Why I’ve fallen for Marvel superhero Kamala Khan and why you will too
It does not happen every day that a literary fiction academic feels like geeking out in public. One comic book series makes me curl up to my iPad like a real book. The new Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan, made the gadget transparent. She has presence. Even Harold Bloom might use the word awesome if he read it.
There are many reasons why this superhero series is fresh. Ms. Marvel is not only a girl with powers. She is a super-immigrant and a super-Muslim. One cannot underestimate the identification value in this combination. Not since Spider-man has there been a character that readers from all walks of life can identify with.
She is a super immigrant
Ms. Marvel represents a shift in the popular superhero genre. Her background as an immigrant and a Muslim provides a unique perspective. This combination offers significant value for readers looking for representation. She bridges the gap between different cultures while fighting crime.
She is a plain jane
She is a heroine who does not need to appear in the spiral pose common to many female superheroes. This pose often defies the laws of anatomy to maximize erotic appeal. Kamala Khan starts off wanting to look like the original Ms. Marvel, Carol Danvers. With her shape-shifting powers she can assume that form. However, this affects her other abilities and makes her weaker. She can only utilize her powers fully if she remains her plain self.
She gets her geek on
Kamala is a geek herself. In one scene she teams up with Wolverine. She reacts to his presence like a genuine fan. She has even written fan fiction about him. She ends up saving him. Editor Sana Amanat and writer G. Willow Wilson deserve credit, as does artist Adrian Alphona. The style fits the character in both action and humorous scenes.
She’s not the hero we deserve but the hero we need.
Totally agree with this. It gets kinda boring having white anglo heroes. Bout time Marvel mixed it up a bit
Any new comic women super hero who doesn’t look like a porn star is a move in the right direction, in my opinion. But it’s a bonus she’s a great girl as well.
I think she’s made a huge impact on the current landscape of superhero comics. Look at all the superhero titles now targeted to younger female readers for start. DC’s have Batgirl, Gotham Academy, and Supergirl and MarvelThe Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and the soon to be released Spider-Gwen. It’s a great time for women super heroes
What I like most Kamala Khan is that she is utterly believable teenager with this postmodern mindset. Take the fact that she’s a superheroine who reads superhero fan fiction. Awesome!
To be honest never heard of her before but yeah she sounds like an awesome character. Will definitely check her out.
Does seem to be a cool character.
We need more super heroes like this. No matter what their powers Anglo Saxon super peopler are getting dull.