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TEAM -UP!
Team-Up File

Ms. Marvel

The Embiggening Teen of Jersey City
Kamala Khan ยท Jersey City, New Jersey
MS. MARVEL×SPIDER-MAN
Two heroes, one city

The Team-Up

Kamala Khan grew up idolizing super heroes, and Spider-Man is right at the top of her list. When she and Peter Parker finally worked a case together, she was a little star-struck, but she proved fast on her feet and braver than her nerves let on. Peter recognized a lot of himself in her: a smart teenager trying to do the right thing while juggling school, family, and a secret life.
๐Ÿ—จ๏ธ On patrol together
Ms. MarvelOkay, okay, be cool, Kamala. It's only THE Spider-Man. No big deal. Totally normal.
Spider-ManYou know I can hear you, right? The mask doesn't block sound.
Ms. MarvelThen hear THIS!
Spider-ManWhoa! Warn a guy before the fist gets bigger than the building, would you?
EMBIGGEN!
The fan who became a hero, teaming up with the hero she grew up cheering for.

On the page they make an easy pair. Kamala can stretch, shrink, and 'embiggen' into a giant, while Spider-Man swings and quips. Peter has slipped into a friendly mentor role, sharing the same hard lessons about responsibility that he learned young, and Kamala keeps him honest with her boundless optimism.

Their partnership took a heartbreaking turn when Kamala was gravely hurt shielding Peter's friend Mary Jane and passed away in Peter's arms. She was later brought back and has kept going as a hero, but that moment showed just how deeply the two care about each other.

The relationship

How They Met & Where It Stands

How they met

Kamala Khan and Peter Parker first crossed paths in The Amazing Spider-Man #7-8 (2014), when the veteran wall-crawler teamed up with the brand-new Ms. Marvel. Kamala, already a devoted Spider-Man fan, was thrilled to meet her idol, and Peter quickly saw a younger version of himself in the smart, quippy teenager balancing heroics with ordinary teenage life.

Where it stands today

After dying in Peter Parker's arms in The Amazing Spider-Man #26 (2023) while protecting Mary Jane, Kamala was resurrected around the same time, discovering she also carries mutant heritage. She has since joined the X-Men and continues her own adventures. Her friendship with Peter endures as one of the most tender bonds in his world, marked by both mentorship and that painful goodbye.

The origin

Who Is Ms. Marvel?

Kamala Khan is a Pakistani-American Muslim teenager from Jersey City who dreamed of being a super hero long before she became one. After being exposed to the Terrigen Mist, her hidden Inhuman genes switched on and gave her incredible body-morphing powers. Inspired by her idol Carol Danvers, she took up the name Ms. Marvel.

She can stretch her limbs, shrink down small, and grow enormous fists (her favorite move, which she calls 'embiggening'), plus she heals quickly from injuries. Later stories revealed she also carries mutant heritage. Beneath the powers she's a funny, kind, fan-fiction-writing kid who leads with heart, and she helped found the young hero team the Champions.

EmbiggenShapeshiftingElongationShrinkingHealing factorInhuman genesMutant heritageSuper strength
2013
Comics debut
11
Team-ups in print
8
Signature powers
5
Reading-order picks
Abilities & Enemies

Powers & Rogues

Embiggening
Grows her body or fists to giant size for huge strength and reach.
Shapeshifting
Reshapes her body and can disguise her appearance.
Elongation
Stretches arms and legs across long distances.
Shrinking
Miniaturizes to squeeze into tight spots or hide.
Healing factor
Recovers quickly from most injuries.
Inhuman physiology
Powers unlocked by the Terrigen Mist.
Mutant heritage
Later stories revealed dormant mutant genes, tied to hard-light constructs.
Superhuman strength
Especially when embiggened into a larger form.
The Inventor โ€” Kamala's first archenemy; a bizarre cloned scientist, part of her solo saga rather than Spidey's rogues.
Kamran โ€” A fellow Inhuman turned foe from Kamala's early adventures.
Lockdown โ€” A ruthless enforcer Kamala battled in Jersey City.
The Emissary โ€” Dimension-hopping villain whose attack led to Kamala's death while she protected Peter's friend.
Doc.X โ€” A living computer virus that menaced Ms. Marvel's world.
When it clicks

Best Moments Together

1First Team-UpPeter Parker meets the new Ms. Marvel and gets to work with a hero who is also his biggest fan.
2Founding the ChampionsKamala rallies a crew of young heroes, standing shoulder to shoulder with a Spider-Man on a team built on hope.
3A Hero's GoodbyeKamala shields Peter's friend from danger and, gravely hurt, reveals her identity to Peter before passing away in his arms.
How the duo scores

