Meet Marvel’s first Filipina superhero in new Spider-Man series

‘Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man’ introduces Wave, Marvel’s first-ever Filipina superhero. 

A Filipina superhero is about to make a splash in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)! 

“Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man,” which premiered last week on Disney+, is not just bringing us more of Peter Parker’s high school struggles and web-slinging action as it is also introducing “Wave,” the first-ever Filipina superhero to hit Marvel’s TV screens.

While Filipino representation in Marvel isn’t entirely new, Pearl Pangan – aka Wave – might just be the most exciting addition yet.

Created by writer Greg Pak and Filipino artist Leinil Francis Yu, she is a hero with a deep love for the water (literally). 

Born and raised in Mactan, Cebu, a place in the Visayas which is surrounded by waters, Pearl is a swimmer who gains the incredible ability to control water, turning her into the ultimate ocean-powered protector of the Philippines.

Fans of the Marvel comics may already be familiar with Wave, who first made waves in “War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas” in 2019. Since then, she has been a celebrated figure among Filipino Marvel enthusiasts.

Now, with her transition from comics to animation, her presence is expected to resonate even more, especially with Filipino audiences worldwide.

Wave’s biography

Growing up by the beach, Pearl was practically a fish out of water – according to her lolo (Tagalog for grandfather), she could swim before she could walk. 

Her speed in the water was unmatched, and her love for the ocean ran deep. But her journey to becoming a superhero took an unexpected turn.

While working at Mactan Fry King, she was approached by Alontek, a company conducting a study on swimmers. The opportunity seemed too good to pass up – she got paid well just to swim.

But things went south when the lab was suddenly attacked. As she fought back, Pearl discovered she could manipulate water – lifting waves, firing water blasts from her fists and even sensing changes in temperature.

Here’s the plot twist: The attackers were Triumph Division, a secret group of superheroes defending the Philippines, and Pearl had unknowingly been working for the bad guys. 

With Marvel expanding its roster of heroes, it’s about time Filipinos got a superhero who truly represents the Philippines.