MCU’s Ms. Marvel Iman Vellani Reveals the 5 Heroes and Villains She Loves Most

Iman Vellani has never been shy about her comic book obsessions, and her latest confession only cements her status as one of Hollywood’s most authentic fangirls turned franchise star.

The actress recently revealed her top five comic book characters, a list that swings from mainstream Marvel royalty straight into cult favorite indie territory in a way only a true collector could pull off.

Vellani has long been open about her love for Marvel’s biggest names, previously calling the Kamala Khan and Wolverine team-up issue one of her favorite standout reads.

Her latest ranking put Iron Man at the very top, a choice she has stood by consistently across interviews. She has explained that her love for Tony Stark stems partly from his comic relationship with Kamala, describing how the 2016 run shows Iron Man helping Kamala with her physics homework and getting her gyros and fries after a fight, calling their bond very, very wholesome.

Wonder Woman’s inclusion, tied specifically to the recent Absolute run, shows Vellani branching outside the Marvel universe entirely, a detail that will likely delight DC fans who assumed her loyalties stopped at the Avengers roster. Silver Surfer rounding out her list is no surprise either, since Vellani has previously described the character’s 50th anniversary Infinity Gauntlet run as one of her comfort reads, explaining that the story’s philosophical exploration of purpose and earned success really hit home for her.

Where the list gets genuinely unexpected is her inclusion of Ricky Lawless from Criminal and Tony Chu from Chew, both deep cuts from creator owned crime and horror comics rather than mainstream superhero fare. That kind of range signals a reader who goes well beyond the capes and tights most casual fans associate with a Marvel Cinematic Universe star, and it reinforces just how seriously Vellani takes her comic book fandom off screen.

Vellani’s relationship with comics has evolved past simply reading them in recent years. Beyond her acting work, she took up writing the next iteration of Ms. Marvel comics for Marvel, expanding her creative footprint within the industry that shaped her. She also made her original comics debut this year with Chachu, a series she described as growing out of the tension between mourning her youth while she still has it and an incessant urge to come of age already, co-published through James Tynion IV’s Tiny Onion imprint.

On the acting side, Vellani remains best known for playing Kamala Khan, the superhero identity Ms. Marvel, across Disney’s MCU television and film slate. She made her acting debut with the 2022 Ms. Marvel series before appearing in The Marvels and the animated series Marvel Zombies, both also under the Disney banner. Beyond Marvel, she has taken on projects including Shiver, an adaptation of the bestselling YA fantasy novel opposite Maddie Ziegler and Greg Kinnear, along with the independent film Mouse.

Fans are also watching closely for her potential return to the MCU. During a joint interview promoting Animal Farm, director Andy Serkis appeared to let slip that Vellani would appear in Avengers: Doomsday, telling her he was excited to see her in the film, to which she quickly replied, No. You can’t say that. Insiders have since suggested Kamala Khan and the rest of the Khan family remain safe in the MCU timeline even as Magneto reportedly wreaks havoc elsewhere, fueling speculation that Vellani could be assembling a Young Avengers lineup alongside Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop.

Avengers: Doomsday, directed by Joe and Anthony Russo and starring Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, is set for release on December 18, 2026, as part of a packed year of Marvel releases that also includes Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Punisher: One Last Kill. Whether or not Vellani’s name ends up on the final cast list, her comic book knowledge alone proves she has always belonged in this world.

What would make your own top five comic book characters list, and did any of Vellani’s picks surprise you? Let us know in the comments.