| Miles Morales Spider-Man | |
|---|---|
_character_art.png) | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First appearance | Ultimate Fallout #4 (August 2011) |
| Created by |
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| In-story information | |
| Full name | Miles Gonzalo Morales[1] |
| Species | Human mutate |
| Place of origin | Earth-1610 |
| Team affiliations | Avengers Young Avengers Champions The Ultimates[2] Spider-Army/Web-Warriors |
| Partnerships | Peter Parker (Spider-Man) Tiana Toomes (Starling) |
| Notable aliases | Spider-Man Spin Shadow Spider Captain Universe Jersey Spider-Man[3] |
| Abilities |
|
| Altered in-story information for adaptations to other media | |
| Partnerships | Gwen Stacy (Spider-Woman) Peter B. Parker (Spider-Man) |
Spider-Man (Miles Gonzalo Morales[1]/məˈrælɛs/) is asuperhero and the third predominantSpider-Man to appear inAmerican comic books published byMarvel Comics, created in 2011 by writerBrian Michael Bendis and artistSara Pichelli, along with input by Marvel's then-editor-in-chiefAxel Alonso. Born as a modern reimagining of the popular character, Miles Morales debuted inUltimate Comics: Fallout #4. From the alternateUltimate Marvel Universe Earth-1610 before beingtransported to the mainMarvel Universe Earth-616, he was bitten by a model spider specially and genetically engineered byOscorp Industries biochemist Dr. Conrad Marcus, who used the Oz Formula at the behest ofNorman Osborn to create "enhanced spiders" in an attempt to duplicate the abilities ofthe original Spider-Man of the Earth-1610Ultimate Universe.
TheBlack American teenage son of aBlack American father and anAfro–Puerto-Rican[4] mother, Miles Morales is the secondSpider-Man to appear inUltimate Marvel, an imprint with a separate continuity from themainstream Marvel Universe called the Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610), first appearing inUltimate Fallout #4 (August 2011), following the death of theUltimate Peter Parker.[5] He was featured in theUltimate Comics: Spider-Man comic book series, and after Marvel ended the Ultimate imprint in 2015, Miles wastransported to the mainMarvel Universe (Earth-616), beginning with stories under theAll-New, All-Different Marvel branding that debuted that same year, in which he is the third Spider-Man, with Miles' original Earth-616 counterpart, the villainousUltimatum, introduced inSpider-Men II in 2017.
While established as being Puerto Rican, the race of Rio Morales was previously left ambiguous. Comics writerCody Ziglar established in the 2024Miles Morales: Spider-Man Annual that Rio's family were Afro-Puerto Rican themselves, following up on confirmation in a previous interview.[6]
Reaction to the character was mixed. Some, including Spider-Man's co-creator,Stan Lee, approved the creation of a positive role model for children of color. Others expressed displeasure at the replacement of Peter Parker, withThe Guardian,Fox News, and Culture Map Houston reporting that some fans viewed the decision as an attempt by Marvel Comics to exhibitpolitical correctness, and that the introduction of a minority Spider-Man was simply apublicity stunt to attract more readers,[7][8][9][10] a charge Alonso denied.[7]Alexandra Petri ofThe Washington Post called for the character to be judged on the quality of his stories, which garnered positive reviews.[11]
As a result of the character's popularity, Miles Morales has beenadapted in numerous media outside comics. The character was not the lead protagonist in theUltimate Spider-Man animated television series, but was later added to the main cast, as analternate Spider-Man from another universe voiced byDonald Glover[12] in season three andOgie Banks in season four, later namedKid Arachnid.[13]Nadji Jeter first voiced the character, later namedSpy-D, in theDisney XD animated seriesSpider-Man (2017–2020), and went on to reprise his role in theMarvel's Spider-Man (2018–present) video game series developed byInsomniac Games, andMarvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order (2019). The character is the star of theanimatedSpider-Verse film franchise produced bySony Pictures Animation, withShameik Moore voicing the character in theAcademy Award-winning feature filmSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), as well as its sequelsAcross the Spider-Verse (2023) andBeyond the Spider-Verse (2027), in whichJharrel Jerome voices Miles' Earth-42 counterpart, the villainousProwler.[14]
The concept of an African AmericanSpider-Man was first discussed a few months before theNovember 2008 election ofBarack Obama asPresident of the United States.Marvel Comics' then-editor-in-chiefAxel Alonso describes the catalyst, "When we were planning 'Ultimatum,' we realized that we were standing at the brink of America electing its firstAfrican-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 inUltimate Marvel, an imprint whose storyline is set in a universe separate from themainstream 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.[7] When Marvel's editorial staff decided that the Ultimate universe'sPeter Parker would be killed in the 2011 storyline "Death of Spider-Man", the character Miles Morales was created.[15] 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 Mexican and Irish descent, was the title character in the 1990s seriesSpider-Man 2099.[8]
Miles Morales was created by writerBrian Michael Bendis and Italian artistSara Pichelli.[7][16] Bendis's thoughts about the character, and the way he looked in his first appearance, were heavily influenced by African-American actorDonald Glover's appearance in Spider-Man pajamas in "Anthropology 101", thesecond-season premiere of the television comedy seriesCommunity. 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."[15]
