Sony's animated Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse movie is the big-screen debut of Miles Morales, a.k.a. the Ultimate Spider-Man. That means the film will be the first time many viewers meet Miles (voiced by Shameik Moore) but make no mistake: he's been popular in the comics ever since his creation back in 2011.
In the comics, Miles originates from the so-called Ultimate Universe, and he took over as Spider-Man after the death of his universe's Peter Parker. The decision to kill off the classic Spider-Man and replace him with a half-black, half-Hispanic teen was a controversial one at the time, but had the blessing of Stan Lee himself, who felt that "trying to make our nation, and the world, color blind is definitely the right thing." Miles is the birth of a new "everyman hero," and his movie debut honors that origin perfectly.
Related: Every Easter Egg You Missed in Into The Spider-Verse
Seven years after his introduction to Marvel Comics, not only has Miles been accepted by fans, but he's the star of his own animated movie, being praised widely enough to make a sequel or franchise practically guaranteed. But who is Miles Morales, and how comic-book-accurate is Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse?
- This Page: Miles' Comic Origins (& Movie Changes)
- Page 2: Miles Morales' Future in Spider-Man Movies
The Origin of Miles Morales (And Peter Parker's Death)
In the early 2000s, Marvel launched a new franchise they called the "Ultimate Universe." This was an alternate universe in which Marvel's classic heroes were reinvented in a modern context; it's actually served as the inspiration for a lot of the MCU origin stories. Because this wasn't the main continuity, writers were free to take risks that the publisher would ordinarily shy away from. The most staggering example was in 2011, when Marvel decided the time was right to kill the Ultimate Peter Parker and replace him with a brand new Spider-Man. Writer Brian Michael Bendis worked closely with artist Sara Pichelli to design Miles, and they took inspiration in part from African-American actor Donald Glover's online audition for the lead role in 2012's The Amazing Spider-Man.
The "Death of Spider-Man" arc saw Peter Parker die in a final, brutal battle with the Green Goblin. Peter died in the arms of Mary Jane and his Aunt May, at peace because he had given his life protecting them. As far as Peter was concerned, this sacrifice was an act that redeemed him for his failure to save Uncle Ben. It was a heartbreaking moment, but it wasn't the end of the Ultimate Spider-Man range. Instead, Marvel relaunched it with a brand new hero. In the first issue, the young Miles Morales was bitten by a genetically-altered spider when he visited his Uncle Aaron's house. Though he didn't know it, Aaron Davis was a criminal, a sneak-thief who'd broken into Oscorp to see what he could steal; he'd inadvertently brought that spider with him along with the goods he stole. When Miles finally began to understand what was going on, he concluded that the world needed a Spider-Man after all.
Miles' Powers are Different Than Peter Parker's
Miles has a slightly different powerset to Peter Parker's. He shares many of the basic Spider-Man abilities; he's fast, strong, agile, and can stick to walls. But he has additional powers that Peter could never have imagined; the most notable is that Miles can generate a bioelectrical shock that he calls a "Venom Blast." This is a powerful energy blast that attacks the nervous system, and it's able to render even some of the most physically powerful foes unconscious. Miles has been able to one-shot the likes of Giant-Man and even Venom with this Venom Blast, and it's no surprise he's able to use it against the Kingpin in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. This power does have its limits, though; it needs to "recharge" after use, meaning Miles can't just blast everyone aside relentlessly.
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Miles possesses one other power as well; the ability to camouflage himself and his clothing, essentially turning invisible. In the comics, this "active camouflage" power was initially something Miles found himself doing instinctively, and it took him quite some time to gain control of it. In fact, one scene in the movie - where he struggles to turn invisible "on command" - is lifted straight from the comics. Miles has grown more confident in this power, though, and can now use it to launch sneak attacks or to infiltrate enemy bases. The idea is faithfully reproduced in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse.
Miles' Uncle Is (Still) The Prowler
Of course, in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, Miles' beloved Uncle Aaron isn't just shady; he's actually a super-villain in his own right. Aaron Davis is really the Prowler, a sinister killer who works for the Kingpin. This particular plot twist is lifted straight from the comics, and explains why Miles' dad doesn't like him going round to see his uncle.
The comic book version of Aaron Davis isn't open to redemption. When he learned that Miles was secretly the new Spider-Man, he saw an opportunity to try to use his nephew as a tool in order to rise through the ranks of the criminal underworld. Needless to say, it didn't go well, and the Prowler has since become Miles' most notable nemesis. He even formed a recent incarnation of the Sinister Six, and led them in an attack on his own nephew.
Page 2 of 2: Miles Morales' Future in Spider-Man Movies
Miles' Roommate Knows His Secret Identity
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse ended with a number of cool scenes, and in one of them Miles unmasked himself to his roommate. In the comics, it all went a little differently. The bewildered Miles didn't initially realize he was becoming a new Spider-Man; in fact, the first of his powers to manifest was the "active camouflage," which triggered when he ran away from his dad after an argument. Seriously freaked out, Miles went to his best friend Ganke for advice. At first they thought Miles might be a mutant, but Ganke worked out the similarities between what had happened to Miles and the (now-public) origin of Peter Parker's Spider-Man. In Ganke's view, being a superhero is the height of cool, and he was the one who persuaded Miles to live up to Peter's legacy.
Related: Chris Miller & Phil Lord Interview: Into the Spider-Verse
Miles' Relationship With Spider-Gwen
Just as in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, there have indeed been sparks between Miles Morales and Spider-Gwen. Things finally began to hot up between the couple in an appropriately-titled crossover event called "Sittin' In A Tree," which even saw the two make out a couple of times. Unfortunately the relationship became a little strained when they encountered their future selves - married and with Spider-powered kids. Miles and Gwen were more than a little intimidated by this, and decided it would be wiser to take things slowly.
There's a real risk that the pressure of trying to become the couple they've seen in the future will cause the relationship between Miles and Gwen to break down. For now, though, they pay occasional visits to one another's dimensions and go on a date every now and again. Hilariously, few of Miles' superhero friends even believe Spider-Gwen exists in the first place; when he told the Champions about her, they were more than a little amused that he was claiming to have a girlfriend who they could conveniently never meet because she was in another dimension.
The Future Is Bright For Miles Morales
Marvel's Ultimate Universe range has long since come to an end, but somehow Miles Morales has endured. He's now part of the mainstream Marvel Comics universe, and as a result shares the Spider-Man name with Peter Parker. Miles has become one of the most important young characters in the Marvel universe, playing a major role in 2016's "Civil War II" event, and he's even served as a member of the Avengers. The Ultimate Spider-Man is now known as one of Marvel's most popular legacy heroes, alongside Kamala Khan's Ms. Marvel, and the two work together as members of the Champions.
A sequel to Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is in the works, with Joaquim Dos Santos (Avatar: The Last Airbender, Voltron) joining up as director. Incredibly, it's also possible Miles will eventually turn in the Marvel Cinematic Universe too; Donald Glover played Aaron Davis in Spider-Man: Homecoming, and in one scene even name-dropped his nephew Miles.
More: Sony's Three Spider-Man Movie Universes Explained
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