Ms. Marvel’s New Venomized Redesign Turns the Wholesome Hero into a Dark Villain

Ms. Marvel’s new Venom-based redesign turns the wholesome hero into a dark villain. In just a decade, Ms. Marvel has become one of the icons of the Marvel Universe, and one of its most pure and noble heroes. Now, however, in a newly revealed variant cover for Ms. Marvel: Mutant Menace #3, Kamala Khan has bonded with a Venom symbiote, creating one of Marvel’s most fearsome villains.

Marvel unveiled the cover to Ms. Marvel: Mutant Menace #3, along with a select few other covers, in a post on their website. Drawn by Mahmud Asrar, the cover shows Ms. Marvel on a rooftop, wearing a Venom-ized version of her outfit. Her normal red and blue uniform has been replaced with blacks and whites, and the lighting bolt logo on her chest is now distorted. Ms. Marvel is using her powers to “embiggen” her hands, as if she is reaching for her next victim.

The effect is shocking, as Ms. Marvel morphs into a terrifying villain.

Ms. Marvel’s New Cover Helps Celebrate 40 Years of Spider-Man’s Black Costume

It Is Just as Unsettling On Her as It Was Him

The cover to Ms. Marvel: Mutant Menace #3 is part of a larger initiative on the part of the publisher to celebrate 40 years of Spider-Man’s infamous “black” costume. Introduced during the publisher’s massive Secret Wars event, Spider-Man’s black costume was controversial with fans, but it nevertheless became iconic, particularly after he rid himself of it. The costume, revealed to be an alien symbiote, bonds with Eddie Brock, becoming Venom. Venom, in turn, would go on to become one of Spider-Man’s most popular villains, before becoming a hero on his own.

Since her introduction in 2014, Ms. Marvel has been one of Marvel’s most popular characters as well–and one of its most moral and upright. Her mantra, “good is a thing you do,” has served her well, landing her spots on both the Avengers and the Champions. Several stories, set in the future of the Marvel Universe, show her growing up to become a great hero, on par with Captain America. Ms. Marvel shows wisdom beyond her years, and she has nowhere to go but up.

A Venom-ized Ms. Marvel Is a Cause for Alarm

She Would Be Insanely Powerful

These covers not only allow some of today’s top artists to celebrate 40 years of Spider-Man’s black costume, but also present visions of what these characters might look like should they come under Venom’s sway. Ms. Marvel’s transformation is horrific, as the good and noble Kamala Khan is replaced with a murderous symbiote. Ms. Marvel is also extremely powerful, and when those abilities are enhanced by the symbiote, she becomes one of the biggest threats to the Marvel Universe. Ms. Marvel’s goodness and decency are thrown out the door as Venom turns her into a dark villain.

Ms. Marvel: Mutant Menace #3 is on sale May 15 from Marvel Comics!