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.[17] 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 ofUltimate Spider-Man before she was approached to work on the new title with Miles Morales.[18] Pichelli, who works with aCintiq 12wx graphic tablet,[16] added morescreentones to her illustrations to give what she called "a more 'pop' feeling to the book", which she felt would be fitting to the series.[18]
Morales was born and raised inBrooklyn,New York City, the then-13-year-old[19] son of an African American father and anAfro-Puerto Rican mother.[20] Axel Alonso has described Miles as an intelligentnerd with an aptitude for science similar to his predecessor, Peter Parker.[7] The character made his debut in the fourth issue of theUltimate Fallout miniseries, which was released on August 3, 2011. He later starred in the relaunchedUltimate Comics: Spider-Man series, written by Bendis and drawn by Pichelli, in September 2011.[15][21][22]
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 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.[23] According to Bendis, this gives Miles cause to wonder if the traits that lead to criminal behavior arehardwired into his DNA, leading him to question whether he is essentially a good person or not, and what his future holds for him.[24] 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.[25]
In 2012, Morales appeared in the miniseriesSpider-Men, in which he encounters the Spider-Man of the mainstream Marvel universe.[15] In June 2013, the character appeared in the climax ofAge of Ultron #10, which was also written by Brian Michael Bendis. Though mostly set in the mainstream Marvel universe, orEarth-616 as it is known in dialogue, the story depicts major changes to thespace-time continuum as a result of the time travel on the part of characters, resulting in Miles witnessing the coming of the mainstream MarvelGalactus, an entity that consumes planets, to Earth.[26]
Despite its initial press and critical reception,Ultimate Comics Spider-Man was not a huge hit in thedirect market. By August 2013, sales on the title had slipped, and sales for the other two Ultimate titles,Ultimate Comics X-Men andUltimate Comics The Ultimates, had dropped to numbers at which mainstream Marvel titles are canceled.[22] 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 miniseriesCataclysm: 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.[22][27]
Following "Cataclysm", Miles starred in a new title calledMiles 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 inAll-New Ultimates, a series written by Michel Fiffe and drawn by Amilcar Pinna.[28][29] Both series ran for 12 issues.[30][31] The twelfth and final issue ofMiles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man concluded with a cliffhanger that led directly into the 2015 "Secret Wars" storyline.[31]
Marvel ended the Ultimate Marvel imprint with the "Secret Wars" storyline,[32] in which the Marvel Universe was merged with other alternate universes, including the Ultimate Universe.[33][34][35] Following "Secret Wars", Miles was made a character of the mainstream Marvel Universe, and a member of the titular team inAll-New, All-Different Avengers.[36] He also headlines his third solo series, titled simplySpider-Man, which debuted February 3, 2016, with Bendis and Pichelli returning as the creative team.[20] Pichelli would be succeeded by Nico Leon and Oscar Bazaldua.[37]Throughout 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.[19] 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'sUltimate Spider-Man #1, with the following issue continuing with issue 234.[37] On November 7, 2017, it was announced that Bendis, having signed an exclusive contract with DC Comics, would be leaving Marvel in early 2018,[38] andSpider-Man canceled with issue #240 (May 2018).[37][39]
On September 13, 2018, Marvel announced thatSaladin 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, coinciding with the premiere of the animated feature film,Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.[40][41] The visual design of that film would reportedly influence a new costume designed by Chase Conley for the character's tenth anniversary in 2021, which included trademark sneakers.[42] This series concluded with issue 42 in September 2022. In December 2022 Marvel debuted the next series,Miles Morales: Spider-Man by writerCody Ziglar and artist Federico Vicentini.[43]
On July 9, 2020, Marvel announced that an original graphic novel,Miles Morales: Shock Waves, would be released in 2021 in partnership withScholastic, written byOpposite of Always author Justin A. Reynolds, with art by Pablo Leon.[44]
Miles Morales first appeared inUltimate Comics: Fallout #4, which was published in August 2011, in which he foils an assault byKangaroo a short time afterPeter Parker's death. He wears a Spider-Man costume similar to Parker's, but considers changing it when spectators tell him it is in "bad taste".[45][46]
The opening story arc ofUltimate Comics: Spider-Man, which premiered in September 2011, is set prior toUltimate Fallout #4, and establishes the character of Miles Morales, a grade-schooler[47] who lives with his motherRio Morales,[48][49] a nurse,[1] and his fatherJefferson Davis,[48] and details how he received his superhuman abilities. After scientist Dr. Conrad Markus[a] uses Parker's blood to recreate the formula that created Spider-Man, theProwler[50] (Aaron Davis, Miles's uncle[47]) steals the formula, and in the process, one of the spiders created by Markus crawls into the Prowler's duffel bag. Days later, Miles[50] is bitten by the spider during a visit to Aaron's apartment. Morales develops superhuman abilities similar to those Peter has,[50] but does not tell his parents, due to his father's distrust of superheroes,[23] confiding only in his best friendGanke Lee.[23][49]
