Sana Amanat

{{Infobox comics creator

|image = Sana Amanat by Gage Skidmore.jpg

|caption = Amanat at the Women of Marvel panel during San Diego Comic-Con 2023.

|image_size = 210

|birth_name =

|birth_place = New Jersey, United States

|death_date =

|death_place =

|nationality = {{flatlist|

American
Pakistani

}}

|area = Editor, Writer, Executive producer

|notable works = Ms. Marvel, Captain Marvel

}}

Sana Amanat is an American comic book editor and an executive of production and development at Marvel Studios,{{Cite web |title=Ms. Marvel Production Notes |url=https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/ms_60e9f172.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220618000950/https://lumiere-a.akamaihd.net/v1/documents/ms_60e9f172.pdf |archive-date=June 18, 2022 |access-date=June 17, 2022 |publisher=Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution}}{{rp|23}} having formerly been the Director of Content and Character Development at Marvel Comics.{{Cite web |last=Abad-Santos |first=Alex |date=2015-11-19 |title=Meet Sana Amanat, the Shonda Rhimes of Marvel comics |url=https://www.vox.com/2015/11/19/9757682/sana-amanat-marvel |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=Vox |language=en}}[https://wearewakanda.com/post/129540505030/be-the-hero-get-to-know-sana-amanats-story-sana "Be The Hero: Get to Know Sana Amanat's Story".] We Are Wakanda. Retrieved 2021-12-16.{{Cite web|date=2018-09-20|title=Sana Amanat|url=https://seejane.org/bio/sana-amanat/|access-date=2022-03-01|website=See Jane |author1=Purplegirl }}{{Cite news |last=Tahir |first=Sabaa |date=2014-02-04 |title=ESSAY: Why Muslim Ms. Marvel succeeds in her debut |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/ms-marvel-why-does-marvels-new-reboot-succeed-because-its-muslim-teen-superhero-is-sweet-conflicted-and-utterly-relatable/2014/02/04/42908ac8-8dc6-11e3-95dd-36ff657a4dae_blog.html |access-date=2017-11-24 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}{{cite news |date=September 18, 2015 |title=Be The Hero: Get to Know Sana Amanat's Story |work=Makers |url=http://www.makers.com/blog/be-the-hero-sana-amanat |access-date=2017-11-24}} She has worked on comics such as Captain Marvel, Hawkeye, Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man, and Ms. Marvel. Amanat is known for co-creating Kamala Khan / Ms. Marvel, the first Muslim-American superhero with a solo Marvel Comics series.{{Cite web |date=July 24, 2018 |title=Learn Sana Amanat's Name Now — The Future Of Marvel Might Just Be In Her Hands |url=https://www.bustle.com/p/learn-sana-amanats-name-now-the-future-of-marvel-might-just-be-in-her-hands-9558764 |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=Bustle |language=en}}

Early life and education

Amanat was born in New Jersey to Pakistani immigrants. Her family is Muslim. Throughout her childhood, Amanat had trouble fitting in and struggled with self-identity.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/comic-riffs/wp/2016/06/17/the-pakistani-american-marvel-editor-who-is-trying-to-make-comic-books-more-diverse/|title=The Pakistani American Marvel editor who is trying to make comic books more diverse|last=Cavna|first=Michael|date=June 17, 2016|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2017-11-24}}

Amanat studied political science with a focus on the Middle East at Barnard College at Columbia University in 2004.{{cite web|url=https://barnard.edu/magazine/summer-2016/new-kind-superhero|title=A New Kind of Superhero {{!}} Barnard College|last=Thomson-DeVeaux|first=Amelia|website=barnard.edu|language=en|access-date=2017-11-24}}{{cite news|url=http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/283421/marvel-behind-new-ms-marvel/|title=The marvel behind the new Ms. Marvel|last=Vera|first=Ruel S. De|access-date=2018-01-03|language=en}}

Career

File:Barack Obama and Sana Amanat at 2016 WHM.jpg a copy of Ms. Marvel Vol. 1 in the Blue Room of the White House during a reception for Women's History Month in 2016]]

After college, Amanat worked in magazine publishing for a few years. She then worked for an indie comic book company, Virgin Comics.{{Cite web |title=The badass woman who created Marvel's first Muslim superhero to headline her own series |url=https://elle.in/article/sana-amanat-marvel-first-muslim-superhero/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=Elle India |date=November 12, 2018 |language=en-US}} There, Amanat learned about graphic storytelling. Two years later, the company went out of business.

