We just wrote on TGD about how Stan Lee is bringing the first Indian superhero, Chakra, to the world, and apparently he’s not the only comics king creating a Middle Eastern character. There’s now a female character being dubbed as a “Muslim Girl from Jersey” named Kamala Khan.
As The Wrap tells us, Khan will be the new Ms Marvel. This character was inspired by Marvel executive Sana Amanat, who grew up Muslim-American.
“Any time you do something like this, it is a it of a risk,” said one comic book writer who is also a Muslim to the New York Times. “You’re trying to bring the audience on board and they are used to seeing something else in the pages of a comic book.”
With Kamala Khan, she’s inspired by the character Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel. Then Khan discovers she has powers as well. Like Amant, she wanted to be an American ideal growing up, and like a lot of superheroes, she struggles with her identity and being different.
Marvel is also prepared for potential controversies with this, and Amant told the Times, “I do expect some negativity, not only from people who are anti-Muslim, but people who are Muslim and might want the character portrayed in a particular light.”
Again, we’re all for diversity in superheroes, and we’re looking forward to seeing how the world will react to a Muslim Ms Marvel, along with Chakra.
