Since first appearing in 2011, Miles Morales has become well-known as another version of Spider-Man. He starred in two short-running comic series as the main Spider-Man in the original Ultimate Universe. After the Secret Wars event in 2015, Miles moved into Earth-616. Now, with several of his own comic series and two successful animated movies-with a third one coming soon-Miles has quickly become a beloved character among fans. While it’s amazing to see a Spider-Man of color become many fans’ favorite, it appears that Marvel is hesitant to give him a larger role.
The unmasking in Amazing Spider-Man #11 has created problems, especially since it revealed one of Peter Parker’s biggest foes as the new hero – a real letdown for Miles. With Peter off-world, and the city needing a Spider-Man, this felt like the perfect opportunity to finally give Miles the recognition he deserves. Instead, we’re left with three Spider-Men, and Miles still isn’t getting the respect he’s earned.
Why We Have 3 Spider-Men and the Mess It Causes
The current state of Amazing Spider-Man is pretty complex. Peter Parker is now Spider-Man in space, Norman Osborn is filling his role in New York, and Miles Morales has his own separate series. Peter and Norman are co-headlining Amazing Spider-Man, switching off with each story arc, while Miles has a book all to himself. I understand the intention, but it feels chaotic. Having two different art teams for Amazing Spider-Man – one for each Spider-Man – just makes things feel crowded. It would be logical to keep Norman under the Amazing Spider-Man title and give Peter a new title like “Cosmic Spider-Man.” Meanwhile, Miles’ title, Miles Morales: Spider-Man, feels a bit old-fashioned.
Before moving to the main Marvel universe (Earth 616), Miles Morales starred in two solo comic series, Ultimate Spider-Man and Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man. Initially, including his name in the title helped readers identify him as the Spider-Man of the Ultimate Universe, especially when he was new. However, now that he’s been a hero for some time, it feels unnecessary. Calling his main series Miles Morales: Spider-Man diminishes the iconic mystery traditionally associated with the Spider-Man name. It undermines the idea, as expressed by Stan Lee, that a fully covered costume allows readers to see themselves as the hero. Ultimately, it feels like a slight to Miles, implying he will always be considered secondary to Peter Parker.
As a huge Spider-Man fan, it’s always bugged me how we’ve handled the different Spider-Men. Right now, we’ve got three of them – two sharing the Spider-Man title, and one with an older title. I remember when they used to give each series a different adjective to tell them apart, and I really think they should bring that back! We could have Peter as Cosmic Spider-Man, Norman with Amazing Spider-Man, but what about Miles? It feels like Miles deserves his own distinct title, and honestly, the perfect solution is staring us in the face. He’s in a tough spot currently, but once he returns to 616, it’s the ideal time to rebrand him. And hey, let’s definitely keep Cody Ziglar on board while we’re at it!
Miles Morales Deserves More
Rather than simply equipping Miles with an upgraded Spider-Suit, it’s time to officially establish his book as Spectacular Spider-Man. If Miles has reached the same skill level as Peter, why not give him a title that acknowledges that? The Spectacular Spider-Man title was handled similarly to how Detective Comics was for Batman. There have been instances where Batman wasn’t even the central character or present in Detective Comics, yet the series continued unaffected. Giving Miles this title would finally recognize his established standing alongside Peter, something he’s earned over a significant period.
Miles deserves to be considered just as much a Spider-Man as Peter Parker, and this would be the ideal outcome. Despite discussions about Miles potentially changing his identity, recognizing him as an equal Spider-Man would reinforce his place in the legacy. He’s proven himself and fully earned the title. What better way to acknowledge his accomplishments than by featuring him prominently in Spectacular Spider-Man? Following that, a key focus should be giving Miles villains that are unique to his experiences.
Miles Needs Villains He Can Call His Own
It often feels like whenever Miles battles bad guys, they’re villains Peter Parker fought before. While it logically makes sense – Peter’s been Spider-Man since 1962 – it’s frustrating that Miles doesn’t seem to have his own unique set of enemies. New York City is huge, with lots of different neighborhoods. Miles is primarily active in Brooklyn, which is outside the central, most well-known part of the city. Even though he can swing around quickly with his webs, you’d think there would be villains operating specifically in his area. If he’s the hero of Brooklyn, it just makes sense that criminals would target him directly. Just like villains consistently go after Daredevil in Hell’s Kitchen, every hero typically has their own territory in New York. It feels like Miles is being overlooked when it comes to developing his own rogues gallery.
A common practice was to have Miles Morales fight Spider-Man’s less significant enemies. This felt a bit dismissive, much like how his current comic book title feels. Although it’s enjoyable to see Miles battle the Hobgoblin, it often seems like he’s stuck with the villains no one else wants. He has a fantastic family and supporting cast, but his main villain seems to be just the Prowler. While that provides some conflict, he really needs a more diverse rogues’ gallery. Creating lasting new villains is challenging, but having them face a popular hero like Miles could keep them relevant for a long time. Giving Miles his own unique villains would greatly benefit him and help solidify the Spectacular Spider-Man title’s success.
For nearly ten years, Miles has consistently proven he deserves better treatment. He’s more than earned recognition in areas like his character development, costume design, the villains he faces, and even the stories told about him. He’s truly one of Marvel’s best characters of the last two decades and should receive their strongest support and acclaim.
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2025-09-30 18:42