In 'Ms. Marvel', Muslim fans see a reflection of their lives

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jumana Zakir knows who she is going to be for Halloween this year. Hint: Her new favorite superhero is a lot like her – female, teen, Muslim, American and “totally awesome.”

“Kamala Khan is me,” said the exuberant 13-year-old from Anaheim, California. “She is just like me.”

Khan is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first Muslim superhero to headline her own television show. “Ms. Marvel,” which launched on Disney Plus June 8, has struck a chord with South Asian Muslims in the West because of its relatability and how it portrays Muslim families. Advocates for inclusion and representation hope the show will open the door to more nuanced on-screen portrayals of Muslims and their rich diversity.

The show tells the story of Khan, played by Pakistani Canadian actor Iman Vellani, getting her powers from a magical bangle that allows her to walk on air and conjure glowing light shields. But she is also a regular South Asian Muslim teen who goes to mosque, performs wudu or ritual ablution before praying, sometimes wears traditional attire called shalwar kameez, dances to Bollywood numbers at her brother’s wedding, and breaks curfew to hang out with her buddy Bruno Carrelli at AvengerCon.

The final episode of the series is expected to drop Wednesday.

Munir Zamir, who is British Pakistani and grew up in East London, said seeing a “brown, Pakistani Muslim girl from New Jersey” in the comic books and, now, watching “Ms. Marvel” with his teenage children -- has been powerful. Zamir, 50, has been a Marvel fan since he was 7 and has followed the evolution of Kamala Khan since Ms. Marvel's inception in comic books in 2014.

“For Muslims in particular, representation matters a lot because, for many years, misrepresentation has mattered too much,” he said.

Zamir points...