Nowadays, comics leaks are inevitable—whether or not it’s a controlled media release forward of time or the sheer logistics of getting books in retailers’ and readers’ arms, it’s uncommon that the headline-grabbing twists of a big-two comedian make their solution to launch unrevealed. However an unprecedentedly early leak of a shock from Marvel has despatched the comics web right into a headspin.
Earlier immediately, what look like closing pages from Amazing Spider-Man #26, the following problem of the Zeb Wells/Jon Romita Jr. run on Marvel’s flagship Spider-Man ebook (due out in two weeks time on Might 31) hit social media. Though the pictures are relatively low quality—and one has had dialogue in its speech bubbles blurred to take away context—collectively they each reveal that the present arc of the story will see Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, die in Peter Parker’s arms.
Death is rarely shocking, neither is it everlasting in comics at this level—there’s a purpose that for all of the splashy headlines a giant identify character biting it generate, the march of time and superhero logic alike usually signifies that deaths, especially the big heroic ones, are way more more likely to be overturned. Particularly so within the present world of Marvel Comics, the place Mutantkind has not solely learned how to cheat death by means of resurrection protocols, however is now, after that information got publicly revealed, providing that energy to the disenfranchised of the entire world, Mutant or in any other case. However killing Kamala Khan off seemingly out of nowhere is what has drawn specific shock and ire amongst readers.
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Even placing apart Kamala’s huge reputation apart—she is arguably essentially the most profitable new character Marvel Comics has created within the twenty first century—her mainstream consciousness is bigger than ever because of the character’s transition to the world of the MCU, with Iman Vellani’s portrayal of Kamala within the Ms. Marvel Disney+ show and the upcoming team up film, The Marvels. Killing her at a time when an viewers magnitudes bigger than the common comics-reading viewers is within the character looks like a fairly bizarre transfer from a advertising and marketing standpoint, particularly when that curiosity doubtless signifies that Kamala’s dying goes to be undone comparatively rapidly.
There’s additionally the way more murky optics of killing Kamala—Marvel’s most prominent South Asian character; alongside the likes of Miles Morales, its breakout teen character; and, in fact, a younger girl—as a part of Superb Spider-Man, to additional the story of Peter Parker. Optics which can be made all of the extra messier that Superb Spider-Man #26 is because of launch Might 31, on the climax of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Killing off such a distinguished and influentially consultant character in any respect, even briefly—not to mention not as a part of a publisher-wide occasion and even in her personal comedian, however as an alternative a ebook the place she is an rare supporting visitor character—is a transfer that’s simply as doubtless going to have followers reacting in anger as it’ll draw consideration by means of shock.
And that spotlight is seemingly precisely what Marvel desires to courtroom, positivity or negativity be damned. As offended followers reacted to the leak on social media immediately—or bigots reveled in sexist and racist celebration—Marvel took the unprecedented transfer of addressing the leak formally. In a short tweet with an animated graphic of Superb Spider-Man #26’s cowl, the corporate merely acknowledged “Superb Spider-Man #26 spoilers are on-line. Keep away from the online (or don’t) at your individual danger.”
Hours later, Marvel formally acknowledged the express particulars, revealing that Kamala’s dying shall be addressed in a follow-up one-shot problem known as Fallen Good friend: The Demise of Ms. Marvel—in fact, by way of a “managed” press reveal at Entertainment Weekly.
On the one hand, an off-the-cuff strategy to the inevitability of main plot leaks is sort of refreshing. On the opposite, as beforehand talked about, a leak of this magnitude and potential for controversy, this far forward of publication—and seemingly from only a copy in somebody’s arms, relatively than a managed media unique or from the problem being shipped to retailers—is arguably extra stunning than the “shock” of the dying itself. Even when internally Marvel are doubtless nonetheless attempting to determine how this leak occurred, treating it from a public-presenting standpoint, particularly within the wake of a considerably aggrieved response to the information (“Amazing Spider-Man” and “Ms. Marvel” have been trending off-and-on on Twitter for a lot of the day), as an off-the-cuff “see for your self or don’t” simply feels bizarre.
All that stated, there’s clearly loads of context lacking from the circumstances surrounding this second in Superb Spider-Man’s present story. We don’t know the way and why Kamala perishes, and we don’t know the affect, however we are able to make a fairly educated guess, how and when she’ll return. In a world the place Mutants have cheated dying—and the place on screens massive and small Kamala is not an Inhuman as she is within the comics, but a Mutant with related however nonetheless very different powers—there’s a definite chance that not solely will Krakoa present the trail to Kamala’s return, however, maybe much more controversially present a path to re-aligning the comics character along with her adaptation. On that entrance no less than, it’s price noting that thus far within the comics Krakoan resurrection has merely not worked like that, whether or not it’s used on Mutants or in any other case (at most it has enhanced a Mutant’s already established abilities, not radically overhauled them, however! A dialog and controversy for an additional time).
The purpose is, we presently don’t know something in regards to the specific route of this plot level past Kamala’s seeming dying. We’ll have to attend and see, as we doubtless received’t get the total story on Might 31 both—however both method, Marvel is about to really check if any publicity actually is sweet publicity.
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