Team-Up Chemistry

Banter9.0
Fight synergy8.0
Trust9.0
Mentorship8.0
Team-Up Verdict
8.5
out of 10
Through the years

Team-Up History

2014The Amazing Spider-Man #7-8
Peter Parker teams with the new Ms. Marvel, who is thrilled to meet her idol.
2015All-New, All-Different Avengers #1
Kamala joins the Avengers, serving alongside Spider-Man (Miles Morales).
2016Champions #1
Kamala co-founds the Champions with Spider-Man (Miles Morales) and Nova.
2023The Amazing Spider-Man #26
Kamala is fatally hurt shielding Mary Jane and dies in Peter's arms.
2023Fallen Friend #1 / X-Men: Hellfire Gala 2023 #1
Heroes mourn Kamala, who is soon resurrected as a mutant.
On the shelf

First Appearances & Key Issues

2013
Captain Marvel #14
Kamala's very first cameo appearance.
2014
Ms. Marvel #1
Her origin and debut as the new Ms. Marvel.
2015
All-New, All-Different Avengers #1
Kamala joins the Avengers alongside Spider-Man (Miles Morales).
2016
Champions #1
She co-founds and leads the young hero team the Champions.
2023
The Amazing Spider-Man #26
Kamala's death while protecting Mary Jane, in Peter's arms.
2023
Fallen Friend: The Death of Ms. Marvel #1
A tribute one-shot marking her passing before her return.
The full pull-list

Every Team-Up in Print

2014The Amazing Spider-Man #7Peter Parker first meets and teams up with Ms. Marvel, his star-struck fan.
2014The Amazing Spider-Man #8Conclusion of the Ms. Marvel team-up arc with Spider-Man.
2015All-New, All-Different Avengers #1Kamala joins the Avengers roster alongside Spider-Man (Miles Morales).
2015All-New, All-Different Avengers #2Continues the new Avengers lineup with Ms. Marvel and Spider-Man.
2016Champions #1Kamala leads a walkout to co-found the Champions with Spider-Man (Miles).
2016Champions #2The young team, including Spider-Man, settles into its mission.
2016Champions #3Ms. Marvel and Spider-Man take on early Champions cases together.
2017Champions #10Ongoing team-ups with Spider-Man across the Champions run.
2023The Amazing Spider-Man #25Buildup to the tragic arc that involves Kamala and Peter.
2023The Amazing Spider-Man #26Kamala reveals her identity and dies in Peter's arms.
2023Fallen Friend: The Death of Ms. Marvel #1Tribute issue where heroes, including Spidey's circle, mourn her.
11 notable Ms. Marvel × Spider-Man appearances, chronological โ€” a curated selection of the significant ones, not every cameo.
Start here

Reading Order

  1. The Amazing Spider-Man #7-8 (2014)
    Start here: Peter and Kamala's very first team-up and their easy rapport.
  2. All-New, All-Different Avengers #1 (2015)
    See Kamala step onto a big team beside a Spider-Man.
  3. Champions #1-3 (2016)
    Kamala leads a new generation of heroes with Spider-Man at her side.
  4. The Amazing Spider-Man #25-26 (2023)
    The emotional peak of her bond with Peter.
  5. Fallen Friend #1 (2023)
    A heartfelt farewell before her return.
The dossier

The File

Vital statistics
Real nameKamala Khan
First appearanceMs. Marvel #1 (2014, solo debut); cameo in Captain Marvel #14 (2013)
Created byG. Willow Wilson & Adrian Alphona (with editors Sana Amanat & Stephen Wacker; costume by Jamie McKelvie)
BaseJersey City, New Jersey
AffiliationChampions (co-founder), Avengers, X-Men
Also known asMs. Marvel
Key alliesBruno Carrelli, Miles Morales, Nova, Captain Marvel
Key foesThe Inventor, Kamran, Lockdown, Doc.X
For the family

Trivia & Family Guide

Deep cuts
  • Kamala was the first Muslim character to headline her own Marvel comic.
  • She calls her signature giant-fist move 'embiggening.'
  • She idolizes Carol Danvers and took the Ms. Marvel name in her honor.
  • She helped found and lead the teen hero team the Champions.
  • G. Willow Wilson's Ms. Marvel series won the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story in 2015.
Family guide ยท editorial
Action intensity
Scary moments
Rough language
Kid-friendly fun
Suggested 9+
Kamala is one of Marvel's most wholesome, funny young heroes and a great pick for kids. Note that her 2023 death arc with Spider-Man is emotional and sad, so younger readers may want a grown-up nearby for that story.
A 1โ€“5 parenting scale โ€” editorial judgement, not an official rating.