Amanat's next career move was to join Marvel Comics in 2009. According to Amanat, an executive at Marvel approached her for the job because she was different from their average employee. She said that the executive told her she had "something different to offer than the regular fanboy who has read comics since he was a kid. She has a different voice, and they need her voice in order to change Marvel."{{cite news|url=https://www.vogue.com/projects/13541583/sana-amanat-vogue-american-women-marvel-comics/|title=Sana Amanat Is Changing the World of Comic Books From the Inside Out|last=Thomas|first=Janelle Okwodu, Mickalene|work=Vogue|access-date=2018-12-03}} Amanat runs the annual Women of Marvel panel at Comic Con and does work to make Marvel characters more diverse. {{As of|2014|since=y}}, Amanat has also co-hosted the Women of Marvel podcast;{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=Kelly |date=2014-06-24 |title=Listen to the Women of Marvel |url=https://geekdad.com/2014/06/women-of-marvel/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=GeekDad |language=en-US}} by 2020, the podcast had released over 200 episodes.{{Cite web |date=March 9, 2020 |title=Celebrating the 'Women of Marvel' Podcast |url=https://www.marvel.com/articles/podcasts/celebrating-the-women-of-marvel-podcast |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200403020651/https://www.marvel.com/articles/podcasts/celebrating-the-women-of-marvel-podcast |archive-date=April 3, 2020 |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=Marvel Entertainment |language=en}}

At TEDxTeen 2014, Amanat gave a talk titled "Myths, Misfits & Masks"{{Cite web |last=Wickline |first=Dan |date=2014-03-20 |title=Marvel Editor Sana Amanat Does TEDxTeen Talk About The Positive Power Of Storytelling |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/marvel-editor-sana-amanat-does-tedxteen-talk-about-the-positive-power-of-storytelling/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=Bleeding Cool News And Rumors |language=en}} where she spoke on "how societal constructs and stereotype affect self-image and worth and how comic book storytelling in particular helps manage the expectations of others through a positive lens".{{Cite web |last=Ching |first=Albert |date=2014-05-02 |title=CBR TV @ WC 2014: Sana Amanat on TED Talk, "Ms. Marvel" & More |url=https://www.cbr.com/cbr-tv-wc-2014-sana-amanat-on-ted-talk-ms-marvel-more/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}

