Marvel Comics announces the death of Ms. Marvel

Fans of Kamala Khan might want to take a seat – it looks like the character is being killed off. Yes, Marvel announced today that the superhero, who has grown exponentially in popularity since her debut in 2013, would be killed off in an issue of Amazing Spider-Man, dropping on May 31. The story will then be continued, with Kamala’s friends mourning her loss, in a special one-shot book, dropping in July, entitled Fallen Friend: The Death of Ms. Marvel.

Marvel announced the news, as did Entertainment Weekly. Ms. Marvel, the superhero alias of Kamala Khan (who’s played by Iman Vellani in the MCU’s Ms. Marvel and The Marvels), has been a recurring character in the current Zeb Wells/John Romita Jr. run of Amazing Spider-Man. Currently, the character is operating as an intern at Oscorp, where she comes into contact with Peter Parker, who is currently allied with Norman Osborn (he’s been cured of the Green Goblin, although some fans aren’t willing to forgive Spidey for working with him and have called it out-of-character).

Ms. Marvel’s cause of death will presumably be revealed in the issue itself, though Marvel has teased that she’ll be sacrificing herself for the greater good. Marvel’s editorial team has been teasing an upcoming death in the Amazing Spider-Man run, with Ms. Marvel having been listed as one of the possibilities. “In the grand comics condition of other notable character deaths such as Captain America, Doctor Strange, and the original Captain Marvel,” a statement by Marvel began. “FALLEN FRIEND: THE DEATH OF MS. MARVEL [sic] will be a crucial chapter in the Marvel mythos and serve as both a farewell for Ms. Marvel and a glimpse of her death’s impact on all of Marvel’s heroes.  

Some fans are currently worried about Ms. Marvel’s future in the MCU. As one of the first Pakistani-American heroes for Marvel, the character represents something special to millions. News of Ms. Marvel’s death had actually leaked earlier today thanks to early copies of Amazing Spider-Man #26, and some have already gone so far as to call the move racist and sexist, as it blatantly sidelines one of Marvel’s up and coming characters of color.

While it’s likely that Kamala will be back before long – few characters stay dead permanently in comic books – it’s also seems like an incredibly reckless storyline for editorial to put her through. Not only will this follow the character for years to come, it’s going to inform much of her story moving forward, and it’s possible that the storyline could become a popular one to adapt – meaning that fans would have to see Ms. Marvel continue to die in future adaptations.