Miles, who wants a normal life, is unhappy about having these abilities and resistant to the idea of risking his life to engage in superheroics,[51] a reaction that Bendis wrote to further contrast Miles with Parker.[24] However, after witnessing Spider-Man's death at theGreen Goblin's hands, the guilt-ridden Miles realizes he could have helped. After Ganke suggests he assume the Spider-Man mantle, and learns fromGwen Stacy why Parker did what he did, Miles is inspired to try costumed crimefighting.[52]
His first time out, he is confronted not only by those who feel his use of the Spider-Man costume is in bad taste,[45][52] but also bySpider-Woman over his use of the Spider-Man identity.[52] She unmasks and arrests Miles and takes him toS.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, whereNick Fury reveals that he knows about Miles and his family, including the criminal activity of Miles' uncle. After Miles helps S.H.I.E.L.D. subdue the escaped supervillainElectro, S.H.I.E.L.D. releases Miles and gives him a modified black-and-red version of the Spider-Man costume, which Ganke feels makes Miles "officially" the new Spider-Man.[47] He also receives the blessing of the Earth-616 Peter Parker during the 2012Spider-Men miniseries, in which Parker briefly visits the Ultimate Marvel universe and meets Miles.[53] After the media report the emergence of a new Spider-Man, Aaron deduces that it is Miles,[54] and offers to train Miles and work with him. After Aaron uses Miles in his ongoing conflict with the Mexican crime lordScorpion, Miles realizes he is being exploited, and refuses to assist his uncle further, despite Aaron's threat to inform Jefferson of his secret. This leads to an altercation that results in the malfunction of Aaron's weapons, which explode,[55] killing Aaron.[25]
In subsequent storylines, Miles becomes acquainted with Parker's loved ones,May Parker, Gwen andMary Jane Watson, who know of his secret identity and give him Parker's web shooters. He also works alongside theUltimates superhuman team's various members.[2][25]
In a 2013 storyline, when investigative journalist Betty Brant incorrectly concludes that Miles' father, Jefferson, is the new Spider-Man, she is murdered[56] by Markus, who has become theVenom symbiote's newest host. In the subsequent "Venom War" storyline, Venom critically injures Jefferson. When Venom confronts Spider-Man at the hospital, Rio learns her son is Spider-Man. During the battle, both she and Markus are killed by police gunfire, though before she dies, Rio tells Miles not to reveal his secret to Jefferson.[57] Miles quits being Spider-Man as a result. A year later he has a girlfriend,Kate Bishop, and plans to tell her about his former life as Spider-Man. S.H.I.E.L.D. pressures him to return to that role,[58] and he reluctantly does so, after Ganke and Spider-Woman convince him that there needs to be a Spider-Man.[59][60]
In the "Cataclysm" storyline, the mainstream Marvel version of Galactus comes to Miles' Earth to consume it for its energy. Believing the world is ending, Miles reveals his double life to his father, who holds Miles responsible for the deaths of Aaron and Rio, and disowns him.[61] Miles also journeys to the mainstream Marvel universe with Reed Richards to acquire information on how to repel Galactus.[22][27][62]
In his second solo series,Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man, Miles encounters the presumed-dead Peter Parker, who cannot explain his reappearance, and who does not intend to return to his former life. Together, the two Spider-Men defeat the Goblin, who is also revealed to be alive, but who is killed during the course of the story. After witnessing Miles courageously battle the Goblin, Peter acknowledges Miles a worthy successor, and decides to retire from superheroics for a life with family and Mary Jane.[63]
Miles' father Jefferson reappears, revealing to his son that as young men, Jefferson and Aaron worked for a criminal in the organization ofWilson Fisk, though Jefferson was spying for S.H.I.E.L.D. He afterward declined an offer to join S.H.I.E.L.D., and went on to marry Rio and have Miles. He explains he had fled after learning Miles was Spider-Man because it stirred unresolved issues from that time, and tells Miles he no longer blames him for his mother's death, and regrets abandoning him.[64]
When Miles reveals his secret identity to Katie,[63] the Bishop family is revealed to be sleeper agents for the terrorist groupHydra[65] who then kidnap Miles, his father and Ganke, as part of a plan involvingDr. Doom. Miles and the other prisoners are freed, however, in part with help from Judge (Miles's dorm mate),Maria Hill and other superhuman colleagues.[66]
During the events of the 2015 "Secret Wars" storyline, both the Ultimate Marvel universe and the mainstreamEarth-616 universe are destroyed. Miles survives the destruction by infiltrating an escape ship designed by theCabal.[67] After eight years in stasis, Miles awakens on the planetBattleworld, created from the remains of destroyed alternate Earths. He reunites with Earth-616's Peter Parker and the other surviving heroes from that former mainstream-Marvel Earth. They battle Doctor Doom, who with his new powers, appointed himself God Emperor of the planet.[68] At the conclusion of the storyline, theMolecule Man, in gratitude for Miles' earlier compassion, restores Earth-616, with Miles and his family, including his mother, restored to life in the process, among its inhabitants.[69] Aaron is also later revealed to have been restored to life, retaining his knowledge of Miles's dual identity, and becomes the villainousIron Spider.[70] Both Miles and Peter share the Spider-Man mantle in the new universe,[69] though the now-16-year-old Miles patrols New York City, while Peter acts globally.[19][71] Miles also joins the latest team of Avengers in the 2016 seriesAll-New, All-Different Avengers,[72]
