Captain Marvel: Stay Fly

Gr 7 Up—Marvel's marvelous ladies grow all the more impressive as their creators delve deeper into their lives. It's life, love, and Loki in the third volume of "Ms. Marvel," starting with a Valentine's issue that brings the god of mischief to Kamala's school. Following this fun diversion is the main event. Up until this point, Kamala, the self-described "nerdy Pakistani-American-slash-inhuman," has defeated a number of baddies, but love, that's a whole new level. The dashing Kamran seems perfectly compatible. However, when he tries to "recruit" Kamala to an inhuman supremacist faction, she knows where her loyalties lie. This volume's mixture of the heroic and the slice-of-life addresses issues relevant to teens, fighting the good fight in many ways. "Captain Marvel," on the other hand, has more adult problems. She continues her space road trip of self-discovery with the girls, fending off attacks, attending a wedding, and even teaming up with Rocket Raccoon. After the first volume's serious subject matter, DeConnick mixes things up, delivering an absurdly funny story about Chewie, Carol's cat who is not a cat, and some other witty vignettes, including an exciting Christmas episode. While Ms. Marvel's graphic novel-inspired art will easily bring in new teen readers, Captain Marvel's upgraded traditional look targets both young adults and older fans alike.