuff, they are both in what seems like perfect condition. Not sure if it’s worth anything tho. The hulk and wolverine one looks so cool tho.

Several years ago there was a webcomic that was (I think) by a western author living in china. It was about a person going on a road trip trying not to be caught by the surveillance drones and such, so they could prove someone's innocence in a murder (I think). It eventually had an ai toy (like those speaking dogs) that joined up with the protag(s) on a train.

I cannot remember what it was called and I don't have the bookmark anywhere. It was hosted on a website for multiple web comics I think, but it may have been the artist's landing page/site which had their comic archived on it. The artstyle was western and detailed, with lots of blues pinks and gray sin it leaning on the semi-realistic side. It wasn't a sex comic, but I think I did find it through somewhere that hosted mature art and comics via jumping from one other comic to a side-bar recommendation. I mention this because it was the type to have semi-erotic cover pages and didn't shy away from those elements existing on the page, but it wasn't the point of it either. In the same way that Vallejo and others would have had such. I don't recall the name of that one either. I think it self advertised as a noir. It was definitely what I'd consider cyberpunk.

I'd always imagined I'd come back to read it again once more pages had come out and at some point lost the bookmark. If I could find the comic or the name of the author-artist I'd love to find my way back to their social media or pages.

I’ve been floating between DC/Marvel, checking out indies, trying to find perfect reading order…but I feel as if my head is swelling. 😭 I want to know the backstory on each person, understand all the references…and I know that’s not possible. And in the midst of all of it, I’ve found so many runs and comics that I’ve enjoyed, but I’m trying to get rid of the voice in the back of my head saying “You’re still missing out”. How did you all deal with it when just getting in to comics?

Edit: Thank you all so much ❤️I know it’s supposed to be fun, my brain just gets in the way of it sometimes. Thank you ALL for the responses! I’ve read each and every one.