For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we’re celebrating 10 superhero characters who don’t just pack a punch but also bring real depth.
Sersi and Shang-Chi show just how powerful good representation can be. BU. image source: Marvel Studios / Disney
May is drawing to a close, and with it, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI for short). It’s a time to celebrate the contributions, history, and cultures of people with Asian or Pacific Islander backgrounds - and rightfully so.
Because whether it's on the big screen, across comic book panels, or in animated multiverses, AAPI characters are becoming more and more visible in the world of superheroes. So, let’s give them a little spotlight!
Shang-Chi - Shang-Chi
Publisher: Marvel Comics | First appearance: December 1973 | Portrayed by: Simu Liu
Shang-Chi, the "Master of Kung Fu," was introduced to the Marvel Universe back in 1973 during the martial arts boom inspired by legends like Bruce Lee. The 2021 film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings reimagines his story for a modern audience.
As the son of the villain Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung), Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) grows up isolated and trained in martial arts from a young age. But once he realizes his father's tyrannical
nature, he escapes and starts a new life in the city. Despite his extraordinary fighting skills, Shang-Chi is humble, thoughtful, and often reserved. He struggles with his identity - especially with being shaped as his father’s weapon. This makes him a multi-layered character who breaks with the clichés of tough fighters.
The film is the first Marvel movie to feature an Asian lead and a predominantly Asian-American cast, making it a milestone for representation in mainstream cinema.
Jubilee - X-Men
Publisher: Marvel Comics | First appearance: May 1989 | Portrayed by: Kea Wong, Lana Kondor
Jubilation Lee, aka Jubilee, has received far less attention on the big screen despite being part of the X-Men universe since 1989. The Chinese-American superhero is mainly known from comics (Generation X) and animated series (X-Men: The Animated Series).
After her parents' death, Jubilee ends up in an orphanage and struggles as a teenager - until she discovers her superpowers. She can create "pyrotechnic plasmoids," producing impressive light shows that can also cause significant damage.
Jubilee is best known as Wolverine’s sidekick. Her lively, cheeky personality contrasts with his gruff demeanor, forming a strong mentor-student bond. However, she stands on her own as well. In Generation X, she is a main character, training alongside a group of young mutants as the next generation of X-Men.
Kamala Khan as Ms. Marvel - Ms. Marvel
Publisher: Marvel Comics | First appearance: August 2013 | Portrayed by: Iman Vellani
Ms. Marvel has existed since 1977, originally created as a counterpart to Mar-Vell. However, the name refers to several different characters over time: Carol Danvers, Sharon Ventura, Karla Sofen, and most recently Kamala Khan, who made her comic debut in 2013.
The Disney+ series Ms. Marvel focuses on Kamala, a Pakistani-American teenager navigating everyday life, family, school, and questions of identity. A huge fan of the original Ms. Marvel, Carol Danvers (now Captain Marvel), Kamala dreams of becoming a hero herself. Lucky for her that dream comes true.
With the help of a magical bangle, she unlocks her dormant cosmic powers from the Noor Dimension, allowing her to create glowing constructs made of hard light. Beyond her powers, she’s a passionate gamer and writes superhero fan fiction - we can relate.
Colleen Wing - Iron Fist
Publisher: Marvel Comics | First appearance: November 1974 | Portrayed by: Jessica Henwick
Colleen Wing is a Japanese-descended martial artist and part of a long line of samurai. Together with former cop Misty Knight, she forms the crime-fighting duo Daughters of the Dragon - Marvel’s answer to a buddy-cop series with badass women.
In the Netflix series Iron Fist, she runs her own dojo, fights corruption, and even temporarily takes on the powers of the Iron Fist, though she does just fine without them. Her katana is like an extension of herself. Colleen is a fierce fighter with a calm demeanor and a ton of grit, proving that heroines can shine without superpowers. She continues this role in The Defenders, where she keeps a cool head during even the most intense showdowns.
Cassandra Cain - Batman
Publisher: DC Comics | First appearance: July 1999 | Portrayed by: Ella Jay Basco
Time to bring a little DC into the mix, and who better than a Batgirl? Chinese-American Cassandra Cain (aka Orphan) is the daughter of deadly assassins David Cain and Lady Shiva. Raised without spoken language, she learned to read body movements instead, making her a highly skilled fighter capable of anticipating her opponents’ moves.
