Marvel beginning to introduce more diverse superheroes

Recently, Marvel Entertainment has been diversifying its cast of superheroes. It no longer has just old classics like Storm, Black Panther and Nick Fury; now there’s a black Spiderman, a black Human Torch and a Muslim Ms. Marvel. While there’s still a long way to go for equal representation, Marvel is taking a step in the right direction when it comes to representing different ethnicities and cultures.

Taking over the role of Spiderman in comic books is Miles Morales, a black-Latino teenager who was also bitten by a genetically altered spider. He first appeared in the Ultimate
Spiderman comics in 2011 and has been part of the Marvel universe since.

Spiderman, one of the most beloved comic book characters, is actually a perfect choice to be portrayed by a person of color. Spiderman represents the story of the underdog who isn’t born with special powers or a billion-dollar trust fund; instead, he is an average high schooler caught in a freak accident.

The struggle of an average kid against extraordinary adversaries resonates with people all over the world who face discrimination. Plus, the premise behind Spiderman’s identity-concealing full body suit is that anyone can be Spiderman, whether black, Latino or both.

There are also some rumors that Morales could appear in a new Marvel movie. This exposure could be the start of a new era, one of racially diverse main characters, rather than supporting characters, as in previous superhero movies.

The upcoming Fantastic Four reboot movie in August also has a black star, Michael B. Jordan, who will play Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, who has typically been blonde and blue-eyed in past movies. The director, Josh Trank, states that Jordan was picked because he fit the character rather than to be politically correct, but nonetheless, people have kicked up a fuss about the race-bending move.

The biggest argument against a black Human Torch is that his sister Sue Storm, played by Kate Mara, is white. This is further exacerbated by the fact that Dr. Storm, their father, is going to be black in the new movie.

Critics fail to realize, however, that this is a huge step for biracial families, who very rarely get media representation. It’s also important to remember that however the siblings are related, whether they are kids of separate marriages or whether one is adopted, biological ties don’t necessarily determine what constitutes a family.

Finally, and perhaps the most groundbreaking, is Kamala Khan, a teenage Pakistani Muslim girl who became Ms. Marvel in 2014 after the previous Ms. Marvel took up the moniker of Captain Marvel. Ms. Marvel was previously an Avenger with superstrength, flight and the ability to project energy. Khan, however, is a hero on a much smaller scale, much like Spiderman. She just fights crime locally with her morphing powers.
Khan’s series relates not only her struggle to cope with her new powers, but also her challenges as a Muslim girl growing up in New Jersey. For instance, in the first comic, Khan and her friend are shown talking about her friend’s choice to wear a hijab, going to the mosque and her schoolmates’ subtle Islamophobia.

This is an advance in positive coverage of Muslims. Since the events of 9/11, there’s been a huge stigma against Muslims, exacerbated by the Charlie Hebdo attacks and the negative portrayal of Muslims in American Sniper. As of late, many Middle-Eastern people seen in movies, TV shows and comics seem to be terrorists. It’s time that Muslims are given a chance to be seen as heroes, not villains, in mainstream media.
Superheroes of color are becoming the norm in major roles rather than sidekick characters, and their representation can only get stronger from here.