Back from the dead! Ms. Marvel is reborn as a mutant
Actor Iman Vellani is co-writing the new series
Well that didn't stick for very long...
This week saw the publication of Fallen Friend: The Death of Ms. Marvel - a mournful one-shot that paid tribute to Kamala Khan who was recently (and controversially) killed off in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man #26. Then, just a day after publication, Marvel posted a cryptic "post-issue scene" featuring Cyclops that seemed to suggest that the story was far from over.
Now we know why. The late Ms. Marvel will be returning to life, but no longer as an Inhuman. As widely predicted, she will be brought back to life as a mutant using Krakoan resurrection technology. So that's why Scott was being so shady...
But that's not all! What's even more interesting is the choice of writers who will be leading the character's return. Kamala will return in Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant, a new four-issue series co-written by Ms. Marvel TV writer Sabir Pirzada and Iman Vellani, the actor who plays the character in the MCU. The new comic will be drawn by Carlos Gomez and Adam Gorham with Sara Pichelli on cover duties.
Marvel's official summary for the first issue reads:
"After being brought back via Krakoan Resurrection Technology, Kamala is shocked to learn she is mutant. But before she has a chance to come to terms with this revelation, the catastrophic FALL OF X will throw her world into chaos…and a secret mission on behalf of the X-Men."
The book will also feature a brand new, X-logo adorned outfit for the character by Jamie McKelvie, who designed both Carol Danvers' Captain Marvel suit and Kamala Khan's original Ms. Marvel look.
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Although this is obviously a big change, Vellani is keen to point out that it's not intended to erase the character's history.
"I want to make it very, very clear that we are not reconning her Inhuman origin," the actor/writer said to Entertainment Weekly. "That's a part of Kamala's identity that Marvel editorial and myself would very much like to keep and protect."
On TV, of course, Ms. Marvel was already a mutant - something that was revealed in the final episode of the Disney Plus show. Aside from generating headlines and lots of online chatter, the death and rapid rebirth of the character brings her in line with the MCU version of the character - just in time for her appearance in The Marvels in November.
The story of Kamala Khan's return begins in the X-Men: Hellfire Gala #1 one-shot released on July 26. Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #1 is published by Marvel Comics on August 30.
Discover the comic book origins and powers of Kamala Khan.
Will Salmon is the Comics Editor for GamesRadar/Newsarama. He has been writing about comics, film, TV, and music for more than 15 years, which is quite a long time if you stop and think about it. At Future he has previously launched scary movie magazine Horrorville, relaunched Comic Heroes, and has written for every issue of SFX magazine for over a decade. He sometimes feels very old, like Guy Pearce in Prometheus. His music writing has appeared in The Quietus, MOJO, Electronic Sound, Clash, and loads of other places and he runs the micro-label Modern Aviation, which puts out experimental music on cassette tape.