Iman Vellani’s Top Comic Book Picks Prove Her Fandom Runs Deeper Than the MCU
Iman Vellani has built her entire public persona around being a comic book obsessive first and a movie star second, and that reputation only keeps growing the more she talks. The actress who plays Kamala Khan across Marvel’s television and film slate has spent years dropping references that reveal just how deep her reading habits actually go, long before she ever put on the bangle that turned her into ‘Ms. Marvel’.
That fandom has since evolved into something more hands on. Vellani made her comic writing debut in 2023 with the limited series ‘Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant’, co-written alongside Sabir Pirzada, and she has continued expanding her footprint in the industry ever since, including an upcoming solo series called ‘Chachu’ set for release through Image Comics and Tiny Onion this August.
So when the actress sat down to name her five favorite comic book characters of all time, fans paid attention. Her list, shared through League of Comic Geeks and picked up by outlets tracking her comments, named Iron Man, Wonder Woman, Silver Surfer, Ricky Lawless, and Tony Chu as her definitive picks, a combination that jumps from mainstream superhero royalty straight into cult favorite crime comics territory.
Iron Man topping her list is nothing new for Vellani, who has consistently pointed to Tony Stark as her favorite character across past interviews. Her fondness for the character reportedly stems partly from his comic relationship with Kamala Khan, particularly the 2016 run where Iron Man helps Kamala with her physics homework and treats her to gyros and fries after a fight, a dynamic she has called wholesome.
Her Wonder Woman pick comes with a very specific citation too. Vellani tied her love for the Amazon warrior directly to the recent ‘Absolute Wonder Woman’ run, the Eisner Award winning series from DC’s Absolute Universe imprint. The book reimagines Diana as the adopted princess of Hell rather than the traditional Themyscira raised heroine, and it won Best New Series and Best Coloring at the 2025 Eisner Awards, cementing its status as one of the more acclaimed reinventions in recent DC history.
Silver Surfer rounds out the more recognizable half of her list, with Vellani reportedly drawn to the character through his most philosophically minded storylines exploring purpose and earned success. It is a fitting pick for an actress who has never shied away from getting introspective about the heroes she loves most.
Where the list gets genuinely surprising is the back half. Ricky Lawless comes from the acclaimed crime series ‘Criminal’, while Tony Chu is the cannibal detective at the center of the horror comic ‘Chew’, both deep cuts that swing far outside typical superhero fare and signal a reader with range well beyond capes and tights.
What do you think about Iman Vellani's favorite comic book characters?
The timing of Vellani’s comic confessional lands right as speculation swirls around her future in the MCU, with a promotional interview reportedly hinting at her potential involvement in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. Whether or not that pans out, this list only reinforces that her fandom was never a performance for the cameras.
Which pick from Vellani’s list caught you most off guard, the Wonder Woman crossover or the deep cut appearances from Ricky Lawless and Tony Chu?
