Ms. Marvel Gets Entangled with Namor's Enemy: Ms. Marvel #15 – March 1978
Ms. Marvel #15:"The Shark Is a Very Deadly Beast!"
Ms. Marvel meets an enemy she cannot easily defeat, Tiger Shark. All while Carol Danvers’ career and personal life are going up in flames.
The issue opens by telling us that time has passed and it is now fall. On this autumn day Carol Danvers as Ms. Marvel decides to drop by an old friend – Dr. Mike Barnett – as he is about to enter a pizza bar. It’s probably the same pizza bar he was in the Defenders issue, watching Ms. Marvel. They both order pizza, because I’m pretty sure authority code will be anti-alcohol as well. It’s just strange to see a superhero in costume with an ordinary person and doing regular stuff, like eating pizza and chatting. Although for Ms. Marvel, it’s the first pizza she’s ever eaten. It’s both strange and pretty awesome. The people around them are all staring at them, but no one actually approaches her. Barnett asks Ms. Marvel who she thinks the psyche-magnitron used as a “template” when it created her. Obviously, the answer is Captain Marvel, but this question strikes a nerve and Ms. Marvel leaves. Barnett is sure that she will be back… for his help. I doubt it.
Then the story switch to a futuristic flouting jail of mutated amphibians. Tiger Shark manages to escape prison and he wants to find Namor. However, the only person who knows where Namor is, his cousin - Nita. So, we have our villain and his future victim.
Then, it’s time to visit the office of “Woman” magazine. Jean Dewolff, a police Captain is there to meet Danvers. Along the way we see that Tabitha Townshend, or Tabby, the personal editorial assistant that J. Jonah Jameson forced upon Danvers is a total disaster. She breaks things, interrupts people and creates total mayhem. This doesn’t make Danvers’ office look very professional.
Danvers steps out of the office just in time to catch a giant water container. She catches it easily and passes it on to Gianelli. Gianelli complains about the weight of it. Of course, Danvers won’t notice, she’s a superhero with super strength. She also notices that Tabitha is in the center of the mayhem and away from her desk and threatens to fire her, despite Tabitha’s connections. She does it in a pleasant and yet authoritative manner. Good for her. But, this mess does not reflect well on her as a boss. There are also accounting problems which she seems to dismiss rather too easily.
Then Captain Jean Dewolff from the police comes to remind them of their planned meeting. On the way Dewolff talks to Gianelli. Just a quick reminder, he was attacked at the office and he knew his attacker, but he apparently didn’t tell the police who he was. Dewolff knows that he is hiding something and tells him that. Danvers confronts Gianelli about this. He tells her that it is a C.I.A. operator called Geoffrey Ballard and whoever gets in his way, usually ends up dead. That’s a new mystery for us. Why would such an important man come after Danvers and possibly burn her apartment? Danvers gives Gianelli the green light to dig for information.
Also like in Marvel-Team Up, she looks super stylish. Again, her style and facial features remind me of Farrah Fawcett. I wonder why the different design choice?
Then we switch to Tiger Shark. He found where Nita is. Conveniently, she’s in New-York. While he is going after Nitta, Danvers is going after an apartment. The person that arranged the apartment for her is a friend of Gianelli, because apparently New York is a small town?
While she’s checking out the apartment, she thinks to herself that she doesn’t need much because she is alone and plans to stay that way. When she goes out into the garden she notices someone running and tries to stop him.
That person is Wundarr. Who has the mind of a child and the strength of a superhero, so he managed to hit her very hard. Which apparently entails more awkward crotch positions, I mean who falls like that? This is just horrid to look at. Then she hits him back so hard that he is thrown to the apartment he jumped from. She goes in and sees that there is a woman protecting him. That woman explains to Ms. Marvel that Tiger Shark kidnapped Nita and Wundarr tried to stop him, but failed.
Ms. Marvel goes on the hunt. She finds Tiger Shark carrying an unconscious Nita and attacks without a plan. It’s funny that Tiger Shark calls her sister, he is the first man to do so, up until now only her female enemies call her that. She uses her Kree knowledge in the fight again him. But, he is too strong from some reason. He has the power of an actual shark, so shouldn’t she be stronger with her Kree powers? Apparently not.
Then the police show up in the horrible timing that they always have. They crash into him, but he is unharmed by it. He can’t believe that Ms. Marvel even dares to face him. He tells her “there isn’t a man or a machine or a weapon existing that can beat [him]! And if a man can’t do the job -- then, baby, you haven’t a prayer!” and he punches her so hard that she is knocked out for a few minutes. When she wakes up she thinks to herself: “There must be an easier way to live my life.” Because every good hero doubt himself from time to time. But, then Tiger Shark throws a car at her and she takes it to save the lives of the teenagers behind her. Tiger Shark thinks she’s dead, but he doesn’t know how strong and resilient Ms. Marvel is. Ms. Marvel flies as fast as she can after him, but Tiger Shark manages to get into the water, his element. Ms. Marvel doesn’t dare to follow him there, but swears that she will save Nita nonetheless.
It’s hard to be a career woman and a superhero. All heroes know that. But in the case of Danvers I don’t think it’s a lack of personal time that is a problem, but it looks like a lack of authoritative personality. It’s also refreshing to see someone trying to do it all, and being good at only one thing. We know that in the end she will win against Tiger Shark and that will be more important then being a good editor. She was relentless in her fight against Tiger Shark, but sometimes it’s not enough, sometimes you need something more to help you…
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