Graphic Novel Review: Spider-Man: Miles Morales

Miles Morales is hitting the big time! Not only is he joining the Marvel Universe, but he’s also a card-carrying Avenger! But how have Miles’ first eight months been, coming to grips with an All-new , All-Different new York? One thing is the same - nonstop action! Like when Earth’s Mightiest Heroes all fall, and Miles stands alone against a villain with the power to destroy the universe. Then there’s Miles’ toughest foe yet - his grandmother! Collecting: Spider-Man 1-5.

(Panini Books)

In the wake of last year’s continuity-revising Secret Wars, the Ultimate Universe was no more, with elements from that reality surviving into a rebooted Marvel U. One of those characters to make the jump was teen webslinger Miles Morales, complete with his supporting cast and to some extent his backstory and origin.

But with an eight month gap between the Wars’ end and the launch of this series, there are many outstanding questions which remain unresolved, not least of which being exactly how this Spider-Man made his debut as a costumed hero, and how he gained his powers in a reality drastically different from the one in which he first appeared.

Miles’ creator Brian Michael Bendis obviously knows what he’s doing though, and uses the opportunity of this relaunch to adopt a back-to-basics approach with his character, focusing largely on his life as a student, his relationship with his parents (and domineering grandmother!), and his struggles to balance his career as a costumed hero.

The addition of former X-Man Goldballs (yes, that really is his name) to the cast is a good move, providing another confidant at Miles’ school who can hopefully provide suitable excuses for when he needs to dash off to tackle an alien invasion or deal with a supervillain throw-down.

Bendis deftly mixes domestic drama with high-risk superheroics, and comfortably immerses Miles into the madness of the Marvel Universe while not forgetting his roots, which could easily have happened following the merger.