In this new continuity, Miles and his loved ones initially have no memories of their origins in the Ultimate universe, though Miles eventually learns of his past there, including details such as Rio's "death".[73][74] Jefferson is aware of his double life, but Rio is not,[75] nor is S.H.I.E.L.D.,[76] though Rio eventually learns the truth.[77] Miles' circle of fellow superheroes who know of his double identity expands to includeKamala Khan, the fourthMs. Marvel,[78] and the former X-ManFabio Medina, a school roommate of Miles and Ganke.[79] This group of confidants later includes the teen superhero Bombshell.[80] His relationship with Bishop apparently did not occur in this continuity, as Miles begins seeing classmate Barbara Rodriguez, whom he calls his "first serious girlfriend", who is unaware of his double life.[81] Miles becomes a central figure in the 2016–2017 "Civil War II" storyline.[82][83] Afterward, Miles joins other teen superheroes to form a new incarnation of theChampions, who star in their self-titled series.[84] In the first arc of the 2019 third volume ofChampions, afterKamala Khan andViv Vision are killed in a battle againstZzzax inDubai, dying along with numerous civilians, Miles arranges for this to be undone by agreeing toMephisto's offer of a "cosmic do-over", turning back time second-by-second long enough for Miles andAmadeus Cho to restrain Zzzax. This is done at the cost of a bystander's life who Miles had originally saved from falling rubble – in this new timeline, the bystander dies instead of Kamala and Viv.[85] Guilt-ridden, Miles eventually tells Kamala of her death and the cost of her revival, "breaking her heart" and ending their friendship, before leaving the team in issue #4.[86]
In his third solo seriesMiles Morales: Spider-Man (2019–2022), Miles meetsTiana Toomes, the anti-hero Starling and the granddaughter of theVulture.[87] The two battle the crime bossTombstone before forming a romantic relationship and revealing their secret identities to one another.[88]
Later, in the 2023–present relaunch ofMiles Morales: Spider-Man, on learning that his granddaughter is dating a Spider-Man, the Vulture breaks out of prison to kill Miles, with Tiana defeating him and proudly declaring Miles to be her boyfriend.[89]
In the 2024 eventBlood Hunt,Blade transforms Miles into avampire. He is later cured byBast after meeting withAnansi.[90][91][92]
After Miles' surviving clone brotherShift begins to learn English, he is namedJaime Morales, named after Miles' late grandfather.[93]
Bitten by a genetically engineered spider known as specimen 42, which is slightly different from the one that granted Peter Parker superhuman powers, Miles Morales possesses abilities similar tothe original Spider-Man's, including enhanced strength, agility, and reflexes, the ability to adhere to walls and ceilings with his hands and feet (even through clothing),[23][94] and a "spider sense" that warns him of danger with a buzzing sensation in his head.[45][52] Though his strength and agility are similar to those of the original younger Spider-Man, his spider-sense is not as strong, as it only warns him of immediate danger.[24]
Miles 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,[24][50] and a "venom strike" that can temporarily paralyze almost anyone with just a touch.[23] The venom strike does not employ actualvenom, but is bioelectricity conducted through Miles' gloves,[47] 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 theEarth-616's Spider-Man.[95] It can break chains being used to restrain Miles[96] and even repel non-ferrous objects, such as plasticLego bricks.[23] The venom strike is powerful enough to render unconscious a person as large asHank Pym'sGiant-Man.[97] It is powerful enough to drive away thesymbiotic villainVenom during Miles's first encounter with the creature,[98] 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 is able to separate the symbiote from its host.[99]Doctor Octopus also developed a set of tentacles that would not conduct the venom strike.[100] 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.[24] Miles can effect a more powerful version of the strike, which he calls a "mega venom blast".[80] 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,[101] but also destroy thick ropes and chains that have been used to restrain him. This application of the strike leaves him "dizzy and useless",[80] 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.[74][96] The conventional venom strike is mostly useless against the supervillainArmadillo, but during Miles' encounter with that villain, his venom blast manifests itself in a form similar to his webbing, which he uses like a lasso to pull Armadillo towards him and knock him unconscious with a venom strike-powered punch.[80] InMiles Morales: Spider-Man (Vol 2) #5 (May 2023), he gains the ability to manifest an energy sword,[102] apparently composed of the same energy with which he manifests his Venom Punch,[103] which he calls a "Venom-Saber".[104]
Miles' body also possesses a significant resistance to injury. During an altercation with the Roxxon mercenaryTaskmaster, Miles is thrown through a brick wall without any apparent serious injury, though the experience is painful for him.[94][105]
Miles wears a costume given to him by S.H.I.E.L.D.,[47] and initially uses Peter Parker's web shooters, which are given to him by May Parker.[2] He is eventually given a new set of webshooters by S.H.I.E.L.D. as well.[58]
People who say this is a PC stunt miss the point. Miles Morales is a reflection of the culture in which we live. I love the fact that my son Tito will see a Spider-Man swinging through the sky whose last name is "Morales". And judging from the response, I can see I'm not alone.
