A Monmouth County native is penning Marvel Comic’s newest super-heroine who will also be the first female Muslim character to hold her own series.

G. Willow Wilson, who was lived in Morganville during her youth and is a converted Muslim herself, will be the writer behind the new Ms. Marvel which will be set in Jersey City and feature 16 year old Kamala Khan as the protagonist.

Kamala Khan was announced to be a high school student and daughter of Pakistani immigrants who will have the power to shape shift.

Khurrum Ali, Civil Rights Director at the New Jersey Center for American Islamic Relations says in addition to fighting super-villains he sees Kamala fighting Islamophobia and promoting education about one of the largest religions.

“I am hoping that Marvel Comics will represent Kamala Khan as a young American-Muslim that still embodies the traditions of her religion, while espousing the most common beliefs of moderate Muslims. I would not want the narrative of her adventures to be singularly engrossed into the fact that she is a Muslim woman. Nor would I want to waste the opportunity Marvel Comics has afforded its fans to discuss the divisive issues that face the Muslim community today and provide an optimistic viewpoint. It is also no coincidence that the creators choosing their hero to be female, breaks the Western stereotype that women in Islam are suppressed.” Ali wrote in a blog piece.

He notes even the decision for the character to be in Jersey City is significant. While Dearborn Michigan is home to the highest concentration of Muslims in the country, Patterson (not far from Jersey City) is second.

“New Jersey has a very large Muslim community, we’re talking about close to two hundred thousand Muslims. As far as Pakistani Americans, in the country New Jersey has the largest Pakastani population. It’s actually more than New York City.” Said Ali.

While the teenager won’t be the first female Muslim character on Marvel pages, she will be the first to get her own dedicated comics.

DC Comics last year introduced an Islamic Green Lantern, Simon Baz.

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