In 2014, she co-created Marvel's first solo series to feature a female Muslim superhero, the relaunched Ms. Marvel comic; the series was headlined by a new character, Kamala Khan. The conception of Khan came about during a conversation between Amanat and Marvel editor Stephen Wacker. Amanat said, "I was telling him some crazy anecdote about my childhood, growing up as a Muslim American. He found it hilarious." The pair then told G. Willow Wilson about the concept and Wilson became eager to jump aboard the project.{{cite news |last=Gustines |first=George |date=November 5, 2013 |title=Marvel Comics Introducing a Muslim Girl Superhero |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/06/books/marvel-comics-introducing-a-muslim-girl-superhero.html |access-date=November 7, 2013}} Amanat said that the series came from a "desire to explore the Muslim-American diaspora from an authentic perspective."{{cite news |last=More |first=Matt |date=November 5, 2013 |title=In Marvel Comics, Ms Marvel returns as Muslim teen |agency=Associated Press |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/marvel-comics-ms-marvel-returns-muslim-teen |url-status=dead |access-date=November 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131107062735/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/marvel-comics-ms-marvel-returns-muslim-teen |archive-date=November 7, 2013}} Ms. Marvel Volume 1: No Normal was the best-selling graphic novel in October 2014{{cite web |title=Top 100 Graphic Novels: October 2014 |url=http://www.diamondcomics.com/Home/1/1/3/237?articleID=156090 |access-date=December 9, 2014 |publisher=Diamond Comic Distributors}} and it won the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story in 2015.{{cite web |date=August 22, 2015 |title=2015 Hugo Award Winners Announced |url=http://www.thehugoawards.org/2015/08/2014-hugo-award-winners-announced/ |access-date=August 23, 2015 |publisher=The Hugo Awards}} Several volumes of the series have been on The New York Times Best Seller list of paperback graphic books.{{efn|By November 2014, Ms. Marvel Volume 1: No Normal reached No. 2 on The New York Times Best Seller list of paperback graphic books.{{cite web |date=November 16, 2014 |title=Best Sellers> Paperback Graphic Books |url=https://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2014-11-16/paperback-graphic-books/list.html |access-date=December 9, 2014 |work=The New York Times}} In April 2015, Ms. Marvel Volume 2: Generation Why debuted at #4 on The New York Times Best Seller list of paperback graphic books.{{cite web |date=April 20, 2015 |title=Best Sellers> Paperback Graphic Books |url=https://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2015-04-26/paperback-graphic-books/list.html |access-date=April 20, 2015 |work=The New York Times}} In July 2015, Ms. Marvel Volume 3: Crushed debuted at #3 on The New York Times Best Seller list of paperback graphic books.{{cite web |date=April 20, 2015 |title=Best Sellers> Paperback Graphic Books |url=https://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2015-07-12/paperback-graphic-books/list.html |access-date=July 14, 2015 |work=The New York Times}} In July 2016, Ms. Marvel Volume 5: Super Famous debuted at #3 on The New York Times Best Seller list of paperback graphic books.{{Cite news |title=Paperback Graphic Books – Best Sellers – July 31, 2016 – The New York Times |newspaper=The New York Times |language=en |url=https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2016/07/31/paperback-graphic-books/ |access-date=2018-07-12}}}} As of August 2018, Ms. Marvel has sold half a million trade paperbacks, not including digital sales.{{cite web |last=Johnston |first=Rich |date=August 31, 2018 |title=Ms. Marvel Has Sold Half a Million Trade Paperbacks |url=https://www.bleedingcool.com/2018/08/31/ms-marvel-sold-half-million-trade-paperbacks/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427143647/https://www.bleedingcool.com/2018/08/31/ms-marvel-sold-half-million-trade-paperbacks/ |archive-date=April 27, 2019 |access-date=September 22, 2019 |website=Bleeding Cool News}}{{Cite web |last=Zaheer |first=Mohammad |date=June 7, 2022 |title=Why Marvel has struck gold with Muslim superhero Ms Marvel |url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20220607-why-marvel-has-struck-gold-with-muslim-superhero-ms-marvel |access-date=June 8, 2022 |website=BBC Culture |language=en}} Ms. Marvel has also sold well digitally,{{Cite news |last=Gustines |first=George Gene |date=2017-04-07 |title=Marvel Comics May Have Slumping Sales, but Don't Blame Its Diverse Heroes |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/07/books/marvel-comics-diversity-thor-hulk.html |access-date=2022-06-23 |issn=0362-4331}} and has at times been Marvel's top digital seller overall.{{cite book|title=Superwomen: Gender, Power, and Representation|last=Cocca|first=Carolyn|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic|year=2016|isbn=978-1501316579|pages=183}}{{update inline|date=March 2022}}