The character Miles Morales was first reported byUSA Today on August 2, 2011, shortly before the character officially debuted inUltimate Fallout #4.[5][21] The announcement received international coverage in the mainstream media and was met with mixed reactions by audiences.[8] Chris Huntington ofThe New York Times lauded the creation of Morales, relating that it gave his adopted Ethiopian son Dagim a superhero who looks like him.[106]The Guardian and Culture Map Houston reported that some fans viewed the decision as an example ofpolitical correctness, and that the introduction of a minority Spider-Man was apublicity stunt to attract more readers,[7][8][9][10] while others felt that a person of color as Spider-Man would set a positive example for minority readers, particularly children.[11] Many Spider-Man fans were disappointed that Peter Parker was killed, regardless of who replaced him.[8] The wide-ranging critical reception promptedThe Washington Post to run an article called, "Sorry, Peter Parker. The response to the black Spider-Man shows why we need one", in which writerAlexandra Petri wrote that the character should be judged on the quality of its stories rather than on his appearance or ethnicity.[11]
Radio host and conservative punditLou Dobbs expressed outrage overthe original Spider-Man being replaced by Morales, stating during a television commentary, "Peter Parker, who was a white orphan from Queens, was killed off in June during a fight with his nemesis, the Green Goblin...Marvel Comics saying it's replacing the iconic character with Miles Morales, who is part Latino and part Black." Political satiristJon Stewart mocked Dobbs' criticism onThe Daily Show, while also pointing out that Morales replaced Spider-Man only in the Ultimate universe, and that the original Peter Parker would still be appearing in several titles.[107][108][109] Conservative talk show hostGlenn Beck, claiming that Miles resembled President Barack Obama, argued that the new Spider-Man was a result of a comment fromMichelle 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.[110] 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."[7] Bendis also denied that the character's ethnicity was an attempt to generate publicity.[111] Original Spider-Man co-creatorStan 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."[112]
In a review for the first issue,David Pepose ofNewsarama 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."[113] Jesse Schedeen ofIGN 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".[114] James Hunt ofComic Book Resources 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.[115] The first issue holds a score of 8.0 out of 10 at thereview 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.[116]
The second solo series,Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man, has an average issue rating of 8.2 out of 10 at Comic Book Roundup,[117] while the third series,Spider-Man, holds a rating of 7.6.[37] His fourth series,Miles Morales: Spider-Man, was released in December 2018.[118] It ran for issues, concluding in late 2022. It holds an 8.1 rating at Comic Book Roundup.[119] His fifth series was the second volume ofMiles Morales: Spider-Man. It premiered in February 2023 with writerCody Ziglar and artist Federico Vicentini as the creative team. It holds an 8.6 rating at Comic Book Roundup.[120]
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In the 2012 miniseriesSpider-Men, the mainstreamMarvel Universe Peter Parker briefly visits theUltimate Marvel universe and meets Miles Morales.[121] This was followed up in the 2017 sequel miniseriesSpider-Men II, in which theEarth-616 version of Miles Morales makes his first appearance,[122] and is revealed to be a fully-grown adult with a scarred face.[74][123][124][125][126] This version of Miles became a close friend and confidant to the mob enforcerWilson 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.[123][127][128] 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.[123][129] Miles hires theTaskmaster, 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.[123][130]
In a 2019–2020 storyline, Miles takes on the criminal identity ofUltimatum,[123][131] and having acquired a costume equipped with the size-shifting technology ofGiant-Man, returns to the Marvel-616 universe with the Ultimate Universe's Green Goblin as his henchman. He establishes a crime partnership with Fisk,[131] and floods the area with a drug derived from Green Goblin's blood that mutates people into monstrous slaves called Goblinoids. He kidnaps the teenaged Miles and Aaron Davis, and reveals to them the existence of the multiverse. He plans to return Miles and his family to the Ultimate Universe with an interdimensional portal generator, after which he will be free to take over Brooklyn without interference. After the two abductees free themselves, they and their allies battle Ultimatum's forces.[132] During the melee, Aaron induces an explosion that destroys the portal generator and sends the two villains back to the Ultimate Universe, but which kills himself in the process, a loss that devastates Miles.[133]
