One Book: Ms. Marvel – Resources & Search Tips

The Hero’s Journey & the Power of Myth (video)

The comic book, Ms. Marvel is a kind of hero’s journey where the teenage Kamalah Khan becomes the superhero Ms. Marvel. The hero’s journey is a mythological template common across cultures. This panel will define this mythology and discuss what it teaches us in literature and popular culture. This event is part of our One Book, One College program on the book Ms. Marvel.

The Hero’s Journey & the Power of Myth

The audio of this discussion is available below:

Ms. Marvel author G. Willow Wilson Lecture Videos

Graphic Novel Symposium, Mosaics Muslim Voices in America, One Book: Ms. Marvel / By Troy Swanson / April 16, 2019

We were very excited to welcome G. Willow Wilson to campus last week. Wilson, who is the author of our One Book text Ms. Marvel, gave two lectures on campus. She had much to say about heroes, identity, pop culture, and much more. She is currently the writer for Wonder Women, one of DC Comic’s premier titles. She has a new comic series out called Invisible Kingdom, and a new novel called The Bird King.
Additionally, Wilson explores the background and development of the character Ms. Marvel. She talks about the difference in writing a new character and writing a legacy character (such as Wonder Women). She offers advice to writers and talks about her writing process.

These events were made possible by a grant from the Association of Performing Arts Professionals; Building Bridges: Arts Culture and Identity, a component of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art.

Ms. Marvel author G. Willow Wilson (first lecture), One Book, One College, April 10, 2019

G. Willow Wilson author of Ms. Marvel (second lecture), One Book, One College, April 11, 2019

The audio of this discussion is available below:

Being Young and Muslim in America: A Panel Discussion

Diversity, Events, One Book: Ms. Marvel / By Troy Swanson / March 6, 2019

Members of the Muslim Student Association and the Arab Student Union discuss their religion, serving others, life as students and challenging stereotypes. This event is part of our One Book, One College Programming.

Glossary of terms:
Allah: Arabic Word for God
Asalamo Alaikum: Arabic for Peace be upon you
Zikir: remembrance of God
Quran: Holy book of Islam
Hadith: Traditions, sayings and daily practices of Prophet Muhammad from his daily life (Sunna)
Ayb: Arabic term used to describe something that might be culturally inappropriate
Deen/Din: Arabic word that encompasses judgment, custom, and religion. This term is used by Muslims and Christian Arabic speakers.

Being Young and Muslim in America: A Panel Discussion

The audio of this discussion is available below:

Event Rescheduled: Hero’s Journey & the Power of Myth

Events, One Book: Ms. Marvel / By Troy Swanson / February 21, 2019

We have rescheduled a faculty panel for April:

Hero’s Journey & the Power of Myth
Tuesday, April 23rd, 12:30pm-1:45pm, Library Lounge (Building L)
The comic book, Ms. Marvel is a kind of hero’s journey where the teenage Kamalah Khan becomes the superhero Ms. Marvel. The hero’s journey is a mythological template common across cultures. This panel will define this mythology and discuss what it teaches us in literature and popular culture. This event is part of our One Book, One College program on the book Ms. Marvel.

A Short History of Modern Pakistan

Diversity, Events, One Book: Ms. Marvel / By Troy Swanson / February 6, 2019

Pakistan’s history has impacted global events. This complicated story is often misunderstood. This talk will explore this history. This event is part of our One Book, One College Programming.

A Short History of Modern Pakistan

The audio of this discussion is available below:

This is How We Resist: Civic Engagement of Immigrant-Origin Students in Post-Trump US

Events, One Book: Ms. Marvel / By Troy Swanson / October 25, 2018

Immigrant-origin college students (those who have immigrated to the US themselves and children of immigrants) are a growing population. Currently, a third of all college-age young people in the US are first- or second-generation immigrants (Rumbaut & Komaie, 2010).
As immigrant-origin students come of age, they become keenly aware of the social and cultural reflections of themselves in the “social mirror” (Suarez-Orozco, 2004). With xenophobia, racism and discrimination on the rise, especially as directed towards immigrant groups in the US (Chavez, 2008), it is critical to understand how these students develop within contexts that give them complicated messages about how to belong.
Utilizing a strengths-based perspective, we will explore the ways in which immigrant-origin youth respond to such discrimination and how this might impact their developmental experiences. Drawing on a number of mixed-methods studies of immigrant-origin college students, this presentation will highlight the contributions of immigrant-origin youth to their families and communities as well as the ways in which they conceptualize and engage in resistance to social inequality.

“This is How We Resist”: Understanding the Civic Engagement of Immigrant-Origin College Students in Post-Trump US

The audio of this discussion is available below:

Me or We: A Panel Discussion on Heroes, the Social Contract & Our Responsibilities to Each Other

Events, One Book: Ms. Marvel / By Troy Swanson / October 12, 2018

Joined by Psychology Professor Dr. Amy Williamson and Sociology Professor Dr. Jeffrey McCully we will consider questions such as: Do individuals have responsibilities to society? If so, what are they? If not, what is the role of individuals in a society? What responsibilities do heroes and leaders have to society? Are individuals becoming increasingly egocentric, and if so, what are the implications of this? What is the social contract that we hold with each other? This event is a collaboration between One Book One College and the Democracy Commitment.

Me or We: A Panel Discussion on Heroes, the Social Contract & Our Responsibilities to Each Other

The audio of this discussion is available below:

Ms. Marvel, Meaning & Modern Storytelling : A Faculty Panel (video)

Events, Graphic Novel Symposium, Mosaics Muslim Voices in America, One Book: Ms. Marvel / By Troy Swanson / September 28, 2018

In preparation visit of author G. Willow Wilson, faculty and students will the significance of the award winning comic Ms. Marvel, which is the 2018-2019 One Book selection. This event is part of the One Book, One College program on Ms. Marvel and the Graphic Novel Symposium.

Ms. Marvel, Meaning & Modern Storytelling: A Faculty Panel

The audio of this discussion is available below:

Iva-Marie Palmer & Marta Kissi: Their Partnership as Writer and Illustrator (video)

Events, Graphic Novel Symposium, One Book: Ms. Marvel / By Troy Swanson / September 28, 2018

Iva-Marie Palmer, author of the Gabby Garcia’s Ultimate Playbook series, will talk about writing middle-grade novels with a graphic component. Attendees will hear about how this process differs from the typical novel, as well as the nuts and bolts of working with an illustrator. The illustrator of Gabby Garcia’s Ultimate Playbook, Marta Kissi, will join via Skype to talk about her side of the story. This event is part of the One Book, One College program on Ms. Marvel and the Graphic Novel Symposium.

Iva-Marie Palmer & Marta Kissi: Their Partnership as Writer and Illustrator

The audio of this discussion is available below:

The Mosaics Program, G. Willow Wilson, and Ms. Marvel (podcast)

Events, Graphic Novel Symposium, Mosaics Muslim Voices in America, One Book: Ms. Marvel / By Troy Swanson / July 11, 2018

Tommy Hensel, Director of the Fine and Performing Arts Center, discusses the program Mosaics: Muslim Voices in America. He discuses previous and upcoming programming with a special emphasis on This is part of our One Book programming and our Graphic Novel Symposium.

The Mosaics Program, G. Willow Wilson, and Ms. Marvel

The audio of this discussion is available below: