Pump up the superpower: Insulet, Marvel launch comic hero with Type 1 diabetes  

ACTON, Mass. – Strapping on an insulin pump may not always feel heroic, but Insulet and Marvel are changing that narrative with a new comic that puts a character with Type 1 diabetes at the center of the story. 

“At Insulet, we know representation matters and it has a direct impact on how kids and teens embrace diabetes technology,” said Lucas Escobar, the company’s director of U.S. consumer marketing. “That belief drove us to collaborate with Marvel, one of the most iconic names in pop culture, to create a hero who shows that diabetes doesn’t have to be a limitation—it can be part of a much bigger story.” 

“Dyasonic: Sound of Strength” follows Omnya, a high school teenager who struggles with her diagnosis until she embraces pump therapy with the help of her endocrinologist. She transforms into Dyasonic, a Marvel-inspired hero whose journey reflects both the challenges and strength of living with the condition. Omnya wears Insulet’s Omnipod 5, a tubeless, waterproof insulin pump that becomes part of her everyday life – and her hero identity. 

Escobar says the project had been on Insulet’s mind for years, but it took time to find the right partner and the right approach. Marvel led the creative development, but Insulet provided input on the daily realities of diabetes to ground the story. 

What made the collaboration distinctive, says Escobar, was that the lead writer, Paul Allor, lives with diabetes himself. 

“Their lived experience was woven into the storyline,” Escobar said. “That perspective brought an incredible level of authenticity and heart to Dyasonic’s character and her journey.” 

Insulet has tested this cultural approach before. In 2022, the company launched Omnipod Bay, a diabetes-themed island in Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons, where players could add diabetes devices to their avatars. More recently, the release of a Type 1 diabetes Barbie had a similar effect: Kids who were once hesitant to wear a pump or continuous glucose monitor began asking their parents and doctors about them. The same strategy is behind the comic. 

"A big challenge for kids and teens with Type 1 diabetes is stigma, especially around wearing diabetes technology," said Escobar. “When kids see themselves reflected in culture, it changes everything.”