InDeadpool Killustrated #1 (Jan. 2013), Miles Morales' corpse is seen among those of various Spider-Men across various dimensions of themultiverse that an alternateDeadpool has killed.[134] In the 2014 bookUltimate 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.[135][136][137] In the 2017 "Sitting in a Tree" storyline that ran inSpider-Man andSpider-Gwen, Miles is transported to Earth-8, where that dimension's versions of him and fellow costumed crimefighterGwen Stacy have been married for 20 years,[138] and have two children.[139] In a 2017 storyline that ran inUnbelievable Gwenpool, a future version of Miles Morales whose wife and child were killed after an evil Gwen Poole 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 Gwen Poole with him, which leads to her to encounter her younger self.[140][141][142] In the 2017 bookVenomverse: War Stories #1, a version of Miles appears with other heroes in the world of the VenomizedDoctor Doom, in which each person is bonded to asymbiote.[143]
In "Secret Roar", a 2019 story inSpider-Man Annual (Vol. 3) #1, different versions of Earth's superheroes gather together to fight aCelestial, including a feline version of Miles Morales namedMeows Morales. He is presumed dead along with most of the heroes after the Celestial destroys their realm.[144]
In the continuity of the 2019 miniseriesSpider-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 ofOtto 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 2012 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.[145]
An elderly Miles Morales appears as the protagonist of theone-shotMiles Morales: The End, which is set in apost-apocalypticBrooklyn, and casts Miles as "the last bastion of civilization".[146] The book is one of six featuring Marvel characters as part of itsThe End series, which were announced at the 2019New York Comic Con for January 2020 release.[147]
In the 2021 "Heroes Reborn" storyline, a change in the timeline results in a continuity in which theSquadron Supreme are Earth's mightiest heroes while the Avengers never existed. In this continuity, after Falcon was killed by the Goblin, Miles used his electrical engineering knowledge to design a flight suit and became the new Falcon. The original Falcon's partner,Nighthawk, still traumatized by his death, refuses to mentor Miles. Miles later forms a team called the Champions with Girl Power (Kamala Khan) and Kid Spectrum (Sam Alexander).[148]
The 2022 miniseriesWhat If...? Miles Morales introduces alternate versions of Miles who becameCaptain America,Wolverine,Hulk, andThor. Issue 4, written by Yehudi Mercado and drawn by Paco Medina and Luigi Zagaria, garnered controversy for its stereotypical language andracist depictions ofblack culture.[149][150][151] Mercado, who identifies as Mexican and Jewish, publicly apologized and resolved to work toward effecting greater authenticity in his depiction of minorities.[149][151][152]
Writer Brian Michael Bendis stated that he favored adapting Miles Morales into a Spider-Man feature film in some way,[166] as did actorAndrew Garfield.[167] ProducersAvi Arad andMatt Tolmach indicated that they did not intend to have Miles appear.[168][169] But afterMarvel brokered a deal with Sony that resulted in the addition of theSpider-Man films in theMarvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), producerKevin Feige stated that Miles would not appear in the MCU for the foreseeable future but was interested in opportunities to explore the character.[170] Miles is confirmed to exist in the MCU, withAaron Davis alluding to him in the filmSpider-Man: Homecoming.[171][172][173]Amy Pascal has stated that a live-action film starring Miles was in development.[174]
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Miles Morales appears as the main character in theSpider-Verse film series, voiced byShameik Moore.[153][175][176] This version obtained his powers after being bitten by a radioactive spider created in Earth-42, which was transported to his universe by theKingpin's Super-Collider.[177]
Miles Morales appears as the title character of the novelMiles Morales: Spider-Man and its sequelMiles Morales: Suspended, both byJason Reynolds.[198][199]
In March 2018,Sideshow Collectibles debuted a Miles Morales Spider-Man Premium Format Figure, a 17"-tallpolystone statue depicting Morales jumping over the gaping jaws of a giant Venom symbiote. The statue features two removal heads, with and without the mask, and an extra hand holding the mask. Upon its release, the statue was priced at $520.[200]
ALego minifigure of Miles Morales appears as part of theLego Minifigures theme.[201]
| No. | Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Pages | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man Omnibus | 2011-2015 | Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1–28, #16.1;Spider-Men #1–5;Cataclysm: Ultimate Spider-Man #1–3;Ultimate Spider-Man #200;Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #1–12; material fromUltimate Fallout #4 | 1,168 | 19 Jun 2018 | Kaare Andrews cover:978-1302925109 |
| 8 Jul 2020 | Kaare Andrews cover:978-1302925109 | |||||
| 1 Nov 2022 | Kaare Andrews cover:978-1302945718 | |||||
| Sara Pichelli Venom DM cover:978-1302945725 | ||||||
| 2 | Spider-Man: Miles Morales Omnibus | 2016-2018 | Spider-Man (vol. 2) #1–21,Spider-Gwen (vol. 2) #16–18,Spider-Men II #1–5,Spider-Man (vol. 2) #234–240 | 832 | 25 Feb 2020 | 978-1302922887 |
| 856 | 20 Dec 2022 | Sara Pichelli cover:978-1302945732 | ||||
| Patrick Brown DM cover:978-1302945749 | ||||||
