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Miles Gonzalo Morales, a fictional superhero in Marvel Comics, made his debut in 2011 as the second Spider-Man in the Ultimate Marvel imprint. Created by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli, Miles Morales inherited powers similar to the original Spider-Man from a genetically engineered spider bite by Norman Osborn. The character, a biracial teenager with an African-American father and Puerto Rican mother, emerged in the aftermath of Ultimate Peter Parker’s death.
First introduced in Ultimate Fallout #4, Miles headlined the Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man series in the Ultimate Universe (Earth-1610) until the Ultimate imprint concluded in 2015. Following this, Miles transitioned into the main Marvel Universe (Earth-616) under the All-New, All-Different Marvel initiative in 2015. The character Ultimatum, an antagonist from Earth-616, was introduced in Spider-Men II in 2017.
Reception to Miles Morales was diverse. While some, including Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee, praised the creation of a positive role model for children of color, others criticized the replacement of Peter Parker, accusing Marvel of political correctness and viewing it as a publicity stunt. Marvel’s then-editor-in-chief Axel Alonso denied these claims. Alexandra Petri of The Washington Post advocated for evaluating the character based on the quality of his stories.
Due to his popularity, Miles Morales has expanded into various media. He appeared in the Ultimate Spider-Man animated TV series and became a mainstay, voiced by Donald Glover and later Ogie Banks as Kid Arachnid. In the Spider-Man (2017–20) animated series, Nadji Jeter voiced the character, reprising the role in the Marvel’s Spider-Man video game series by Insomniac Games and Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order (2019). Additionally, Miles is the central figure in the Spider-Verse film franchise by Sony Pictures Animation, with Shameik Moore voicing him in the award-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) and its sequels Across the Spider-Verse (2023) and Beyond the Spider-Verse, where Jharrel Jerome voices Miles’ Earth-42 counterpart, the villainous Prowler.
Powers and Abilities of Miles Morales
Bitten by the genetically engineered spider known as specimen 42, Miles Morales acquired abilities akin to the original Spider-Man, including enhanced strength, agility, and reflexes, as well as the capacity to adhere to walls and ceilings. His “spider sense” alerts him to imminent danger, although it is not as potent as the original Spider-Man’s. Miles possesses unique capabilities not found in the original Spider-Man, such as the power to camouflage himself and his attire to blend with his surroundings, rendering him effectively invisible. Additionally, he can unleash a “venom strike,” a directed energy attack conducted through his gloves, capable of temporarily paralyzing opponents with just a touch.
The venom strike can be transmitted through materials in contact with both Miles and his adversary, such as Earth-616’s Spider-Man’s webbing. Miles can also execute a more potent version known as the “mega venom blast,” emitting a radiant burst that repels groups of adversaries and destroys restraints, albeit leaving him temporarily incapacitated. This enhanced strike is not deployable in rapid succession, requiring a recharging period. Despite its potency, the conventional venom strike proves ineffective against certain adversaries like Armadillo. However, during a confrontation with Armadillo, Miles creatively employs his venom blast in a manner reminiscent of webbing, using it as a lasso to incapacitate the villain.
Miles exhibits significant resilience to injuries, enduring incidents such as being thrown through a brick wall by Taskmaster without sustaining apparent serious harm, though the experience is painful. He dons a S.H.I.E.L.D.-provided costume and initially utilizes Peter Parker’s web shooters, later receiving an upgraded set from S.H.I.E.L.D. The character’s abilities and equipment contribute to his distinct and formidable presence in the Spider-Man narrative.
