By Ms. Marvel and a rising superhero named Amulet team up for the first time. But that’s not the only reason we’re super stoked for this partnership. We are thrilled, because this newest member of the Marvel universe is an Arab American from Dearborn, Michigan!
In the newest edition of “Magnificent Ms. Marvel #13,” readers will be introduced to a new superhero called Amulet. As described by the creative minds behind his creation, Amulet is a Lebanese American named Fadi Fadlalah, hailing from the diverse city of Dearborn, Michigan. Amulet is a creation of Dearborn native and writer for “Magnificent Ms. Marvel,” Saladin Ahmed, as well as Jordanian American illustrator, Sara Alfageeh.
In a statement to The Detroit Free Press, Saladin Ahmed said, “Amulet is a fun, mysterious new character who will be playing a role in ‘Magnificent Ms. Marvel’ for months to come. We’re keeping most of the details of him close to our chests, but I can tell you that his powers are magical in nature, and that he is an Arab American superhero from Michigan.”
In a statement to Marvel.com, Sara said, “Saladin let me have a lot of fun with this concept. We talked about his defensive-style powers and how they tied into his background as a Lebanese kid. The blue and white color palette and the circular design were pulled from the Nazar, a symbol that pops up all over the Middle East that protects the wearer from the evil eye — the harmful intentions of others. A bit of a historical, supernatural touch. We tend to associate sharp corners and edges with evil, and rounded designs and circles with good. This character is a gentle giant, so I wanted to make sure that even with his size he was shaped like a friend!”
As a fan of Marvel, I am super excited to see an Arab superhero in the Marvel Universe. I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds! Although I was sad to see G. Willow Wilson leave the editorial team of Ms. Marvel, I’m excited to see how Saladin Ahmed makes Ms. Marvel his own. While Ms. Marvel, a Pakistani American teen named Kamala Khan was a win for respresentation in her own right, I can’t wait to see how the current team of writers continue to weave in the diversity we so desperately need in a creative field such as this one.
I have no doubt that this volume, in all of its diversity and uniqueness, will be a good volume and that I’m ecstatic for the future of Ms. Marvel editions. Keep an eye out for this book in March 2020!