Rest in peace Kamala Khan. As is now widely known, the young hero met a tragic - if somewhat bizarre - end in the pages of last week's Amazing Spider-Man #26. Although many are already speculating about exactly how and when the character will return, Marvel are committing to the bit. Next month sees the publication of Fallen Friend: The Death of Ms. Marvel #1, a celebratory one-shot, for which the company has now unveiled four covers.
The main cover is by Kaare Andrews and features The Thing, Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine, Captain Marvel and, of course, Spider-Man united in mourning. Carmen Carnero's cover is a tribute to Jim Starlin's cover for 1982's The Death of Captain Marvel. Pablo Villalobos's cover sees the character surrounded by her adoring fans, while Adrian Alphona's cover is a portrait on stark black background.
The one-shot special is written by an impressive list of creators with strong ties to the character. Kamala's co-creator G. Willow Wilson returns, as does Saladin Ahmed, who penned the most recent Ms. Marvel solo series, and Mark Waid, who first made the character an Avenger. The special is said to "explore the uplifting legacy of Kamala Khan and the impact her death will have on the Marvel Universe moving forward."
On the big screen Ms. Marvel is set to feature in November's The Marvels. Call us cynical, but we'd be very surprised if this is truly the last we see of Kamala Khan in comic books. Still, this looks like a fitting tribute to a beloved hero.
Fallen Friend #1: The Death of Ms. Marvel #1 is published by Marvel Comics on July 12.
