The “Outlawed” story continues in the most recent issue of Miles Morales: Spider-Man with the return of the Child Hero Reconnaissance And Disruption Law Enforcement Organization - otherwise known as C.R.A.D.L.E. Now off the streets, the dubious organization has stepped directly into the halls of Visions Academy.
After a disastrous fight at Coles Academic High School that left Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, hospitalized, all eyes are now on Marvel’s teenage superheroes. With the passing of “Kamala’s Law”, legislation prohibiting underage superheroes from crime-fighting, the Champions and their cohorts have effectively gone from lauded young heroes in their communities to being treated as criminal vigilantes nearly overnight. While young people try to defend their actions, they are continuously silenced. Khan’s name is used without her consent - for a law that, her friends argue, she would not support.
In Miles Morales: Spider-Man #18, C.R.A.D.L.E continues to extend their reach in their effort to track down even more teen superheroes. After tracking down Moongirl, Ironheart, and placing posters up for Kamala's Ms. Marvel, C.R.A.D.L.E turns their attention towards the schools. The organization enters Visions Academy with the intent of making the students sign paperwork that would force them to reveal the identities of their super-powered peers or be barred from extracurriculars. The students, led by Barbara Rodriguez, refuse. They insist they are not criminals and call the attempt to give up their friends “fascist”. In a disturbing move, the C.R.A.D.L.E agents have the protesting students arrested, and threaten the staff and Congresswoman Hurtado-Ramos with the same.
While C.R.A.D.L.E may state that they have the interests of young people at heart, the comic makes it clear that they do not represent justice, but control. Justice and what it means has been a recurring theme for Marvel’s teen heroes that the “Outlawed” series has already begun to tackle with both delicacy and aplomb.
It remains uncertain what C.R.A.D.L.E’s next move will be in the “Outlawed” storyline, or what, exactly, would happen to the Champions and other young superheroes if their identities were to be discovered. However, with Miles Morales: Spider-Man #18, it’s certain that the anti-superhero agency has already gone too far.
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #18 is by Saladin Ahmed, Carmen Carnero, David Curiel, and VC’s Cory Petit. Cover art by Javier Garrón and David Curiel, with Baby Morales variant cover art by Rahzzah. It's available in comic book stores now.
Source: Marvel Comics.