Yes, lets talk about THAT issue.
So for those comic fans reading this will know that a new run of ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ is currently hitting shelves around the world with its 26th issue.
With this new run having started back in April of 2022, it opened up with some big questions, some of which have been answered in the latest issues. However, it is the most recent issue of this run that has many fans divided.
Now if you are a comic fan or not, I warn you. MAJOR spoilers follow for ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ Issue 26 and its previous issues. You have been warned.
Still here?
Let's get into it!
So as many people will have seen online. Marvel Comics have just killed off Kamala Khan aka Ms Marvel and fans are not happy.
Let’s start with some context, Issue 1 of this current run started with Peter sitting inside a crater, bloodied and bruised and screaming. It then cut to 6 months later. His friends and Allies had turned his back on him and MJ was with another man named Paul and had two kids. Fans had a lot of questions.
What happened to Spider-Man?
What Happened with Peter and MJ?
Who is Paul?
Cut to Issues 21 through to its current issue (as of time of writing - Issue 26) and we started to get our answers. Before Issue 1, Spider-Man and MJ come across Benjamin Rabin aka The Emissary who sends both Peter and MJ to an apocalyptic earth with the intent on killing them. They soon realize only one can go back to earth. MJ sends Peter back which causes an explosion in which the current run started. Meanwhile MJ befriends a man named Paul and they help each other survive, Whats only a day for Peter is several years for Mary Jane.
Peter does anything and everything to get MJ back, including stealing from the fantastic four. Yet he gets there too late. Time has passed for MJ and whilst he can save her; Paul and the kids, she now has a family and it's not with Peter.
After a fun run-ins with Rabin, he finally returns to kill MJ which is where beloved Ms Marvel takes her place to sacrifice herself instead. Now, having a big sacrifice a year into your comic run I understand. You want to show that there are stakes within your universe and that no character is safe, however the choice in character seems somewhat odd?
Whilst Ms Marvel is a fantastic character, and does so much for representation both in comics but also on screen with the recent show ‘Ms Marvel’, it's odd to me they choose this character to sacrifice. In this current run of 26 issues, she only pops up here and there. She isn’t a prominent character and especially not in this particular arc. Her turning up to aid in the battle makes sense, she does work with Norman Osborn who does the same. Yet her just turning up to the battle shouldn't be the reason a character is killed off, it needs to have thematic weight behind it.
If a character is to be killed off, you would expect them to have a bigger role leading up-to their death. Yet maybe the writers thought doing the opposite would make readers think she was ‘safe’ when in fact she was the opposite. It just feels a shame that the killing of such an iconic character feels a little... hollow. Either they could have had her be a much bigger part of the overall story or choose a different character instead.
Now I will be very interested in how the larger marvel universe deals with her death going forward. A One Issue Comic titled ‘Fallen Friend’ releases in July which will showcase how people deal with the loss of this hero.
So Far however, I have really been enjoying this run of ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’. I know other readers have had their issues with it, especially since it has split up MJ and Peter. Which i do get, the splitting of these two annoys me also but we have to trust it will be in benefit of the story in the long-run. I cannot wholeheartedly say it hasn't been a fun and captivating near-first year of this run. As it has, at least for me. Each issue has kept me on edge and waiting anxiously for the next to be released. So far my only qualm has been killing off a beloved character that deserved a far bigger story than what she got. Here’s hoping the aftermath does her justice.
I will be very interested to see where this comic run goes next. Now that we have answered the questions to its initial premise, one hopes a new story arc is round the corner ready!
You can find issues of ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ Issues 1-26 or its graphic novels in all good comic shops now.
What did you think about the death of Ms Marvel? Have you been enjoying this recent Spider-Man run? Let us know.
Just a shorter post today, mainly writing some thoughts on the comic!
More posts and news to come soon!
Until then,
Stay Safe, look after one another.
Harry x