In this episode of PBS Idea Channel, host Mike Rugnetta explores how Kamala Khan, the first Muslim superhero to headline a comic book at Marvel Comics as Ms. Marvel, might be changing media for the better.
Popular media generally has a problem with representation. Fictional worlds are often designed by and for straight white males, and this can subtly affect how audiences view the real world. Comics are no exception, portraying muscular white males, or exaggerated expressions of the female form. But those traditions are being broken. One of the most exciting new characters breaking this mold is the new Ms. Marvel: Kamala Khan. Kamala is a teenage Pakistani-American muslim girl, a far cry from the comic pantheon of Captain Americas and Supermans. So is Kamala a step in the right direction for media representation?
