Malaysia is no stranger to being depicted in comics even from renowned American publishers like Marvel and Dark Horse Comics (Hellboy once visited Malaysia). It extends to more than just Malaysian characters though, as it looks like our food is so popular that comic book writers and artists are featuring them in their works.

The latest mention and inclusion of Malaysian food in a comic is last week’s issue #10 of New Mutants by Ed Brisson and Flaviano. In the issue, Magik AKA Illyana Rasputin visits Glob AKA Robert Herman’s home in Krakoa, the mutant’s new nation.

Magik wanted to ask Glob about the current whereabouts of the New Mutants team. Unfortunately, Glob was left behind while he was busy preparing a hearty Laksa dinner for all of them. Flaviano draws Glob actually going through the process of preparing the Laksa while Magik is talking to him.

For those unfamiliar, Laksa is a spicy noodle soup popular in the Peranakan cuisine of Southeast Asia, usually consisting of thick wheat noodles or rice vermicelli with chicken, prawn or fish, served in spicy soup based on either rich and spicy curry coconut milk or tamarind, but there are many regional variants.

What I appreciate most of all was that Brisson and Flaviano even dedicated an entire page to Glob’s own unique vegetarian Laksa recipe. You can check it out below, and compare it with our own here in Malaysia:

This is actually the second time that I’ve come across mention of Laksa in an X-Men Marvel comic. The first time was in issue #1 of Hunt For Wolverine: Mystery In Madripoor by writer Jim Zub and Thony Silas. It’s made even funnier considering that none other than freaking Magneto himself is recommending the Laksa.

#Malaysia represent!#Laksa in a @Marvel comic. pic.twitter.com/RqPUWEI2Hd

— The Last Of Alleef (@ComicsLord) May 29, 2018

Zub and Silas does this again in the fourth issue of Hunt For Wolverine: Mystery In Madripoor when Jubillee offers Lepat Pisang to Psylocke. In case you’re not familiar, Lepat Pisang is a sweet local Malaysian dessert of banana wrapped in banana leaves.

LEPAT PISANG in an #XMen comic (Mystery in Madripoor: Hunt For Wolverine). You’ve eaten it before, @JimZub? pic.twitter.com/LXLbCYjIX2

— The Last Of Alleef (@ComicsLord) August 23, 2018

It’s not strange that the X-Men are eating Laksa and Lepat Pisang in Madripoor, seeing as Madripoor is essentially the Marvel universe’s version of Malaysia/Singapore/Southeast Asian nation. It’s great to see Malaysian food being featured in American comics, proving yet again that good food and culture transcends borders and barriers.