Ms. Marvel faces an internet troll

Kamala enjoys playing the massively multiplayer online game World of Warcraft. Kamala’s passion becomes her biggest nightmare in the 2017 story arc “Damage Per Second,” which spans issues #14–#17 of “Ms. Marvel.” Kamala fights the virus Doc. X, who at first appears to be a real-life Battlecraft troll, in this astute examination of the culture of the internet. This deadly villain exploits the interconnected networks of the modern world to discover Kamala’s identity as Ms. Marvel, and then threatens to broadcast it to the world unless Kamala performs what it wants. When that plan falls through, Doc. X shifts his attention to Kamala’s friend Zoe. It is not well known that Zoe is a lesbian. She’s been writing love letters to her best friend Nakia on her phone since she’s head over heels for her. Doc. X threatens to distribute those letters to the entire student body if Kamala doesn’t cave in.

The aftermath is one of the series’ most emotionally powerful moments. Devastated by the onslaught of hostility, Kamala and her friends console Zoe in the school corridor. This demonstrates their unwavering support for her in the face of any and all trolls. Kamala confesses that Doctor X is the most terrifying supervillain she’s ever faced, making him one of Ms. Marvel’s most fearsome foes. Given this, it’s even more impressive that she ignored his criticism.