Amanat has been the Director of Content and Character Development at Marvel Comics {{As of|2015|February|lc=y|since=y}}.{{Cite web |last=MacDonald |first=Heidi |date=2015-02-06 |title=Sana Amanat promoted to Director of Content & Character Development at Marvel |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/sana-amanat-promoted-to-director-of-content-character-development-at-marvel/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Francisco |first=Eric |date=June 7, 2022 |title=How 'Ms. Marvel' creators "convinced" Kevin Feige to ditch the MCU's worst trend |url=https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/ms-marvel-disney-plus-series-interviews-sana-amanat-bisha-ali-directors |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=Inverse |language=en}} Vox called her the "Shonda Rhimes of Marvel comics" in 2015. Amanat was co-executive producer on the animated television film Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors (2018) and the subsequent animated specials in the Marvel Rising series.{{Cite web |date=September 30, 2018 |title=Interview: Talking Heroes And The Future Of 'Marvel Rising Secret Warriors' With Sana Amanat |url=https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/marvel-rising-secret-warriors-sana-amanat-interview/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2018-11-27 |title=Exclusive Interview: 'Marvel Rising' Producer Sana Amanat |url=https://sciencefiction.com/2018/11/27/exclusive-interview-marvel-rising-producer-sana-amanat/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=ScienceFiction.com |language=en-US}} She was also co-executive producer on the unscripted documentary series Marvel's Hero Project (2019).{{Cite web |date=2019-10-05 |title=NYCC: The Marvel Hero Project brings real life heroes into the spotlight |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/marvel-hero-project-inspires |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=SYFY Official Site |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Harbet |first=Xandra |date=2022-06-07 |title=Ms. Marvel Comic Co-Creator Sana Amanat On The Disney+ Series And The Changes From The Comics – Exclusive Interview |url=https://www.looper.com/886144/ms-marvel-comic-co-creator-sana-amanat-on-the-disney-series-and-the-changes-from-the-comics-exclusive-interview/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=Looper.com |language=en-US}} Amanat joined Marvel Studios by mid-2019, where she is an executive of production and development.{{Cite magazine |last=Holub |first=Christian |date=June 30, 2022 |title=Ms. Marvel co-creator Sana Amanat discusses the Red Dagger and Kamala's trip to Karachi |url=https://ew.com/tv/ms-marvel-co-creator-sana-amanat-discusses-the-red-dagger-and-kamalas-trip-to-pakistan/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701202106/https://ew.com/tv/ms-marvel-co-creator-sana-amanat-discusses-the-red-dagger-and-kamalas-trip-to-pakistan/ |archive-date=July 1, 2022 |access-date=July 3, 2022 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}}{{rp|23}} She is as an executive producer on Marvel Studios' Ms. Marvel (2022), a Disney+ television adaptation based on the comic series of the same name;{{Cite web |date=2020-12-11 |title=Embiggen! Ms. Marvel series coming to Disney+ drops sizzle reel with first footage |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/ms-marvel-disney-plus-sizzle-reel |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=SYFY Official Site |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Mathai |first=Jeremy |date=2022-06-07 |title=Ms. Marvel Co-Creator Explains Her Involvement With The Show And Crafting A Story That Feels Specific [Interview] |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/887467/ms-marvel-co-creator-explains-her-involvement-with-the-show-and-crafting-a-story-that-feels-specific-interview/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=SlashFilm.com |language=en-US}} she cameos in the third episode of the series.{{Cite web |last=Shaffi |first=Sarah |date=2022-06-22 |title=Ms. Marvel gives us the big fight scene we've been craving |url=https://www.avclub.com/ms-marvel-review-season-1-episode-3-destined-1849093142 |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=The A.V. Club |language=en-us}}{{Cite web |date=June 21, 2022 |title=Ms. Marvel Episode 3 Clip Features a Bollywood-Style Wedding Dance |url=https://comicbook.com/marvel/news/ms-marvel-episode-3-clip-bollywood-wedding-dance/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en}}

Inspiration

In her Ted Talk, Amanat stated that "the big idea behind Ms. Marvel [was] very much about minority representation, the bigger idea was about finding your authentic self". While creating the comic, she drew on her own experience as the child of Pakistani immigrants in the New Jersey suburbs in hopes that the next generation will not experience identity rejection as she did through a relatable superhero.

