In a world surrounded by superheroes, it’s hard to find some representation of people of color. So when Marvel introduced the new character of Kamala Khan, also known as Ms. Marvel, my excitement could not be contained.
Marvel just let loose a huge “screw you” to race barriers across the superhero and comic book fandom.
People don’t seem to realize how huge this is, though there has been much media scrutiny, as well as a fair share of hate, going around.
This new Ms. Marvel is the quintessential hero of our age: She’s a female Muslim-American, which alone breaks so many boundaries.
Not only is she a female, she also comes from a religion that is often mocked and degraded because of its foreignness and perceived extremism. What makes Kamala Khan different is that we get to see her in high school, as well as catching a glimpse of the cultural aspect of her life.
The inspiration for this character “stemmed out of a desire to explore the Muslim American Diaspora from an authentic perspective,” editor Sana Amanat told CNN.
It seems the character is meant to pay homage to Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani-Muslim girl who stood up to the Taliban, in support of women’s rights and education. Yousafzai survived an assassination attempt last year.
While most were calling this a controversial move by Marvel, it’s actually the perfect move to make for Marvel, as well as the greater community of comic book fans, to move forward. As the world is slowly starting to accept women in much higher roles, they are also starting to accept other cultures.
This new Ms. Marvel shows aspects of culture and society that not many know about unless it’s shown in a negative light in media. The story, however, isn’t based on her culture; it’s based on a young girl learning to deal with the struggles of life while trying to balance being a superhero.
She’s the new Peter Parker. Ms. Marvel is going to be a character for young girls and even young boys to look up to and admire. She’s going to face the same struggles as any other teenager between strict parents and inequality, all the while navigating her new superpowers.
While Ms. Marvel will hold a dear place in the hearts of many, she will also open many eyes to what’s to come.
Kamala Khan will become an asset that will allow Marvel to prosper in the future. While Marvel is well known for comic book giants such as Iron Man and Thor, Ms. Marvel will be the one to skyrocket the brand to international respect.
Marvel has the opportunity to provide an accurate representation of what exactly it means to be a Muslim-American girl growing up in mainstream American culture.
Reach the columnist at tweerasi@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @tishnii
