Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #4

Written by: Iman Vellani, Sabir Pirzada
Art by: Carlos Gómez, Adam Gorham
Colors by: Erick Arciniega
Letters by: VC’s Joe Caramagna
Cover art by: Sara Pichelli (cover A)
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: November 29, 2023

Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #4 brings Ms. Marvel’s “Coming out as a Mutant” mini-series to a close when Kamala Khan faces off against a Stark Sentinel.

Is Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #4 Good?

Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #4 brings the character’s post-Hellfire Gala adventure, and Iman Vallani’s inaugural writing gig, to a close with a climactic battle, lots of exposition, and a teeny shift in Kamala’s status quo. As endings go, it’s complete, but the conclusion stops short of accomplishing anything meaningful.

When last we left Kamala Khan, Bruno stopped a mini-drone from implanting a psychic virus in Kamala that would spread to every mutant with psychic powers. When Kamala awoke from her trance, her dorm was attacked by a Stark Sentinel sent by Orchis to apprehend the fledgling mutant. Now, Kamala fights one-on-one against the Stark Sentinel, with Bruno’s tech help, to stop the giant robot, inadvertently destroying the underground Orchis lab in the process. By the end, Kamala is back with her family, and she has a shiny bangle bracelet to show for her efforts.

“What?! Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wasn’t Kamala supposed to debut her mutant powers to line up with the MCU version of the character?” you might wonder. Technically, Marvel never said that would happen in this mini-series, so your reasonable assumptions have been proven incorrect.

What’s great about Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #4? If you’ve got a hankering to see Ms. Marvel kick a Stark Sentinel’s butt using her weird, stretchy powers, you’re in luck. As most superhero comics should, a big fight makes up the majority of the issue. Generally speaking, the tone and personality of the main character are likable, so Vellani and Pirzada earn strong marks for the character work.

What’s not so great about Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #4? Per the opening paragraph, nothing of substance was accomplished, and too many loose threads are left hanging.

The Orchis base was destroyed, but we never learned what the lab was meant to do and why it was secretly situated underneath ESU.

Unless Orchis is ridiculously incompetent, there’s no way they don’t have enough information to know Kamala Khan is Ms. Marvel, and yet, Kamala goes right back home to her family as if nothing happened. There’s no “Ms. Marvel on the Run” conclusion, which would make sense for the situation.

Yes, sure, this should have been the place for Kamala to manifest her mutant powers. Not doing so is a big miss.

For these points and several more, what you have is a mini-series that makes Ms. Marvel a target for her mutant status, but any consequences or fallout are quickly forgotten, so all the toys are put back in the toy box.

How’s the art? It’s fine. Carlos Gómez and Adam Gorham push Kamala’s stretchy powers to unique and creative limits, so the wrap-up to the story may be a nothing burger, but you gain an appreciation for Kamala’s prowess in a fight.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Bits and Pieces

Ms. Marvel: The New Mutant #4 brings the mini-series to an end, albeit an unsatisfying one. Ms. Marvel demonstrates she’s a formidable hero in a fight, and the major plot points are addressed, but too many plot threads are left hanging, and the opportunity to evolve the character is ignored.