MARVEL Comics Unveils New Ms. Marvel: A Muslim Pakistani-American Teenager

[SEWER RAT]

 

The New York Times broke news today of a new solo superhero title launching from Marvel early next year — and this one comes as a welcome change of pace for readers who want to see more diversity in their super-books.

Ms Marvel #1, from writer G. Willow Wilson (Cairo) and artist Adrian Alphona (Runaways), introduces the world to the young Muslim woman who takes on the mantle of Ms. Marvel formerly held by Carol Danvers, the current Captain Marvel. The new Ms. Marvel will be the first Muslim character to get her own ongoing solo series at Marvel, one of a growing number of female solo leads, and the only person of color headlining a solo book.

 

The star of the new title is Kamala Khan, the daughter of Pakistani immigrants living in New Jersey. As described by Wilson and series editor Sana Amanat, the character will balance fighting super villains and coming to grips with her body-morphing powers against the pressures of her conservative family background. She takes the name Ms. Marvel because of her longstanding admiration of Danvers.

“Captain Marvel represents an ideal that Kamala pines for,†Ms. Wilson told NYT. “She’s strong, beautiful and doesn’t have any of the baggage of being Pakistani and ‘different.’â€

The writer added that Ms. Marvel will be â€œabout the universal experience of all American teenagers, feeling kind of isolated and finding what they are†but “through the lens of being a Muslim-American†with superpowers.

 

The idea to create a new Muslim solo hero within the Marvel universe was conceived by Amanat in conversation with Spider-Man group editor Steve Wacker, and has been billed as part of a continued effort to push diversity at the publisher.

 

Naturally this is something we loudly applaud here at ComicsAlliance. The superhero genre needs more heroes for young women and people of color to look up to, and to introduce a hero who is Muslim — one of the most maligned and misunderstood minority groups in America today — is especially bold and especially laudable.

 

In Amanat and Wilson the book can boast both a female Muslim editor and a female Muslim writer, which seems to ensure a high degree of sensitivity to the issues that a book like this could be expected to raise. The choice of artist is also brilliant; Adrian Alphona’s style is a perfect fit for a book that surely hopes to pick up a young and female-skewing audience. Thrown in a costume by Jamie McKelvie (who also designed the current Captain Marvel and Young Avengers’ Miss America Chavez) that looks like something a Muslim-American girl might choose to wear for herself, and it seems likely that this book will treat its lead respectfully, with no broke-back poses or T&A pretzel twists. This is not another female-led book where the choice of artist seems guaranteed to drive away many women readers.

 

Whether that increases Ms. Marvel’s chances of finding an audience remains to be seen, but Marvel has shown an increased willingness of late to give new titles time to build a readership. The Ms. Marvel brand is not an especially strong one, so the book will have to make an impact on its own merits.

 

For those keeping track — that would be us — this brings Marvel’s total number of ongoing female-led books up to seven (Uncanny X-Force, X-Men, Captain Marvel, Black Widow, Elektra, She-Hulk, Ms. Marvel) to DC’s nine (Wonder Woman, World’s Finest, Batgirl, Batwoman, Birds of Prey, Catwoman, Harley Quinn,Supergirl, Pandora). Marvel can also claim two minority-led titles (Mighty Avengers and Ms. Marvel) to DC’s one (Batwing). Obviously a flat count does not show how many of these titles are actually being written to appeal to a diverse audience.

 

Ms. Marvel instantly becomes the highest-profile Muslim character at Marvel, though the publisher also has Monet St. Croix (soon appearing in Brian Wood’s X-Men), and Dusk, Excalibur and Justice (Josiah X). We’ll call that a starting point.

 

 

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Can't wait for the white feminists on tumblr to write gender studies dissertations in the tag on why Ms. Marvel is a horrible feminist icon.

 

[Thomopony]

looking forward to it, she looks badass

[dinolover]

carol denvers is a heavy weight fighter lol

can this new one even fill her shoes? i'll have to read the comic i guess

 

but DUST is probably my fave muslim character...

[b l a s i a n]

Hell Yeah. A muslim and a woc kicking ass for a change 

[akisame]

Whilst I'm happy that they're introducing a Pakistani female lead (because I'm half), I think it might have been better to give her own identity instead of just to rehash the title of Ms. Marvel. I'll still check this out, though because part of me is dying inside lol.

 

 

carol denvers is a heavy weight fighter lol

can this new one even fill her shoes? i'll have to read the comic i guess

 

but DUST is probably my fave muslim character...

DUST is so awesome, I love Monet too.

[Little Red]

I think this is awesome 

[Farseer]

This is intriguing, and there's so much they can do with Ms. Marvel in terms of character building and plot development.

It seems like a well thought out decision from Marvel, I'm looking forward to this comic series.

[Hey Im K]

I think this is awesome 

[dinolover]

Whilst I'm happy that they're introducing a Pakistani female lead (because I'm half), I think it might have been better to give her own identity instead of just to rehash the title of Ms. Marvel. I'll still check this out, though because part of me is dying inside lol.

 

 

DUST is so awesome, I love Monet too.

dude i love Monet

she has the classic "superman stats"

super strength, speed, and extras 

i think marvel did a better job giving her attention (unlike with dust)

she's like basically superman,wonderwoman, martian manhunter tier ( though they're from dc but you know what i mean)  

[akisame]

dude i love Monet

she has the classic "superman stats"

super strength, speed, and extras 

i think marvel did a better job giving her attention (unlike with dust)

she's like basically superman,wonderwoman, martian manhunter tier ( though they're from dc but you know what i mean)  

It was easy to give Monet better attention because she isn't a conventional Muslim, and they kind of just threw it in at the spur of the moment. I like the way it was done and I liked how it made her just a bit stronger as a character. The woman is fierce.

