photo credit: https://geektherapy.org/get-a-first-look-at-kahhori-reshaper-of-worlds-
Marvel gave their annual shout out to Native Americans for Indigenous Heritage Month. The new comic; Kahhori: Reshaper of Worlds, features the young Haudenosaunee woman who made her debut in the second season of Marvel’s What If?. In an alternate universe, Kahhori acquires super powers when the Tesseract lands in Mohawk territory, (Upstate New York) in the 15th Century. Using her abilities, she battles invading conquistadores and stops the colonization of the Americas. Now she makes her comic book debut in this one-shot special from Marvel Voices.
This comic is a fun adventure in which Kahhori goes toe to toe with Loki as she chases him through the Multiverse. There she encounters various heroes from Marvel’s 616 timeline, such as Echo, Daredevil and Moon Knight. It’s a classic comic book showdown that highlights a new Indigenous hero and her super abilities.
photo credit: instagram.com/jswitterscreative/
The story is fast paced and entertaining as Kahhori faces down a power hungry Loki who looks particularly creepy, resembling more of a frost giant than royal Asguardian trickster. While this standard superhero vs villain tale is nothing groundbreaking, having Native representation is refreshing.
The art is bright and vibrant and fits the fun action packed style of the story. It can get a little inconsistent as the book is broken up into different chapters like an anthology. Each story having a different artist is a little distracting, still it’s an enjoyable read.
The comic also has an interesting conversation between Kahhori and Moon Knight, where they discuss their different viewpoints of the moon’s power. Moon Knight claims to take the moon’s energy and use it for his own need, where Kahhori simply sees it as a gift. The scene is a nice insight into Indigenous perspective and philosophy. Something that comic books can definitely use more of.
The comic also features interviews with the writers and artists of the book. Devery Jacobs, who voiced Kahhori on the show, along with co-creator Ryan Kelly and others, discuss the character’s origins, Native inclusion and the Haudenosaunee influence on the storytelling. While the interviews provide more context into Kahhori’s background, it does feel like the extra pages could have been better used for more story. It’s nice to talk about the importance of having more Indigenous Representation in the media, particularly comic books, but it would be a lot cooler to have more actual inclusion. Showing is a lot better than telling.
Kahhori is an interesting character who should not be limited to a single TV episode or a one-shot comic that comes out once a year. The idea of an Indigenous woman who is just as powerful as Superman is exciting to explore. Having her punch super -villains can be fun escapism, however, a Native woman from a marginalized community possessing that much power should address issues within that community. Like Superman, Kahhori can be a symbol of hope for Native People. Hopefully, she has a chance to utilize her abilities and appear in more comics, perhaps even live action.
photo credit: https://coyoteandcrow.net/2024/01/14/echo-and-kahori
Kahhori: Reshaper of Worlds is a fun adventure, yet in the end, this comic makes the reader want more. Kahhori is a strong enough character that she deserves her own comic series. The idea of an Indigenous superhero can only exist in an alternate universe as a power fantasy, but that concept would be exciting to explore in a real world scenario. While Kahhori could carry her own comic book, the truth still remains that this is a business. They won’t make it, if readers won’t buy it. If audiences want more of this character, they have to demand it. It would be sad to wait another year to see Kahhori again. Native fans would love to see what she could do in the 616, because, as of right now, she could whip all the Avengers asses. Make it happen Marvel.
RATING: 3.5 / 5
photo credit: https://geektherapy.org/get-a-first-look-at-kahhori-reshaper-of-worlds-
