Many of the protesters who attended Women’s Marches around the world on Jan. 21 looked to Leia Organa as one of pop culture’s beacons of hope. Now some fans are taking inspiration from another hero in protests that emerged this weekend.
In the wake of immigration protests formed after President Donald Trump’s executive order banning Syrian refugees and citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, comic book fans turned to Ms. Marvel, Marvel’s first Muslim-American superhero, to display their message to Trump.
Yaaaassss MsMarvel! #WomensMarch in NYC pic.twitter.com/RPH0D2Kv6g
— Jeff Yang 🫶 FOLLOW ME @ORIGINALSPIN ON THREADS/IG (@originalspin) January 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/asantoro2/status/822807274821390336
https://twitter.com/rallyv/status/822991105436381186
Proudly representing one of my heroes #MsMarvel at the #WomensMarch in SF @MiniB622 @GWillowWilson #WeThePeople pic.twitter.com/9ZTpOge056
— Freddy Bendekgey (@FreddyBendekgey) January 22, 2017
The ongoing series written by G. Willow Wilson and edited by Sana Amanat centers on Kamala Khan, a 16-year-old Pakistani-American and superhero fangirl living in Jersey City, New Jersey, who gains the ability to shapeshift after encountering Terrigen Mist. It shows Kamala as a high school student, a superhero (and later an Avenger), how she interacts with her close-knit family, and even how they practice their religion. The comics have been praises by critics and fans alike for their positive representation.
Kamala Khan, who has stressed the importance of voting, has been previously used in street activism and political fanart. But more Ms. Marvel art and posters started to appear as thousands descended upon U.S. airports and protested in cities across the country.
One of the most prominent pieces of fanart to emerge online is from Phil Noto, an illustrator who repurposed his artwork for Civil War II #0 so that Kamala was ripping a photo of Trump instead of Captain Marvel.
https://twitter.com/philnoto/status/825484459814313985
Noto later told fans and admirers that his post wasn’t meant to be an official response to the protests, and it’s one that Marvel wouldn’t be able to endorse. He praised the Ms. Marvel team and has said he has some other ideas in the works that will be “easier to get out/print and won’t get me fired.” (Marvel CEO Ike Perlmutter has donated to Trump previously and is reportedly joining Trump’s staff to advise on Veterans’ Affairs.)
https://twitter.com/philnoto/status/825718456515452928
https://twitter.com/philnoto/status/825719776957829121
Fans used illustrations from the comics of Kamala leading the charge or channeled her to illustrate how they felt. On some of them was a simple message: “Resist.”
Hey @GWillowWilson check out what I found at the protest today #MsMarvel pic.twitter.com/lL3vhxXIjC
— Aaron Bishop (@ProfessorThorgi) January 29, 2017
https://twitter.com/dominicknight/status/825895213017210880
My little girl. #msmarvel @GWillowWilson #MuslimBanprotest #NoBanNoWall. #westlakepark pic.twitter.com/cJV0CPOCm4
— ʔəsx̌icil sqədᶻuʔ playing w/ 🔥 (@mrcaptdrnuts) January 30, 2017
Ms. Marvel didn’t need no protest sign this time. Kamala Khan approves of the variant cover art @philnoto #NoBanNoWall pic.twitter.com/w3K9AiWA3m
— Navdeep ਨਵਦੀਪ ☀️Author of Sunny G (Out Now)☀️ (@navdeep_dhillon) January 29, 2017
“#MsMarvel is Muslim. #DonaldTrump is an idiot.” #MuslimBan #MuslimBanprotest pic.twitter.com/iHyzhlFrn9
— Martin Casas (@MARTIN_CASAS) January 30, 2017
https://twitter.com/potomacripper/status/825822692465135616
Others created fanart of Ms. Marvel in support of the protests and showcased Matt Stefani’s fanart that shows Ms. Marvel punching Trump.
I can’t even find something to say. #MuslimBan pic.twitter.com/B3YwC630qX
— Maryne 🎃 (@MaryneeLahaye) January 28, 2017
My art of Kamala Khan (#MsMarvel) is to express my position as I have stood by idly for too long. Stand against the #MuslimBan & battle fear pic.twitter.com/KFM17CoCXL
— Claw (@RedAlSahhim) January 29, 2017
https://twitter.com/runwithskizzers/status/825747770325794820
May these American Muslim heroes inspire strength & hope. #thisiswhatdemocracylookslike #kamalakhan #damianwayne #simonbaz #muslimban #hope pic.twitter.com/WUaTVzUeNz
— Derek Nochefranca 🇬🇺 (@dereknochefranc) January 29, 2017
https://twitter.com/burntrobots/status/825712958005145600
After today’s events, it felt appropriate to paint Kamala Khan in hopes to inspire others to stay strong & never give up hope.I’m with you❤️ pic.twitter.com/gKFhtslYXp
— Gabby Zapata (@gabbyzapata) January 29, 2017
https://twitter.com/bookfiend_/status/825722604120072192
Wilson even started to share some of the posters after initially resolving not to—and she has promised not to hold back in telling Kamala’s story.
https://twitter.com/GWillowWilson/status/825893252238684160