| 3 | Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Saladin Ahmed Omnibus | 2018-2022 | Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2018) #1–42,Absolute Carnage: Miles Morales #1–3,Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 5) #81 andMiles Morales: The End, material fromFree Comic Book Day 2019 (Spider-Man/Venom) #1,Incoming! #1,Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 6) #49 andMiles Morales: Spider-Man Annual #1 | 1,160 | 22 Aug 2023 | Ernanda Souza cover:978-1302950781 |
| Taurin Clarke DM cover:978-1302950798 |
| No. | Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Pages | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man Ultimate Collection Book 1 | 2011-2012 | Ultimate Fallout #4;Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #1–12;Spider-Men #1–5 | 400 | 28 Jul 2015 | 978-0785197782 |
| 2 | Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man Ultimate Collection Book 2 | 2012-2013 | Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #13–28, 16.1 | 384 | 22 Oct 2015 | 978-0785197799 |
| 3 | Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man Ultimate Collection Book 3 | 2013-2015 | Cataclysm: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #1–3;Ultimate Spider-Man #200;Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man #1–12 | 360 | 8 Dec 2015 | 978-0785197805 |
| No. | Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Pages | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hero In Training | 2011-2012 | Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (2011) #1-12;Spider-Men (2012) #1-5; material fromUltimate Fallout (2011) #4 | 400 | 11 Mar 2025 | 978-1302961053 |
| 2 | Spider-Man No More | 2012-2013 | Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (2011) #13-28, 16.1 | 384 | 26 Aug 2025 | 978-1302961060 |
| 3 | Revivals And Revelations | 2013-2015 | Cataclysm: Ultimate Spider-Man (2013) #1-3;Ultimate Spider-Man #200;Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #1-12 | 368 | 27 Jan 2026 | 978-1302961077 |
| No. | Title | Years covered | Issues collected | Pages | Publication date | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miles Morales: Spider-Man | 2011-2012 | Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #1–11 | 240 | 14 Jul 2019 | 978-1302918071 |
| 2 | Miles Morales: With Great Power | 2012-2013 | Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #11–22, 16.1 | 296 | 11 Sep 2019 | 978-1302919771 |
| 3 | Miles Morales: Great Responsibility | 2013-2014 | Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #23–28;Cataclysm: Ultimate Spider-Man #1–3;Ultimate Spider-Man #200 | 240 | 25 Feb 2020 | 978-1302921149 |
| 4 | Miles Morales: Ultimate End | 2014-2015 | Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #1–12 | 248 | 6 Jul 2021 | 978-1302929831 |
| 5 | Miles Morales: Marvel Universe | 2016 | Spider-Man (vol. 2) #1–11 | 248 | 15 Jun 2022 | 978-1302945060 |
| 6 | Miles Morales: Avenging Avenger | 2017 | Spider-Man (vol. 2) #12–19;Spider-Gwen (vol. 2) #16–18 | 248 | 1 Feb 2023 | 978-1302949679 |
| No. | Title | Material collected | Format | Pages | Released | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Who is Miles Morales? | Ultimate Comics: Fallout #4,Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #1–5 | HC | 144 | 29 Feb 2012 | 978-0785157120 |
| TPB | 136 | 14 Aug 2012 | 978-0785157137 | |||
| 2 | Scorpion | Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #6–10 | HC | 120 | 27 Jun 2012 | 978-0785157144 |
| TPB | 112 | 19 Dec 2012 | 978-0785157151 | |||
| 3 | Divided We Fall, United We Stand | Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #11–18 | HC | 184 | 12 Dec 2012 | 978-0785161752 |
| TPB | 21 May 2013 | 978-0785161769 | ||||
| 4 | Venom War | Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #16.1, 19–22 | HC | 144 | 17 Jul 2013 | 978-0785165033 |
| TPB | 30 Apr 2014 | 978-0785165040 | ||||
| 5 | Spider-Man No More | Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #23–28 | HC | 136 | 14 Feb 2014 | 978-0785168027 |
| TPB | 30 Sep 2014 | 978-0785167068 |
| No. | Title | Material collected | Format | Pages | Released | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Revival | Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #1–5,Ultimate Spider-Man #200 | TPB | 144 | 4 Nov 2014 | 978-0785154174 |
| 2 | Revelations | Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #6–12 | TPB | 160 | 9 Jun 2015 | 978-0785154181 |
Miles Morales' story was relaunched with a new number one in 2016, and the character established in Marvel's main 616 universe. Brian Michael Bendis continued as writer, with Sara Pichelli providing the art.[202]
| No. | Title | Material collected | Format | Pages | Released | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spider-Man: Miles Morales Vol. 1 | Spider-Man (vol. 2) #1–5 | TPB | 120 | 7 Sep 2016 | 978-1846537165 |
| 2 | Spider-Man: Miles Morales Vol. 2 | Spider-Man (vol. 2) #6–11 | TPB | 136 | 28 Mar 2017 | 978-0785199625 |
| Spider-Man/Spider-Gwen: Sitting in a Tree | Spider-Man (vol. 2) #12–14;Spider-Gwen (vol. 2) #16–18 | TPB | 136 | 17 May 2017 | 978-1302907624 | |
| 3 | Spider-Man: Miles Morales Vol. 3 | Spider-Man (vol. 2) #15–21 | TPB | 160 | 7 Nov 2017 | 978-1302905972 |
| 4 | Spider-Man: Miles Morales Vol. 4 | Spider-Man (vol. 2) #234–240 | TPB | 160 | 3 Jul 2018 | 978-1302905989 |
Saladin Ahmed started writing the series from 2018.
