Miles Morales

Artist Sara Pichelli, who designed Morales, holding a sketch of him at the 2011 New York Comic Con

The concept of a black Spider-Man was first discussed a few months before the November 2008 election of Barack Obama as President of the United States. Marvel Comics' then-editor-in-chief Axel Alonso describes the catalyst, "When we were planning 'Ultimatum,' we realized that we were standing at the brink of America electing its first African-American President and we acknowledged that maybe it was time to take a good look at one of our icons." This new Spider-Man would replace Parker as Spider-Man only in Ultimate Marvel, an imprint whose storyline is set in a universe separate from the mainstream Marvel universe, in which Marvel's characters were reimagined for a 21st-century audience. The replacement of Ultimate Peter Parker was considered as a possible part of the 2008–09 "Ultimatum" story arc that restructured much of the Ultimate Marvel universe, but those early thoughts were abandoned because the story for that character had not yet been developed.[8] When Marvel's editorial staff decided that the Ultimate universe's Peter Parker would be killed in the 2011 storyline "Death of Spider-Man", the character Miles Morales was created.[9] Although Morales is the first black Spider-Man, he marks the second time a Latino character has taken the Spider-Man identity. Miguel O'Hara, who is of half-Mexican descent, was the title character in the 1990s series Spider-Man 2099.[10]

The first appearance of Miles Morales as Spider-Man, from Ultimate Fallout #4 (August 2011)

Miles Morales was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Sara Pichelli.[8][11] Bendis's thoughts about the character, and the way he looked in his first appearance, were heavily influenced by African-American actor Donald Glover's appearance in Spider-Man pajamas in "Anthropology 101", the second-season premiere of the television comedy series Community. This was a reference to an unsuccessful online campaign that attempted to secure Glover an audition for the lead role in the 2012 film The Amazing Spider-Man. Bendis said of Glover, "He looked fantastic! I saw him in the costume and thought, 'I would like to read that book.' So I was glad I was writing that book."[9]

In creating the visual look for Miles, Pichelli followed her usual practice of approaching the design by giving thought to the character's personality, including the background that influenced it, and the distinctive traits that he would exhibit, such as the clothing he wears, his body language and expressions.[12] Pichelli also designed Spider-Man's new costume, a mostly black outfit with red webbing and a red spider logo. Pichelli had worked on four issues of Ultimate Spider-Man before she was approached to work on the new title with Miles Morales.[13] Pichelli, who works with a Cintiq 12wx graphic tablet,[11] added more screentones to her illustrations to give what she called "a more 'pop' feeling to the book", which she felt would be fitting to the series.[13]

Morales was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, the then-13-year-old[14] son of an African American father and a Puerto Rican mother.[15] Axel Alonso has described Miles as an intelligent nerd with an aptitude for science similar to his predecessor, Peter Parker.[8] The character made his debut in the fourth issue of the Ultimate Fallout miniseries, which was released on August 3, 2011. He later starred in the relaunched Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man series, written by Bendis and drawn by Pichelli, in September 2011.[9][16][17]

Writer Brian Michael Bendis signing copies of Ultimate Spider-Man and Ultimate Fallout #4, in which Miles Morales first appeared, at Midtown Comics in Manhattan

In contrasting Miles with Peter Parker, Bendis has depicted different conflicts and anxieties for the character. Right after acquiring his superhuman abilities from a spider bite at the home of his uncle, Aaron, whom Miles admires but he does not initially know is a career criminal, Miles' father, Jefferson, explains to Miles that before Miles was born, Jefferson and Aaron were thieves who spent time in prison, and that while Jefferson reformed when he got older, Aaron has not.[18] According to Bendis, this gives Miles cause to wonder if the traits that lead to criminal behavior are hardwired into his DNA, leading him to question whether he is essentially a good person or not, and what his future holds for him.[19] These issues further haunt Miles after he becomes disillusioned with Aaron, and Aaron dies from an accidental explosion triggered during a battle between the two of them, saying, "You are just like me" to Miles before dying.[20]

In 2012, Morales appeared in the miniseries Spider-Men, in which he encounters the Spider-Man of the mainstream Marvel universe.[9] In June 2013, the character appeared in the climax of Age of Ultron #10, which was also written by Brian Michael Bendis. Though mostly set in the mainstream Marvel universe, or Earth-616 as it is known in dialogue, the story depicts major changes to the space-time continuum as a result of the time travel on the part of characters, resulting in Miles witnessing the coming of the mainstream Marvel Galactus, an entity that consumes planets, to Earth.[21]

