Most fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) have been preoccupied with Ms. Marvel over the past few weeks. The hero made her live-action debut in the Disney+ miniseries, Ms. Marvel, which premiered on June 8th, 2022. Ms. Marvel has received stellar reviews and stands as the MCU’s highest rated project ever on Rotten Tomatoes. Meanwhile, the series served as a set-up for the upcoming MCU film, The Marvels, which will see Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) return alongside Captain Marvel (Bree Larson) and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris).
The series follows Kamala Khan, a Muslim Pakistani-American teenager who struggles to fit in with her peers and has overbearing parents. However, her life changes completely when a bangle that belonged to her great-grandmother awakens powers within her. As she tries to become a hero in her own right, she must contend with Damage Control, as well as the ClanDestines, who seek her bangle to return to their home in the Noor dimension.
Ms. Marvel has received praise for its fresh style and perspective. Viewers have responded well to Vellani’s Khan, who serves as a very relatable hero to young viewers. As she becomes a prominent face in the MCU, viewers may also be curious about her comic book history.
When was Ms. Marvel created?
Ms. Marvel was first created in 1977, though, she was not the Kamala Khan iteration of Ms. Marvel we see in the series. Over the years, several different characters have taken on the identity of Ms. Marvel. In 1977, Carol Danvers was the first to take up the identity of Ms. Marvel. This occurred after she was caught in an explosion with the original Captain Marvel and their DNA merged, giving Danvers powers. She uses the identity of Ms. Marvel until 2012, when she takes up the mantle of Captain Marvel.
Beginning in 1985, Sharon Ventura also used the alias Ms. Marvel after she volunteered for an experiment to receive superpowers. She did so because she was inspired by The Thing and wanted to join the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation with him. Later, as Ms. Marvel she joined the Fantastic Four. In 2009, supervillain Karla Sofen also began using the alias Ms. Marvel. She joined Norman Osborn’s Dark Avengers as the doppelganger of the previous Ms. Marvel, Carol Danvers, and donned a costume similar to her.
Kamala Khan is now the current Ms. Marvel in the comic books. She made her debut in 2013, making her the first Muslim Marvel superhero to headline her own comic book series. Khan, an avid fan of Captain Marvel, learns that she is inhuman and takes on the mantle of Ms. Marvel. So, while Ms. Marvel was first created in 1977, we didn’t get the version of her we’re familiar with until just a few years ago.
(featured image: Marvel)
