Marvel’s Iman Vellani Reveals Her Favorite X-Men Characters

Iman Vellani has made a splash in the X-Men corner of the Marvel Universe. First, she played Kamala Khan in Marvel Studios’ Disney+ series Ms. Marvel, revealed to be the first known mutant in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the Ms. Marvel season finale. Vellani also wrote Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant, the first Ms. Marvel comic series since Kamala Khan of the Marvel Comics universe learned she is a mutant, thanks to mutant resurrection, and joined the X-Men during one of their darkest periods. Writing the Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant comic book also means Vellani gets to write some of Marvel’s other mutant characters. Which member of the X-Men is her favorite? Speaking to Marvel.com, she has a hard time narrowing it down to one.

“Okay. It’s very different for every single medium,” Vellani said. “I was reading House of X and then Grant Morrison’s New X-Men. From Morrison’s run, Emma Frost definitely stood out, which is why I was so excited that I got to use her. Kitty Pryde, Kate Pryde, she’s another big one; I loved her whole thing of not being able to go through the Krakoan Gates—although after Hellfire Gala, the tables have turned. Wolverine has always been one, but I think he’s just been a big character in my life from the movies because I grew up with them.”

Vellani continued, “Then, from the 90s show [X-Men: The Animated Series], I would say Jubilee and Rogue. I just love their dynamic. Also Storm! I can’t pick! It’s different every single book I read, but I’m absolutely an X-Men fan. I didn’t read a lot of X-Men comics in high school at all. This has just opened so many new doors for me. Now I just read all the X-Men stuff that I haven’t got to yet for fun. It’s great. I have a good pastime hobby now. There’s so much history to catch up on! It’s crazy.”

Iman Vellani writes Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant

Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #1 went on sale on Wednesday. ComicBook.com’s Jenna Anderson awarded Vellani’s Marvel Comics debut 4.5 out of 5 possible stars. In her review of the comic – which Vellani co-wrote with Sabir Pirzada, featuring artwork by Carlos Gómez and Adam Gorham, colors by Erick Arciniega, letters by Joe Caramagna, and main cover by Sara Pichelli that shows off Ms. Marvel’s new X-Men costume, designed by Jamie McKelvie — Anderson writes:

“For better or for worse, the past few months of Marvel Comics have changed Kamala Khan forever, but Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant makes a convincing argument that it might just be for the better. This first issue is a thoughtful, well-executed flashpoint for Kamala’s tenure, inching her slightly-closer to her MCU counterpart without losing what has already made her special on the page. When combined with exuberant art and an impossibly-earnest exploration of Kamala’s personal sense of identity, Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #1 has the makings of something special.”

Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #1 is on sale now. Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #2 goes on sale on September 27th.