Despite its initial press and critical reception, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man was not a huge hit in the direct market. By August 2013, sales on the title had slipped, and sales for the other two Ultimate titles, Ultimate Comics X-Men and Ultimate Comics The Ultimates, had dropped to numbers at which mainstream Marvel titles are cancelled.[17] That November, Ultimate Comics Spider-Man ended its run with issue #28, and the other two titles ended along with it, to make way for the miniseries Cataclysm: Ultimate Spider-Man, one of the books in the crossover storyline "Cataclysm", in which the heroes of the Ultimate universe face the threat of the Earth-616 Galactus, and Miles is transported to the mainstream Marvel universe.[17][22]

Following "Cataclysm", Miles starred in a new title called Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man, again with Bendis as writer, as part of Ultimate Marvel Now, an initiative with which Marvel relaunched the Ultimate Marvel line. Miles Morales was also made a member of the eponymous team in All-New Ultimates, a series written by Michel Fiffe and drawn by Amilcar Pinna.[23][24] Both series ran for 12 issues.[25][26] The twelfth and final issue of Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man concluded with a cliffhanger that led directly into the 2015 "Secret Wars" storyline.[26]

Marvel ended the Ultimate Marvel imprint with the "Secret Wars" storyline,[27] in which the Marvel Universe was merged with other alternate universes, including the Ultimate Universe.[28][29][30] Following "Secret Wars", Miles was made a character of the mainstream Marvel Universe, and a member of the titular team in All-New, All-Different Avengers.[31] He also headlines his third solo series, titled simply Spider-Man, which debuted February 3, 2016, with Bendis and Pichelli returning as the creative team.[15] Pichelli would be succeeded by Nico Leon and Oscar Bazaldua.[32] In the storyline, Peter Parker expands the scope of his activities globally, while the now-16-year-old Miles continues to patrol New York City, and deals with issues such as confrontations with Parker's rogues gallery, the public's reaction to his ethnicity, and his love life.[14] Each issue was numbered sequentially beginning with issue 1, and ending with issue 21, when the numbering switched to legacy numbering, in order to assume an unbroken numbering from 2000's Ultimate Spider-Man #1, with the following issue continuing with issue 234.[32] On November 7, 2017, it was announced that Bendis, having signed an exclusive contract with DC Comics, would be leaving Marvel in early 2018,[33] and Spider-Man cancelled with issue #240 (May 2018).[32][34]

On September 13, 2018, Marvel announced that Saladin Ahmed and Javier Garron would be the writer and artist, respectively on a fourth ongoing solo series, Miles Morales: Spider-Man, the first issue of which was released on December 12, 2018.[35]

Bitten by a slightly different genetically engineered spider than the one that granted Peter Parker superhuman powers, Miles Morales possesses abilities similar to the original Spider-Man's, including enhanced strength and agility, the ability to adhere to walls and ceilings with his hands and feet,[18] and a "spider sense" that warns him of danger with a buzzing sensation in his head.[36][43] Though his strength and agility are similar to those of the original Spider-Man, his spider-sense is not as strong, as it only warns him of immediate danger.[19]

He has two abilities that the original Spider-Man does not have: the ability to camouflage himself, including his clothing, to match his surroundings, making him effectively invisible,[19][41] and a "venom strike" that can temporarily paralyze almost anyone with just a touch.[18] The venom strike does not employ actual venom, but is a type of directed energy that can be conducted through Miles' gloves,[38] and can be used against an opponent at a distance by conducting it through a material in which both Miles and his opponent are in contact, such as the webbing of the Earth-616's Spider-Man.[76] It can break chains being used to restrain Miles[77] and even repel non-ferrous objects, such as plastic Lego bricks.[18] The venom strike is powerful enough to render unconscious a person as large as Hank Pym's Giant-Man.[78] It is powerful enough to drive away the symbiotic villain Venom during Miles' first encounter with the creature,[79] but by their second encounter, Venom has developed such a tolerance to the strike that Miles has to be completely enveloped by the symbiote before the venom strike can separate the symbiote from its host.[80] Doctor Octopus also developed a set of tentacles that would not conduct the venom strike.[81] The effect of the venom strike manifests itself a few seconds after it is implemented, and is described by Bendis as being comparable to the feeling of being kicked in the testicles.[19] Miles can effect a more powerful version of the strike, which he calls a "mega venom blast".[71] When Miles employs this ability, his eyes glow with yellow energy, which then explodes outwards in a radiant burst that can not only repel a large group of opponents,[82] but also destroy thick ropes and chains that have been used to restrain him. This application of the strike leaves him "dizzy and useless",[71] and cannot be used multiple times in rapid succession without a "recharging" period for Miles, though he can still make use of the conventional strike against people during this period.[65][77] The conventional venom strike is mostly useless against the supervillain Armadillo, but during Miles' encounter with that villain, his venom blast manifests itself in a form similar to Miles' webbing, and Miles uses it like a lasso to pull Armadillo towards him and knock him unconscious with a venom strike-powered punch.[71]