Comics

True Believers: Thanos Rising (2018){{cite web|url=https://www.marvel.com/comics/creators/11841/sana_amanat|title=Sana Amanat|website=Marvel Entertainment|access-date=2018-12-03}}
Generations: Ms. Marvel and Ms. Marvel (2017)
The Mighty Captain Marvel (2017)
Hawkeye (2016–2018)''
All-New Hawkeye (2015–2016)
Captain Marvel & The Carol Corps (2015–present)
Daredevil (2015–present)
Giant-Size Little Marvel: AVX (2015–present)
Max Ride: First Flight (2015–present)
Ms. Marvel vol. 4 #1 – 38 (November 2015 – March 2019){{Cite web |last=Quaintance |first=Zack |date=2018-12-14 |title=THE MAGNIFICENT MS. MARVEL: Kamala Khan gets new comic, new creative team, new adjective |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/the-magnificent-ms-marvel-kamala-khan-gets-new-comic-new-creative-team-new-adjective/ |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}}
Volume 5: Super Famous (tpb, 136 pages, 2016, {{ISBN|0-7851-9611-0}})
"Super Famous" (with G.Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona and Takeshi Miyazawa, in #1–3, 2015–2016)
"Army of One" (with G.Willow Wilson and Nico Leon, in #4–6, 2016)
"The Road to War" (with G.Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona, in #7, 2016)
"Civil War II" (with G.Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona and Takeshi Miyazawa, in #8-11, 2016)
"The Road to War" (with G.Willow Wilson and Mirka Andolfo, in #12, 2016)
"Election Day" (with G.Willow Wilson and Mirka Andolfo, in #13, 2016)
"Damage Per Second" (with G.Willow Wilson, Takeshi Miyazawa, and Nelson Blake II, in #14-17, 2017)
"Meanwhile in Wakanda" (with G.Willow Wilson and Francesco Gaston, in #18, 2017)
"Mecca" (with G.Willow Wilson, Marco Failla, Nelson Blake II, and Valerio Schiti, in #19-22, 2017)
"Northeast Corridor" (with G.Willow Wilson, Diego Olortegui, and Valerio Schiti, in #23-24, 2017)
Ms. Marvel vol. 3 #1–19 (with G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona, February 2014 – October 2015)
Volume 1: No Normal (tpb, 120 pages, 2014, {{ISBN|0-7851-9021-X}}) collects:
"Garden State of Mind" (with G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona, in All-New Marvel NOW! Point One #1.NOW, 2014)
"Meta Morphosis" (with G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona, in #1, 2014)
"All Mankind" (with G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona, in #2, 2014)
"Side Entrance" (with G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona, in #3, 2014)
"Past Curfew" (with G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona, in #4, 2014)
"Urban Legend" (with G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona, in #5, 2014)
Volume 2: Generation Why (tpb, 136 pages, 2015, {{ISBN|0-7851-9022-8}}) collects:
"Healing Factor" (with Jake Wyatt, in #6–7, 2014)
"Generation Why" (with G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona, in #8–11, 2014–2015)
Volume 3: Crushed (tpb, 112 pages, 2015, {{ISBN|0-7851-9227-1}}) collects:
"Loki in Love" (with G.Willow Wilson and Elmo Bondoc, in #12, 2015)
"Crushed" (with G.Willow Wilson and Takeshi Miyazawa, in #13–15, 2015)
Volume 4: Last Days (tpb, 120 pages, 2015, {{ISBN|0-7851-9736-2}}) collects:
"Last Days" (with G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona, in #16–19, 2015)
Ultimate Spider-Man Infinite Digital Comic (2015–present)
All-New Hawkeye (2015)
Elektra (2014–present)
Rocket Raccoon (2014–present)
Daredevil (2014–2015)
Hawkeye (2012–2015)