Muslim superhero Kamala Khan an absolute Marvel

SHE'S a Pakistani-American Muslim growing up in America, but Kamala Khan is no ordinary teenager. She's also a superhero.

The shape-shifting teen, who lives in New Jersey and struggles with growing up as a teenage Muslim in America, is the newest Marvel superhero, codenamed Ms Marvel.

Her character is the brain child of Marvel editors Sana Amanat and Steve Wacker and written by G. Willow Wilson. The new series will debut in February.

As well as fighting supervillains Khan also fights conflicts on the home front.

"Her brother is extremely conservative," Amanat told the New York Times .

"Her mom is paranoid that she's going to touch a boy and get pregnant. Her father wants her to concentrate on her studies and become a doctor."

Kamala Khan, second left, with her family Aamir, father Yusuf, mother Disha and friend Bruno, from the "Ms. Marvel" issue. Picture: Marvel Comics

The comic book cover released by Marvel Comics showing character Kamala Khan on the "Ms. Marvel" issue. Picture: Marvel Comics

Kamala Khan came about after a conversation between Amanat and Wacker when she told him an anecdote about growing up as a Muslim-American. Wilson, a Muslim convert, heard about the project and was keen to join.

"Any time you do something like this, it is a bit of a risk," Ms Wilson said.

"You're trying to bring the audience on board and they are used to seeing something else in the pages of a comic book.

She said the series was "about the universal experience of all American teenagers, feeling kind of isolated and finding what they are" but told "through the lens of being a Muslim-American" with superpowers.

Kamala Khan's creation comes after Pakistan began screening a series called Burqa Avenger about a mild-mannered teacher with secret martial arts skills.

She uses a flowing black burka to hide her identity as she fights local thugs seeking to shut down the girls' school where she works.