| No. | Title | Material collected | Format | Pages | Released | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Straight Out Of Brooklyn | Miles Morales: Spider-Man #1–6 | TPB | 136 | 16 Jul 2019 | 978-1302914783 |
| 2 | Bring On The Bad Guys | Miles Morales: Spider-Man #7–10; material fromFree Comic Book Day 2019 (Spider-Man/Venom) | TPB | 112 | 31 Dec 2020 | 978-1302914790 |
| 3 | Family Business | Miles Morales: Spider-Man #11–15 | TPB | 112 | 21 Jul 2020 | 978-1302920166 |
| 4 | Ultimatum | Miles Morales: Spider-Man #16–21 | TPB | 136 | 23 Feb 2021 | 978-1302920173 |
| 5 | The Clone Saga | Miles Morales: Spider-Man #22–28 | TPB | 168 | 14 Sep 2021 | 978-1302926014 |
| 6 | All Eyes On Me | Miles Morales: Spider-Man #29–32 | TPB | 112 | 18 Jan 2022 | 978-1302926021 |
| 7 | Beyond | Miles Morales: Spider-Man #33–36; material fromAnnual #1 | TPB | 120 | 21 Jun 2022 | 978-1302932657 |
| 8 | Empire Of The Spider | Miles Morales: Spider-Man #37–42 | TPB | 144 | 27 Dec 2022 | 978-1302933128 |
Cody Ziglar was the new writer from December 2022.
| No. | Title | Material collected | Format | Pages | Released | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trial By Spider | Miles Morales: Spider-Man #1–5 | TPB | 178 | 1 Aug 2023 | 978-1302948528 |
| Carnage Reigns | Carnage Reigns Alpha;Miles Morales: Spider-Man #6–7,Carnage #13–14,Red Goblin #5;Carnage Reigns Omega | TPB | 200 | 26 Sep 2023 | 978-1302954222 | |
| 2 | Bad Blood | Miles Morales: Spider-Man #8–12 | TPB | 112 | 27 Feb 2024 | 978-1302948535 |
| 3 | Gang War | Miles Morales: Spider-Man #13–16;Giant Size Spider-Man (2024) | TPB | 112 | 13 Aug 2024 | 978-1302954697 |
| 4 | Retribution | Miles Morales: Spider-Man #17–20;Web of Spider-Man (vol. 3) #1 (Miles Morales: Spider-Man story) | TPB | 144 | 29 Oct 2024 | 978-1302954772 |
| 5 | Blood Hunt | Miles Morales: Spider-Man #21–24,Annual (2024) | TPB | 144 | 11 Feb 2025 | 978-1302958459 |
| 6 | Webs Of Wakanda | Miles Morales: Spider-Man #25–30 | TPB | 112 | 13 May 2025 | 978-1302960858 |
| Miles Morales: Spider-Man / Deadpool - Pools Of Blood | Deadpool (vol. 10) #11-12;Miles Morales: Spider-Man #30-31 | TPB | 112 | 4 Nov 2025 | 978-1302964924 | |
| 7 | God War | Miles Morales: Spider-Man #32-36 | TPB | 112 | 2 Dec 2025 | 978-1302960865 |
| 8 | Revenge Of Rabble | Miles Morales: Spider-Man #37-42 | TPB | 144 | 16 Jun 2026 | 978-1302963330 |
| No. | Title | Material collected | Format | Pages | Released | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cataclysm: The Ultimates' Last Stand | Cataclysm: Ultimate Spider-Man #1–3;Cataclysm: The Ultimates' Last Stand #1–5;Cataclysm: Ultimate X-Men #1–3;Cataclysm: Ultimates #1–3;Hunger #1–4;Cataclysm #0.1;Survive #1 | HC | 440 | 18 Mar 2014 | 978-0785189190 | |
| TPB | 17 Feb 2015 | 978-0785189206 | ||||
| Spider-Men | Spider-Men #1–5 | HC | 120 | 28 Nov 2012 | 978-0785165330 | |
| TPB | 17 Feb 2015 | 978-1846535208 | ||||
| Spider-Men II | Spider-Men II #1–5 | TPB | 116 | 21 Mar 2018 | 978-1846538704 | |
| Spider-Men: Worlds Collide | Spider-Men #1–5,Spider-Men II #1–5 | TPB | 240 | 30 Nov 2021 | 978-1302931971 | |
| Absolute Carnage: Miles Morales | Absolute Carnage: Miles Morales #1–3;Absolute Carnage: Weapon Plus #1 | TPB | 112 | 28 Jan 2020 | 978-1302920142 | |
| Spider-Verse: Spider-Zero | Spider-Verse (vol. 3) #1–6 | TPB | 136 | 28 Jul 2020 | 978-1302920265 | |
| The End | Miles Morales: The End #1;Captain America: The End #1;Captain Marvel: The End #1;Deadpool: The End #1;Doctor Strange: The End #1;Venom: The End #1 | TPB | 200 | 25 Aug 2020 | 978-1302924997 | |
| Infinite Destinies | Miles Morales: Spider-Man Annual #1;Iron Man Annual (vol. 3) #1;Captain America Annual (vol. 3) #1;Thor Annual (vol. 5) #1;Black Cat Annual (vol. 2) #1;Avengers Annual (vol. 5) #1;Guardians of the Galaxy Annual (vol. 4) #1;Amazing Spider-Man Annual (vol. 4) #2 | TPB | 264 | 16 Nov 2021 | 978-1302931506 | |
| What If...? Miles Morales | What If...? Miles Morales #1–5 | TPB | 128 | 13 Sep 2022 | 978-1302946036 |
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