Miles' body also possesses a strong resistance to injury. During an altercation with the Roxxon mercenary Taskmaster, Miles is thrown through a brick wall without any apparent serious injury, though the experience is painful for him.[83]

Miles wears a costume given to him by S.H.I.E.L.D.,[38] and initially uses Peter Parker's web shooters, which are given to him by May Parker.[3] He is eventually given a new set of webshooters by S.H.I.E.L.D. as well.[49]

The character Miles Morales was first reported by USA Today on August 2, 2011, shortly before the character officially debuted in Ultimate Fallout #4.[5][16] The announcement received international coverage in the mainstream media and was met with mixed reactions by audiences.[10] Chris Huntington of The New York Times lauded the creation of Morales, relating that it gave his adopted Ethiopian son Dagim a superhero who looks like him.[84] Some fans and commentators felt the decision was an attempt by Marvel Comics to exhibit political correctness and that the introduction of a minority Spider-Man was simply a publicity stunt to attract more readers,[8][10][85][86] while others felt that a person of color as Spider-Man would set a positive example for minority readers, particularly children.[7] Many Spider-Man fans were disappointed that Peter Parker was killed, regardless of who replaced him.[10] The wide-ranging critical reception prompted The Washington Post to run an article called, "Sorry, Peter Parker. The response to the black Spider-Man shows why we need one", in which writer Alexandra Petri wrote that the character should be judged on the quality of its stories rather than on his appearance or ethnicity.[7]

Conservative talkshow host Glenn Beck, claiming that Miles resembled President Barack Obama, argued that the new Spider-Man was a result of a comment from Michelle Obama about changing traditions. However, Beck said he did not care about Miles' race, and also acknowledged that this was not the mainstream Spider-Man.[87] Axel Alonso denied the character was created out of political correctness, stating "Simple fact is Marvel comics reflect the world in all its shapes, sizes and colors. We believe there's an audience of people out there who is thirsty for a character like Miles Morales."[8] Bendis also denied that the character's ethnicity was an attempt to generate publicity.[88] Original Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee approved of Miles, stating that "Doing our bit to try to make our nation, and the world, color blind is definitely the right thing."[89]

In a review for the first issue, David Pepose of Newsarama wrote, "The biggest victory that Bendis scores with Miles Morales is that he makes us care about him, and care about him quickly. Even though we're still scratching the surface of what makes him tick, we're seeing the world through his eyes, and it's similar to Peter Parker's but a whole lot tougher. But that kind of Parker-style guilt—that neurotic, nearly masochistic tendency for self-sacrifice that comes with great power and greater responsibility—is still intact."[90] Jesse Schedeen of IGN wrote that "Miles still feels like a bit of an outsider in his own book. Bendis never quite paints a complete picture of Miles—his thoughts, motivations, personality quirks, and so forth. Miles is largely a reactionary figure throughout the book as he confronts struggles like registering for a charter school or dealing with family squabbles." Schedeen also opined that "Miles occupies a more urban, racially diverse, and tense landscape. All the story doesn't pander or lean too heavily on elements like racial and economic tension to move forward. Miles is simply a character who speaks to a slightly different teen experience, and one not nearly as well represented in superhero comics as Peter's".[91] James Hunt of CBR.com rated the issue #1 four and a half out of five stars, lauding Bendis for emphasizing Morales' character and his supporting cast instead of rushing him into costume.[92] The first issue holds a score of 8.0 out of 10 at the review aggregator website Comic Book Roundup, based on 13 reviews, while the final issue, #200, holds a score of 8.4, based on 14 reviews, and the series overall holds an average issue rating of 8.3.[93]

The second solo series, Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man, has an average issue rating of 8.2 out of 10 at Comic Book Roundup,[94] while the third series, Spider-Man, holds a rating of 7.6,[32] and the most recent series, Miles Morales: Spider-Man, holds a rating of 8.4.[95]

