Nowadays, comics leaks are inevitable—whether or not it’s a managed media launch 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 at this time, what look like closing pages from Superb Spider-Man #26, the following subject of the Zeb Wells/Jon Romita Jr. run on Marvel’s flagship Spider-Man guide (due out in two weeks time on Could 31) hit social media. Though the photographs are comparatively low high 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.
Loss of life isn’t stunning, neither is it everlasting in comics at this level—there’s a purpose that for all of the splashy headlines an enormous identify character biting it generate, the march of time and superhero logic alike usually implies that deaths, particularly the massive heroic ones, are much more prone to be overturned. Particularly so within the present world of Marvel Comics, the place Mutantkind has not solely realized the way to cheat loss of life via resurrection protocols, however is now, after that data obtained 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 putting aside Kamala’s vast popularity aside—she is arguably the most successful new character Marvel Comics has created in the 21st century—her mainstream awareness is larger 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+ present and the upcoming workforce up movie, 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 possible implies that Kamala’s loss of life goes to be undone comparatively rapidly.
There’s additionally the rather more murky optics of killing Kamala—Marvel’s most distinguished 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 Could 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 quickly—not to mention not as a part of a publisher-wide occasion and even in her personal comedian, however as a substitute a guide the place she is an rare supporting visitor character—is a transfer that’s simply as possible going to have followers reacting in anger as it’s going to draw consideration via shock.
And that focus is seemingly precisely what Marvel desires to courtroom, positivity or negativity be damned. As indignant followers reacted to the leak on social media at this time—or bigots reveled in sexist and racist celebration—Marvel took the unprecedented transfer of addressing the leak formally. In a quick tweet with an animated graphic of Superb Spider-Man #26’s cowl, the corporate merely said “Superb Spider-Man #26 spoilers are on-line. Keep away from the net (or don’t) at your individual threat.”
Hours later, Marvel formally acknowledged the specific particulars, revealing that Kamala’s loss of life will likely be addressed in a follow-up one-shot subject referred to as Fallen Buddy: The Loss of life of Ms. Marvel—in fact, by way of a “managed” press reveal at Leisure Weekly.
On the one hand, an informal 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, fairly than a managed media unique or from the difficulty being shipped to retailers—is arguably extra stunning than the “shock” of the loss of life itself. Even when internally Marvel are possible 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 (“Superb Spider-Man” and “Ms. Marvel” have been trending off-and-on on Twitter for a lot of the day), as an informal “see for your self or don’t” simply feels bizarre.
All that mentioned, there’s clearly plenty of context lacking from the circumstances surrounding this second in Superb Spider-Man’s present story. We don’t understand how and why Kamala perishes, and we don’t know the impression, however we will make a fairly educated guess, how and when she’ll return. In a world the place Mutants have cheated loss of life—and the place on screens huge and small Kamala is not an Inhuman as she is within the comics, however a Mutant with related however nonetheless very totally different powers—there’s a definite risk 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 together with her adaptation. On that entrance no less than, it’s value noting that up to now within the comics Krakoan resurrection has merely not labored 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 talents, not radically overhauled them, however! A dialog and controversy for an additional time).
The purpose is, we at present don’t know something in regards to the specific course of this plot level past Kamala’s seeming loss of life. We’ll have to attend and see, as we possible received’t get the total story on Could 31 both—however both method, Marvel is about to really take a look at if any publicity actually is sweet publicity.
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