Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 5)— Filipino American Ari Agbayani is Marvel’s newest addition to its growing list of heroes.
The franchise on Friday gave fans a sneak peek of Agbayani — a heroine inspired by Captain America who aims to fight for justice in her college campus.
In a statement, Marvel described Agbayani as a “scholarship student at a small private university.”
“When her school turns a blind eye to fellow students behaving badly, she springs into action — and she’s not afraid to fight dirty.”
Writer Alyssa Wong, who created the local hero together with Jodi Nishijima, explained she wanted to craft a Filipino American character from the beginning.
“There just aren’t very many of us in comics! I grew up without a Filipino American community for the most part, so every time I see a Filipino character, I get excited,” Wong said. “And getting to create one — a Captain America, even! — feels incredibly special.”
Wong added that like other heroes, Agbayani “has a strong sense of justice and admires the ideals Captain America embodies.”
Ari Agbayani will debut for the Marvel comic “United States of Captain America” in September.
