10 pop culture characters who accurately depict mental health issues

Nadia Van Dyne

Have we come to terms with the fact that, unless a miracle happens or there’s some divine intervention courtesy of the comic gods, Unstoppable Wasp will conclude with its tenth issue? No, absolutely not. Our trickling tears aside, The Unstoppable Wasp has gifted us with a lot of refreshing disability, sapphic, and mental health representation. However, we want to focus on how the comic run uses Nadia Van Dyne to positively retcon a lot of harmful comparisons comic books (and other pop culture mediums) have made about bipolar disorder over the decades.

Where Marvel Comics has, unfortunately, vilified Hank Pym’s bipolar disorder, Nadia’s run in Unstoppable Wasp helps rectify some of the comic representation for characters who have bipolar disorder. She’s a hero, and the comic series doesn’t use her mental health condition as a pitfall for any nefarious actions.

Consulting expert mental health professionals, the series reinforces positive depictions of bipolar disorder into Nadia’s life as a hero, daughter, and friend. Beyond transitioning to life outside of the Red Room, Unstoppable Wasp takes a break from Nadia’s heroism to depict her official diagnosis, acclimating to her new treatment, and learning to reassess her needs and boundaries on a ongoing basis.

Like real-life mental health, Nadia illustrates the fluidity of any mental health condition. It uses its panels to show how Nadia copes with depression, mania, as well as how she takes accountability for her actions and using her positive personality to create more positive and natural representation for characters with bipolar disorder.