In the 2012 miniseries Spider-Men, the mainstream Marvel Universe Peter Parker briefly visits the Ultimate Marvel universe and meets Miles Morales.[96] This was followed up in the 2017 sequel miniseries Spider-Men II, in which the Earth-616 version of Miles Morales makes his first appearance,[97] and is revealed to be a fully-grown adult with a scarred face.[65][98][99][100] The version of Miles became a close friend and confidant to the mob enforcer Wilson Fisk when he saved Fisk's life in prison, an event that resulted in the scars on Miles' face. Miles worked for Fisk following their time in prison, aiding him during Wilson's violent rise to crime boss in New York. Subsequent to this, after Miles fell in love with a woman named Barbara Sanchez, Fisk arranged to have all traces of Miles' existence erased from searchable records in order help Miles leave his criminal life behind him.[101][102] Years later, after Barbara died, Fisk informs a grief-stricken Miles that he has knowledge of a parallel universe in which Barbara might still be alive.[103] Miles hires the Taskmaster, who confirms not only that the Ultimate Universe still exists following the events of the "Secret Wars" storyline, but that its version of Barbara is still alive. The adult Miles journeys to the Ultimate Universe to reunite with his lost love, essentially switching places with his younger counterpart.[104]

In Deadpool Killustrated #1 (January 2013), Miles Morales' corpse is seen among those of various Spider-Men across various dimensions of the multiverse that an alternate Deadpool has killed.[105]

In the 2017 "Sitting in a Tree" storyline that ran in Spider-Man and Spider-Gwen, Miles is transported to Earth-8, where that dimension's versions of him and fellow costumed crimefighter Gwen Stacy have been married for 20 years,[106] and have two children.[107]

In a 2017 storyline that ran in Unbelievable Gwenpool, a future version of Miles Morales whose wife and child were killed after an evil Gwen pool of the future revealed his and all other superheroes' identities, travels back in time to kill a young Gwen. He accidentally brings the older version of Gwenpool with him, which leads to her to encounter her younger self.[108][109][110]

In the 2014 book Ultimate FF #4, a version of Miles Morales' Spider-Ham is introduced with the name Miles Morhames, who hails from a dimension inhabited by beings that resemble anthropomorphic animals. His origin is similar to the Ultimate version, in that after the death of Peter Porker, Miles Morhames was inspired to become a hero.[111][112][113]

In the 2017 book Venomverse: War Stories #1, a version of Miles appears with other heroes in the world of the Venomized Doctor Doom, in which each person is bonded to a symbiote.[114]

In "Secret Roar", a story in Spider-Man Annual (Vol. 3) #1, different versions of Earth's superheroes gather together to fight a Celestial, including a feline version of Miles Morales named Meows Morales. He is presumed dead along with most of the heroes after being killed by the Celestial.[115]

In the continuity of the 2019 miniseries Spider-Man: Life Story, which depicts the characters of the Marvel Universe aging naturally after 1962, Miles becomes Spider-Man sometime in the 2010s. An elderly Peter Parker discovers that Miles' brain houses the mind of Otto Octavius, who took possession of Miles' body shortly after Miles became Spider-Man, and trapped the young hero in his own dying body (as Octavius had done to Peter in the Marvel-616 storyline "Dying Wish"). After Peter sacrifices his life in saving Octavius, Octavius switches his and Miles back to their original bodies, after which Miles is given Peter's original Spider-Man costume by Mary Jane Watson.[116]

An elderly Miles Morales appears as the main protagonist of the one-shot Miles Morales: The End, which is set in a post-apocalyptic Brooklyn, and casts Miles as "the last bastion of civilization".[117] The book is one of six featuring Marvel characters as part of its The End series, which were announced at the 2019 New York Comic Con for January 2020 release.[118]

^ a: Markus is established as simply "Dr. Markus" in Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #1 (November 2011), and his given name is established in Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #22 (June 2013), though his surname is misspelled "Marcus" in that issue. In a private email, Bendis stated that the first spelling is the correct one.

• Spider-Man (Miles Morales) at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
• Miles Morales on Marvel Database, a Marvel Comics wiki
• Miles Morales. Comic Vine
• Jennings, Jackie (August 8, 2017). "Ultimate Spider-Man in 2 Minutes". Syfy Wire.
• Miles Morales. Spider-Man Wiki.