Super Team Up! President Obama, Ms. Marvel Hold White House Summit

Sana Amanat showing ‘Ms. Marvel’ No. 1 to President Obama (Valerie Jarrett/Twitter)

First Superman. Then Spider-Man. Now President Barack Obama, our commander in geek, has teamed up with Ms. Marvel.

The meeting of the president and ground-breaking superhero took place Wednesday in the White House, as Marvel editor Sana Amanat served as emcee for an event celebrating Women’s History Month.

Before introducing Obama at the reception, Amanat drew parallels between the president (a “barrier-breaking hero” in his own right and “supportive husband of a real-life superhero,” Michelle Obama) and the comic-book character.

“Two years ago writer G. Willow Wilson, artist Adrian Alphona, and I created a story about a young woman with dreams of being ‘normal,’” Amanat said. “Her name is Kamala Khan and she’s a Muslim American girl from Jersey City. We comic folks call her Ms. Marvel…

“Being ‘normal’ isn’t one race, one gender, one point of view. Being ‘normal’ is being different. And being different is being American,” said Amanat, who also gave a nod to Obama being “Spider-Man’s sidekick,” a reference to the special inauguration edition Marvel comic.

Obama in turn praised both the latest incarnation of the longtime comic staple and Amanat, who also serves as Marvel’s director of content and character development.

“Ms. Marvel may be your comic book creation,” he said, “but I think for a lot of young boys and girls, Sana’s a real superhero.”

The moment was chronicled on Twitter by Amanat and Obama senior advisor Valerie Jarrett.

Yesterday’s @WhiteHouse event showed how much @POTUS believes in encouraging diverse, creative voices. We need more advocates like him.

We did it, nerds! We took the #WhiteHouse! Thank you @POTUS @vj44 & the #WHCWG for the incredible honor! pic.twitter.com/c2xFzFocqz

So.. I just brought comics to the White House and our boy @BarackObama. Thanks for the photo @vj44!! https://t.co/b8t07PQYfZ

Sana Amanat of @Marvel introduces @POTUS at #WomensHistoryMonth Reception! pic.twitter.com/mEW7mAeCPH

Of course, Obama is a self-proclaimed nerd himself. Aside from his Spider-Man supporting role, he has dropped references to Green Lantern in speeches, and famously struck the Man of Steel pose. And in just under a year, he’ll be available for sidekick duties should Disney get around to making a Ms. Marvel movie.