New 'Ms. Marvel' is Muslim girl from New Jersey in upcoming comic book series

For years now, Marvel Comics character Ms. Marvel had the alter ego of Carol Danvers. But Danvers became Captain Marvel, leaving an opening for her other title of Ms. Marvel. Well this week the popular comic book studio announced the newest Ms. Marvel character series would be based around the character Kamal Khan, a Muslim-American from New Jersey. Like many other comic book character changes like this (one of the current Spider-Man series has a gay, Latino teenager in the role), there is sure to be some backlash from around the country.

The character of Khan comes from Marvel editors Steve Wacker and Sana Amanat. These two brought in Islamic convert G. Willow Wilson after Wacker felt Amanat's childhood stories of growing up Muslim would work for the comic.

"I was telling [Wacker] some crazy anecdote about my childhood, growing up as a Muslim-American," Amanat said. "He found it hilarious." 

"Captain Marvel represents an ideal that Kamala pines for," Wilson explained. "She's strong, beautiful and doesn't have any of the baggage of being Pakistani and 'different.'"

Kamala will be a devout follower of Danvers' Captain Marvel, thus leading to her becoming Ms. Marvel.

"Any time you do something like this, it is a bit of a risk," Wilson said. "You're trying to bring the audience on board and they are used to seeing something else in the pages of a comic book." Amanat added, "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."

"I wanted Ms. Marvel to be true to life, something real people could relate to, particularly young women," said Wilson. "High school was a very vivid time in my life, so I drew heavily on those experiences: impending adulthood, dealing with school, emotionally charged friendships that are such a huge part of being a teenager."

How do you think the comic book community will take this new character?