Pinay superhero Pearl Pangan makes a splash as Peter Parker’s new crush
The Marvel Universe has always been a rich tapestry of heroes with diverse personalities, powers, and backstories. Among these, Spider-Man has always stood out as one of the most beloved, not just for his incredible abilities but also for his relatability and charm.
On Disney+, fans have had the chance to revisit Spider-Man in various animated series and live-action films, and one of the most exciting recent additions is “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man,” which just debuted on the platform last Jan. 29.
The show not only reintroduces Peter Parker in a fun, fresh way but also introduces new, exciting characters from across the Marvel Universe, including our very first Marvel Filipina superhero, Pearl Pangan, also known as Wave, who makes her debut in the show.
Wave brings a unique perspective and powerful abilities to Spider-Man’s expanding universe of allies, and her inclusion is a significant step in broadening the representation of global heroes in mainstream superhero stories. That was exactly the goal of the series.
Showrunner executive producer and head writer Jeff Trammell, along with supervising director Mel Zwyer, had an online chat with us at around 5 a.m. Philippine time, just to know what’s up.
Jeff said that it was his initiative to ask Marvel to have Pearl in the storyline, “including Pearl meant a lot to me, even early on, I knew I wanted to have this vast diversity since the setting is New York. Right now, I’ve already worked with so many Filipinos from my previous show, and I want Filipinos to be represented. I said to Marvel, ‘Can I use Pearl?’ and Marvel said yes, so and it means a lot to me to have her in this show. It is her first time to be in an animated series.”
What makes Wave’s presence in the series especially significant is the representation she brings to the screen. As one of the first Filipino superheroes in the Marvel Universe, Wave provides Filipino fans with a hero they can relate to and be proud of. In a landscape often dominated by Western superheroes and men at that, her inclusion in the show helps ensure that the diverse cultures of the world are reflected in the media of today. Wave’s character serves as a reminder