On The Air: Ms. Marvel (2022)

Ever since T'Challa, the Black Panther, debuted in the pages of Fantastic Four in the 60's, Marvel has continued to grow its roster of superheroes on an international level. In addition to the fictional African nation of Wakanda, Marvel has heroes representing the following countries:

Canada: Wolverine, Alpha Flight.

Japan: Sunfire.

China: The Collective Man.

Ireland: Shamrock joined the reformed mutant Banshee during the first Contest of Champions in the 80's.

Africa: Storm became the 2nd hero from the continent upon joining the X-Men.

Russia: Colossus, Magik, Soviet Super Soldiers.

Saudi Arabia: The Arabian Knight (debuted in Incredible Hulk(2nd series).

Israel: Sabra.

Germany: Nightcrawler.

England: Captain Britain.

Kamala Khan, the current Ms. Marvel, is a Pakistani-American, and the first Muslim to headline both her own comic book and Marvel Studios series on Disney+.

Kamala (Iman Vellani) is 16, and appears to be an innocent high schooler from New Jersey, until she finds a strange bauble with extraordinary powers. Her best friend and prospective boyfriend, Bruno (Matt Lintz, ex-The Walking Dead) acts as her conscience, after a sort, helping Kamala learn the extent of the powers she now possesses. Unfortunately, they run afoul of a villainized version of another British group, the Clandestine, rebooted for this series, and the Department of Damage Control, which has also been rebooted from the books, in this case as Marvel's warped version of Homeland Security, a little too aggressive for their own good.

Check the trailer:

Ms. Marvel will return later this year in "The Marvels", alongside her idol, Carol Danvers (Brie Larsen), aka Captain Marvel.

This is the sort of breezy comedy-drama that Marvel has specialized in of late (Hawkeye, She-Hulk: Attorney-at-Law), in this case a mix of juvenile slapstick comedy, teen drama, and a coming of age tale with Kamala discovering and learning her powers, which have been altered from the books so casual fans won't somehow confuse her with Reed "Mr. Fantastic" Richards due to having similar stretching abilities in the comics.

Rating: A-.