After committing her first kill, she breaks down emotionally and flees to Gotham City, where she's taken in by Batman and eventually becomes the third Batgirl, following Barbara Gordon and Helena Bertinelli.
In the DC Extended Universe, she appears in Birds of Prey alongside Harley Quinn, though in a very different version: a teenage pickpocket instead of a trained fighter - something many fans saw as a missed opportunity.
Sersi - Eternals
Publisher: Marvel Comics | First appearance: May 1963 (Circe), 1976 (Sersi) | Portrayed by: Gemma Chan
The award for the oldest entry on this list fittingly goes to an Eternal. While Sersi officially debuted in 1976, she was later retconned to the mythological sorceress Circe, who first appeared in Strange Tales in 1963. Sersi is one of the Eternals - a race of immortal, god-like beings created by the Celestials to watch over humanity for thousands of years.
In the 2021 movie Eternals, the group splits in the face of an apocalypse and Sersi becomes their moral leader. Although the true destiny of her kind has now been revealed - to sacrifice humanity to the creation of a new Celestial - she stands against it, defying her creators in a powerful act of compassion and emotional depth.
She’s portrayed by Chinese-British actress Gemma Chan. While Sersi isn’t human and has no specific Earthly origin, her portrayal adds meaningful Asian representation to the MCU.
Ben / Number 6 - Umbrella Academy
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics | First appearance: 2007 | Portrayed by: Justin H. Min
What marks the end for most characters is just the beginning for Ben: he’s already dead before The Umbrella Academy comics or Netflix show even start. As a ghost, he can only communicate with his brother Klaus, becoming his moral compass in the process.
Ben, also known as Number Six, is one of seven children adopted by Sir Reginald Hargreeves, who trains them as superheroes after their mysterious births. His nickname “The Horror” comes from his power to unleash Lovecraftian monsters from his chest. But despite this brutal ability, Ben is a quiet and sensitive soul, arguably the least comfortable of the siblings with the superhero lifestyle.
His Korean origin is not staged in a clichéd way, but is a natural part of his character. A quiet but strong contribution to diversity in the superhero genre.
Wong - Doctor Strange
Publisher: Marvel Comics | First appearance: July 1963 | Portrayed by: Benedict Wong
Wong is a master of the mystic arts and part of Doctor Strange’s world. In the comics, he started out as a classic sidekick, Dr. Stephen Strange’s loyal servant and butler. But in the MCU, Wong has been reimagined as an equal: a powerful sorcerer, librarian, and eventually the Sorcerer Supreme.
He’s basically the magical backbone of the MCU - calm, disciplined, and always the one who knows the rules. But he’s not all seriousness: he’s a proud Beyoncé fan and has some surprising karaoke skills, as seen in Shang-Chi.
In the comics, Wong is of Tibetan origin, but in the MCU he’s played by British-Chinese actor Benedict Wong. He’s one of the most prominent Asian characters in the MCU, portrayed without clichés, and is beloved by fans for his dry wit and steady presence.
Sunfire - X-Men
Publisher: Marvel Comics | First appearance: January 1970 | Voiced by: Denis Akiyama, Tomokazu Sugita
Sunfire, real name Shiro Yoshida, is a Japanese mutant with the ability to generate superheated plasma blasts and fly. His powers are fueled by absorbing solar energy - hence the name.
First appearing in the X-Men comics in 1970, he’s one of Marvel’s earliest Asian superheroes and comes with a tragic backstory: his mother died from radiation-related illness after the bombing of Hiroshima, a trauma that continues to shape him. Often mistrustful and fiercely independent, Sunfire was never fully part of the X-Men.
His character explores themes of cultural identity, anger, and self-determination.Not your typical crowd-pleaser, but all the more compelling because of it.
Katana - Batman
Publisher: DC Comics | First appearance: July 1983 | Portrayed by: Karen Fukuhara
True to her name, Katana is a Japanese master swordswoman. She wields a weapon called the Soultaker, which holds, among other souls, that of her deceased husband. She becomes part of the Outsiders - a secret team formed by Batman as a counterpoint to the Justice League - and later joins the Suicide Squad.
Katana is not only a skilled warrior but also a deeply tragic figure, whose story is often marked by loss and vengeance. She embodies honor, discipline, and strength, bringing a culturally rich Asian perspective to the DC Universe. In the 2016 Suicide Squad movie,
Karen Fukuhara delivers a fantastic portrayal of the character, earning widespread fan acclaim.