Marvel’s most famous Muslim character, Kamala Khan (aka Ms. Marvel) made her comic book debut in 2013. Much to everyone’s surprise, the Pakistani-American character quickly became a fan favorite for the diversity and representation she embodied.
Now, with her lead role in the new Avengers video game by Crystal Dynamics, Ms. Marvel seems to be inspiring a whole new generation of youngsters who have been yearning to see characters like themselves, that feel real and relatable.
Oh and of course, she’s Pakistani and that really makes us extra proud of her portrayal in mass media.
Kamala Khan is the star in new video game
Just how popular is this iteration of Ms. Marvel? And how are video game reviewers and critics finding her?
Jason Schreier, video game reporter at Bloomberg, became a fan of Khan’s avatar after a mere few hours of playing the Avengers game.
https://twitter.com/jasonschreier/status/1301329030776586241
Even Pakistanis at Twitter seem to agree. As someone who has lived the Pakistani immigrant experience, Siddiqi says that Kamala Khan is exactly what today’s entertainment industry needs to prove that stories like this exist and need to be recognized.
The year is 2020 and the protagonist in a @marvel video game is a daughter of immigrants from Karachi, Pakistan 🇵🇰
As a Pakistani immigrant reading Marvel comics all my life this makes me so happy. #RepresentationMatters https://t.co/jhJMRHXotP
— Khaver خاور (@thekarachikid) September 3, 2020
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And it’s not just existing fans that are loving the new character. Ms. Marvel’s new identity is inspiring a new generation of young girls to get into the storyline as well.
Daughter watched me play #AvengersGame . She immediately requested to read my Ms. Marvel books and wanted to know more about her. Wanna know why she’s in the game? That’s your answer. pic.twitter.com/5bNbqDfC9U
— TASK the Ol’ Nerdy Bastard (@UpToTASK) September 2, 2020
Khan’s character is a trailblazer. A female Muslim, Pakistani immigrant superhero who explores her new superhuman identity all while managing intercultural love stories, religion, and family.
Even in the comics, Kamala’s story embodies important themes of representation even outside her own character. Her loving and supportive mother, who knows about her daughter’s identity way before Kamala gets the chance to tell her wears a hijab.
For women who have spent their whole lives being sidelined for their accents, their clothing, and the color of there skin, these details can change the way they see themselves and the way they are seen by the world.
So to have a character like Khan getting her moment in mass media means – Marvel fans or not – people across the world are seeing it as a cause for celebration.
Youtuber JayShockBlast also pointed out how having characters like Kamala can be a real way of learning about other communities. In a wholesome exchange that surprisingly did not turn into an internet war, the YouTuber revealed his confusion at Kamala Khan referring to her father as Abu. Likening the word to Apu for the Simpsons, he questioned the term in a video he uploaded. A commenter was quick to explain that the term was a title used in South Asian culture rather than her father’s name.
I want to highlight this comment because during my 1st video, I said “why does his name gotta be Abu” thinking of Apu from the Simpsons sort of as a joke. I think this response, which is perfect in every possible way, explains exactly how much we can learn because of Kamala Khan pic.twitter.com/V8UQEPfqO9
— JayShockblast (@JayShockblast) September 2, 2020
I don’t think I said it offensively and it certainly wasn’t my intention to do so BUT in many ways I am glad I did because now I understand and I think that is beautiful. I hope we all can learn or take away something from this.
— JayShockblast (@JayShockblast) September 2, 2020
Kamala’s character as Ms. Marvel maintains a balance between her superhero life and how relatable her real life is. She’s being lauded as a modern-day Peter Parker – something Spiderman himself says so in the comics. How cool is that?
https://twitter.com/MegaNerd98/status/1301340323268964353
Her new role as the protagonist in the Avengers game has even managed to get the attention of those who weren’t previously huge fans of hers. It just shows the power Kamala Khan can have if she continues to be pushed by Marvel as the center of their future endeavors
Legitimately they did great with the character in this. I’ve never really been a fan of her cause she never got my attention. But now I can’t wait for her D+ show cause if they manage to pull off the character in it like they did here it will be amazing.
— The Gongoozler (@TheGongoozler04) September 3, 2020
Some feel that more could have been done to make her the center of the narrative when marketing the game.
It would have been nice if Kamala Khan's role as Marvel's Avengers main protagonist was advertised more ahead of release. She's the crux of the campaign in so many ways, and felt liike that was pushed to the wayside.
— Jade King (@KonaYMA6) September 1, 2020
Of course improvements are always possible but it is undeniable that having Kamala Khan as the front and center of Marvel’s Avengers game is a win we won’t easily be forgetting. Her character truly has the power to inspire generations of youngsters that anyone can be a superhero.
Will you be picking up Marvel’s Avengers game to experience Kamala Khan’s story? It is currently available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Google Stadia, and PC right now. Next-gen ports for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are also set to release the end of the year.
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