In 1995, writer Mark Waid and artist Humberto Ramos teamed up to deliver one of the best-ever runs on a teen superhero comic with DC’s Impulse, chronicling the high school experience of Bart Allen, the lightning-fast grandson of Barry “The Flash” Allen. Twenty years later, Waid and Ramos reunite and return to high school for next week’s S.H.I.E.L.D. #2, introducing the characters from Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV series to Kamala “Ms. Marvel” Khan, whose school is under attack from a student with access to supervillain technology. (This has become a regular occurrence for Kamala, whose school was recently targeted by killer robots in the latest arc of Ms. Marvel.)
The new S.H.I.E.L.D. ongoing series pairs Waid with a different artist for every self-contained issue—last month’s debut featured art by Carlos Pacheco, and Waid’s collaborators on future chapters include the great Alan Davis and Chris Sprouse—with Ramos serving as the perfect artist for a story spotlighting Marvel’s breakout teen character. Ramos’ exaggerated linework isn’t right for every character, but it works very well for Kamala, who is able to manipulate her body in ways that challenge traditional human anatomy. Working with inker Victor Olazaba and colorist Edgar Delgado, Ramos delivers energetic visuals in this preview of S.H.I.E.L.D. #2, bringing a youthful exuberance to the page that matches Kamala’s plucky personality.
