The woman who reinvented Ms. Marvel is stepping down

Ms. Marvel is getting a new creative team come 2019.

The first Muslim hero in a Marvel series, Kamala Khan was introduced in 2014, created by writer G. Willow Wilson and artist Adrian Alphona, under editors Stephen Wacker and Sana Amanat. Initially, she and Amanat planned for a 10-issue run, but it quickly became clear when the comic hit the New York Times bestseller list that Ms. Marvel was bigger than a limited series run. Wilson has penned Ms. Marvel ever since.

In an open farewell letter, Wilson discussed the impact that Kamala Khan has had on her life for the past five years, and the reasons why she’s stepping down from the role and handing it off to a successor.

“Great superheroes stay fresh and relevant because they are the work of many storytellers, all of whom bring their unique perspectives and experiences to the character,” wrote Wilson. “Earlier this year, I began to have the persistent feeling that I was in danger of repeating myself every time I sat down to write a new script. It was a sign: time to start planning my exit.”

Taking over and ushering in a new Ms. Marvel series — titled The Magnificent Ms. Marvel — will be Eisner-award winning writer Saladin Ahmed (Black Bolt, Miles Morales: Spider-Man) and illustrator Minkyu Jung.

“I think that Kamala’s earned her superlative,” Ahmed told Entertainment Weekly, in regards to the new title. “She’s been around for a few years and she’s been magnificent. We kind of wanted to announce that this was her leveling up — as she would probably put it.”

The new series will debut sometime in 2019.