 

DUST and X-23 should have had a series together.

[Eewteuk]

her cach phrase is allahu akbar

[dinolover]

It was easy to give Monet better attention because she isn't a conventional Muslim, and they kind of just threw it in at the spur of the moment. I like the way it was done and I liked how it made her just a bit stronger as a character. The woman is fierce.

 

DUST and X-23 should have had a series together.

lol she's the only one i feel comfortable with being paired with x-23, im afraid that enemies with throw "trigger scent bombs at x-23" and she's shank whoever she's paired with lolol but Dust or mercury should be fine. i loved x-23 in x-force

 

Im sort of glad Monet is abit different from DUST and probably the new ms.marvel since obviously Muslims aren't the same and have different degrees of belief

I know it's obvious but it's still nice to see

also is it me or did the female population all of sudden become really deadly in marvel? like magik (fuckinglove her), x-23 were introduced again in like 2002 and then you have dust. mercury, surge and Hope summers

[akisame]

lol she's the only one i feel comfortable with being paired with x-23, im afraid that enemies with throw "trigger scent bombs at x-23" and she's shank whoever she's paired with lolol but Dust or mercury should be fine. i loved x-23 in x-force

 

Im sort of glad Monet is abit different from DUST and probably the new ms.marvel since obviously Muslims aren't the same and have different degrees of belief

I know it's obvious but it's still nice to see

also is it me or did the female population all of sudden become really deadly in marvel? like magik (fuckinglove her), x-23 were introduced again in like 2002 and then you have dust. mercury, surge and Hope summers

Also, X-23's solo games kind of freak me out, she needs somewhere to prevent her from getting too violent.

 

I am too, because in this way we get to see what different types of Muslim's are like - it adds depth.

 

Magik is one of the most violent ones out of the ones you named, she literally does not give a shit who she's killing: I adore her. Eh, Hope is annoying.

[hyoyeon's lines in check]

Desperate for diversity. Oh well, dgaf about non-X Marvel characters. They're all so bland.

[fuckJohnny]

 

Can't wait for the white feminists on tumblr to write gender studies dissertations in the tag on why Ms. Marvel is a horrible feminist icon.

 

 

 

 

Gurl please. 

[Wade-kun]

 

looking forward to it, she looks badass

 

That costume though 

 

Whilst I'm happy that they're introducing a Pakistani female lead (because I'm half), I think it might have been better to give her own identity instead of just to rehash the title of Ms. Marvel. I'll still check this out, though because part of me is dying inside lol.

 

This series is going to struggle considering how it's based on a character whose main book has very poor sales in the first place. The only chance she really has is IF people pick it up specifically because she’s a Muslim (which I doubt). 

 

I am all for new characters being racially-diverse. I liked Monet and am completely fine with her being Muslim, but at what point did that get brought up? There was zero mention of it in the entire run of Gen X? Is this religion important to her character? I dunno, it feels more like  tokenism to me.

 

I have no issue with her but not really interested either. Unless she turns out to be a big character, then I'll claim I loved her from the get go. 

 

Desperate for diversity. Oh well, dgaf about non-X Marvel characters. They're all so bland.

 

I am with you.

[RainStormRaider]

I will buy multiple issues and give as Christmas gifts to poor, unsuspecting friends and family.

[akisame]

 

 

 

That costume though 

 

 

This series is going to struggle considering how it's based on a character whose main book has very poor sales in the first place. The only chance she really has is IF people pick it up specifically because she’s a Muslim (which I doubt). 

 

I am all for new characters being racially-diverse. I liked Monet and am completely fine with her being Muslim, but at what point did that get brought up? There was zero mention of it in the entire run of Gen X? Is this religion important to her character? I dunno, it feels more like  tokenism to me.

 

I have no issue with her but not really interested either. Unless she turns out to be a big character, then I'll claim I loved her from the get go. 

 

 

I am with you.

 

[Yerowan]

 

That's from X-Factor, so technically Wade could be right that it was never brought up in Gen X.

Though honestly, the only character I can think of in all of the X-titles where his religion was a massive part of his character was Nightcrawler.

[akisame]

That's from X-Factor, so technically Wade could be right that it was never brought up in Gen X.

Though honestly, the only character I can think of in all of the X-titles where his religion was a massive part of his character was Nightcrawler.

I know, I was just showing him where it was brought up.

 

He was always talking about the Bible.

[Wade-kun]

 

 

I know, I was just showing him where it was brought up.

 

LOL Layla... 

So she was revealed as a Muslim here but I don't remember how it was important or relevant to the storyline. To me, this is more of a piece of interesting trivia than actual character development. 

 

I dunno what to expect for this new series. So are we gonna know the religious beliefs of all the characters now? It must be really important for us to know since they're pointing it out with her? Now that gets me curious and wants to check it out. Way to go, Marvel lol! I really hope this, using religion as a selling point, means something beyond the superficial.  -_-   

[akisame]

 

 

 

 

LOL Layla... 

So she was revealed as a Muslim here but I don't remember how it was important or relevant to the storyline. To me, this is more of a piece of interesting trivia than actual character development. 

 

I dunno what to expect for this new series. So are we gonna know the religious beliefs of all the characters now? It must be really important for us to know since they're pointing it out with her? Now that gets me curious and wants to check it out. Way to go, Marvel lol! I really hope this, using religion as a selling point, means something beyond the superficial.  -_-   

 

><

 

I just remember they were at his protest against Mutants and someone says that "Muslims are just as bad" and Monet says that lol.

[Step]

Yeah, I heard about this, that's pretty awesome \O/

 

I've actually been getting into Ms Marvel as well, so that's double great! \O/

[Guest Kami_removed]

the power is boring as fuck

 

lel

[craZee]

That's awesome.