After the current events of Secret Wars we’ll be seeing another new Marvel Universe emerge and in it Miles Morales will be taking over the ‘Spider-Man’ comic. Not to say that there won’t be multiple ‘Spider-Man’ comics out there as Peter Parker will still be the favorite neighborhood Spider-Man for quite a few of us but now Morales will be the man in the mask for the self titled comic when the book is relaunched this Fall.
The book will be by Miles’ co-creators Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli as we see how he handles a world that is not the Ultimate Universe and one where not only is Peter Parker alive but he is also Spider-Man. We’ll see Miles not only as a stranger in this world but also adjusting to being on a planet full of superheroes which is a stark contrast to the Ultimate Universe where so many had died over the years.
I’m sure being a part of the ‘All-New All-Different Avengers‘ will help ease him into that transition. What will also be interesting is Parker has evolved into an industrialist and isn’t quite what Tony Stark is but he’s been falling more into that position while Morales will be more the street level hero that Parker used to be. Bendis says that, “Miles will be the Spider-Man that is trying desperately to balance his life as a high school student and his super hero career. He will be the character that is wrestling with power and responsibility in a very raw way.”
So it will be interesting to see these two with similar ideals and power sets at completely different ends of the spectrum in their careers and lives. What is fun though is that the first issue can be considered the sequel to the ‘Spider-Men’ mini-series that first introduced the two characters to one another years ago. That alone has me wanting to pickup the issue!
Brian Michael Bendis adds that, “This is a very big deal to [Sarah and I]. For [Miles] to have grown up and flat-out earned his place in the Marvel Universe, as Spider-Man, is frankly so much more than we could have hoped for when we first sat down to design him and his life. When it became clear that I was going to follow Miles into this new adventure I was really hoping that Sara would see the value in it being both of us that do this together. I was thrilled that she agreed immediately.”
What is interesting is the more previews we’re reading here also makes it sound as if at the very least the 616 Universe will be restored to much of its former glory prior to Doom saving remnants of the various multiverse. This is particular important as a clue to the fallout of Secret Wars as one question that dares to be asked is “how did Miles come to be here in the first place?!”
According to Marvel Editor-in-Chief Axel Alonso, “Four years ago, we peeled back Spider-Man’s iconic mask to reveal a new and different face, and readers of all stripes have embraced him. I’m excited to announce that Miles Morales is here to stay – and this Fall, he’s going to be swinging through the heart of the Marvel Universe. Can new friends and enemies be far behind?” While not everyone was happy with Parker no longer being Spidey in the Ultimate Universe you would be hard pressed to find readers who didn’t enjoy Morales own coming of age story.
Outside of there being another Spider-Man in the Marvel Universe, Bendis also adds the racial importance of the character as “Many kids of color who when they were playing superheroes with their friends, their friends wouldn’t let them be Batman or Superman because they don’t look like those heroes but they could be Spider-Man because anyone could be under that mask. But now it’s true. It’s meant a great deal to a great many people. Our message has to be it’s not Spider-Man with an asterisk, it’s the real Spider-Man for kids of color, for adults of color and everybody else.”
As a fan of Morales I’m glad to see him joining up in whatever the mainstream Marvel Universe is becoming and can’t wait to see how he and Parker get along on a regular basis.
Sources: Marvel, NY Daily Times
