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Rhetoric and Writing Studies Master's student at San Diego State University. Passionate about all things pop-culture, especially comics, anime, and graphic novels! (o^^o)
If you loved watching Carol Danvers (a.k.a. Captain Marvel) kick some intergalactic butt on the big screen last summer, and you’re looking to get into comics or add more to your reading list, then you’ll love one of Marvel’s newest addition to the superhero universe within the last decade—Kamala Khan (a.k.a. Ms. Marvel). But if you don’t know much about Ms. Marvel (or even Captain Marvel for that matter), not to worry, we at The Cinema Spot can help you! Here’s a brief comic book history lesson to catch you up on their stories and a few reasons why Ms.Marvel: No Normal should be the next comic you pick up at your local (or digital) bookstore!
A Little Bit of History
Captain Marvel was created by Stan Lee and Gene Colon in 1967 and had been originally called Mar-Vell (McMillan). Currently, “Marvel has actually had no fewer than eight Captain Marvels over the decades” and today’s Captain Marvel is a woman named Carol Danvers (McMillan). Carol Danvers was introduced in 1968 as “a supporting character in the publisher’s book Captain Marvel” and later on, in the 1970s, she emerged as the new Captain (Rogers). More recently, in 2014, the company made an even bolder move and created Kamala Khan as the new Ms. Marvel in Ms. Marvel: No Normal. And that is how Kamala Khan became “the first Muslim superhero at Marvel to have her own series” (Tolentino).
Since “comic books are a cultural site for the construction of Muslim religious identity in the United States,” having one of the largest comic book companies create a hero who identifies as Muslim is incredibly significant (Sanchez). When the first volume was released, the creator Sana Amanat presented a signed copy to Barack Obama who stated “Ms. Marvel may be your comic book creation, but I think for a lot of young boys and girls, Sana’s a real superhero” (Moore).
A Little Bit of Her Story
Kamala Khan is “an ordinary girl from Jersey City” with extraordinary shapeshifting abilities. One of the greater struggles that Kamala faces is balancing her newfound abilities, her friends, and most importantly, her family. Within the first few pages of the comic, the reader is dropped into the Kamala’s world where family duties are just as valuable as her academic duties. From socializing outside of school, to writing Avengers fanfiction, to eating at the dinner table with her family where they participate in Sunnah (the “traditional social and legal custom and practice of the Islamic community”) the writers have normalized all aspects of Kamala’s identity while emphasizing the importance of each one (Afsaruddin).
The general categories that these struggles are a part of are not new (friends, hobbies, home etc.) but the uniqueness of the different cultures that are being presented (diverse friends, fanfiction hobbies, and Muslim family) are new and unique to Kamala. Showing the readers all these aspects of Kamala’s identity within the first few pages not only frames her as a relatable protagonist but as a protagonist who has a layered identity that is believably based on reality.
It’s important to note that the unique qualities and struggles of the protagonist are not the focus of story but instead the focus is what these aspects of her identity and struggles represent in society. Sana Amanat, the writer of Kamala and her story, took this into account when creating her character:
As much as Islam is a part of Kamala’s identity, this book isn’t preaching about religion or the Islamic faith in particular. It’s about what happens when you struggle with the labels imposed on you, and how that forms your sense of self. 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 qtd. In Gurewtiz)
This comic is more than just about super powers and super villains. It is about the struggle of being true to yourself as you grow and change because each challenge is a chance to learn more about who you are and who you want to become.
“When we bury the things we don’t want to face, monsters grow. This is what I’ve learned… I can change my face, but I wear a mask instead. There are layers of unpackable crazy up in here. I am a shape-changing, mask-wearing, sixteen-year-old super ‘Moozlim’ from Jersey City.” – Kamala Khan
Rhetoric and Writing Studies Master's student at San Diego State University. Passionate about all things pop-culture, especially comics, anime, and graphic novels! (o^^o)
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