Marvel Comics, who is home to some of the well-known comic characters like Iron Man, Spider-Man, Thor, Wolverine, X-Men, Avengers and many others, have introduced a new character - a 16-year-old Muslim girl from New Jersey called Kamala Khan, signifying diversity.
Kamala Khan will be the Ms Marvel who follows in the footsteps of Captain Marvel. This will be the first time that a Muslim character is being introduced as a superhero in Marvel Comics, The Verge reported.
She will not fight against evil supervillains but will battling with herself where she will have to "grapple with overwhelming new powers, decide whether it's safe to tell anybody, and juggle becoming a teen super hero with the expectations of her conservative, Pakistani family," said G Willow Wilson, comics writer and part of the creative team involved in the creation of Kamala Khan, in an interview with Marvel.
Story of Kamala Khan
"Kamala Khan, a high school student from Jersey City who struggles to reconcile being an American teenager with the conservative customs of her Pakistani Muslim family," said Wilson.
She will have a "dual identity" wherein she is caught between her conservative family and her peers.
Since she is only 16, she will also have to deal with normal teenage issues since high school is a big part of her life.
Powers
She will possess powers to morph her body.
Islam and Kamala Khan
Kamala Khan being a Muslim girl does bring her faith into question. But unlike many Muslim women, she does not cover her hair and is rebellious. Islam is "an essential part of her identity" but she also "struggles mightily with."
Sana Amanat, brand and editorial manager at Marvel Entertainment said the book will not preach about the faith but will showcase her problems with the labels being imposed. "It's a struggle we've all faced in one form or another, and isn't just particular to Kamala because she's Muslim. Her religion is just one aspect of the many ways she defines herself," Amanat said.
