Miles Morales

Miles and Ganke try to make web fluid using Peter Parker's formula. While at home, Miles' father is confronted by news reporters about his involvement in fighting off HYDRA, but before he could blow them off, Venom appeared behind him.

Venom attacks Miles' father, but Miles managed to fight him off before he could kill him. Miles' father was taken to the hospital, but Venom attacked once again, and in the confusion a police officer fired off a shot that accidentally hit Miles' mother, killing her. The trauma of this prompted Miles to abandon his identity as Spider-Man and swear to never adopt it ever again.

A year later, Jessica Drew tries to bring Miles back into the superhero business, but Miles is still reluctant.

Origin

Miles was born to an African-American father and a Puerto Rican mother. Miles was born and raised in Brooklyn and has a aptitude for science much like his predecessor, Peter Parker. Miles, after being awarded the final spot in a Charter School Lottery, visited his Uncle Aaron, against his parents' wishes. While they discussed the opportunities that the school could open to him, the Oz-enhanced spider emerged from Aaron's bag and bit Miles on his hand, causing him to pass out and foam at the mouth. Later, when Miles awoke, Aaron was confronted by Miles' father. During a brief confrontation, Miles fled from Aaron's apartment. While hiding from his father on the street, Miles realized that he was starting to become invisible.

After telling his best friend Ganke that he has powers, Miles soon has no choice in using his powers to save people trapped inside a burning building. Afterward, he tells Ganke that he is not cut out to be a super hero and does not want to do anything like that again. While Miles and Ganke are adjusting to life at Brooklyn Visions Academy, Miles and his classmates are called to the school gym in the middle of the night. The students are informed that Queensboro Bridge has been turned in to a super hero war zone and that Spider-Man has been shot. Miles then sneaks out of the Academy, and goes where Spider-Man is fighting Green Goblin. He arrives right when Peter dies in the arms of his loved ones. Miles and Ganke later attends the funeral and Miles talks to Gwen Stacy, asking why Peter became a superhero. She explained to him that he did it because, "With great power comes great responsibility". With his new found inspiration, Miles decides to become the next Spider-Man in honor of Peter Parker.

Character Creation

Miles Morales was created by Brian Michael Bendis, and drawn by artist Sara Pichelli. He first appeared in Ultimate Comics: Fallout #4. Micheal Bendis stated: "He's like 13. He's a kid. His mother's Puerto Rican. And for some reason the borough seems to be an issue for everybody, too: the borough is Brooklyn. Where he's going to school, and his own cast of characters, and his parents, and his family — you're going to meet them all in the first issue, and it's all pretty interesting stuff. They live in a world that's been pummeled by Magneto. It's a different world for them than it was for Peter. These elements are just important, too. A kid on a discovery, trying to figure out why to be Spider-Man. It's a big journey for him. It's a character going almost against his entire personality to do this, so a lot has to be discovered." Additionally, both Brian Michael Bendis and Axel Alonso, who is Marvel's editor-in-chief, were inspired by real life people and events when it came to creating Miles. Both cited Barack Obama being elected President of the United States as a positive motivation and sign that the country was ready for a hero like Miles, who could be a role-model to people of every race, specifically minorities.

Major Story Arcs

Becoming the New Spider-Man

Miles first heroic as the new Spider-Man was taking on the villain known as the Kangaroo. After taking him down with his venom strike and fleeing the scene, Miles thought that the suit was in bad taste after being commented on by civilians during the fight. While patrolling on the rooftops, Miles was attacked by Spider-Woman asking who he was. He was knocked unconscious after Spider-Woman webbed him up, and he accidentally knocked himself out by hitting the side of a satellite dish. Miles woke up to be confronted by Hawkeye, Nick Fury, Tony Stark and Spider-Woman at the Triskelion. Fury had a feeling that Miles was bitten by a genetically modified spider, and told him that Miles' Uncle Aaron was a criminal called the Prowler. Before he and Miles could ask even more questions, Electro had escaped from the medical ward inside the Triskelion and tried to escape. During his escape, Electro was attacked by the Ultimates, and with the help of Miles using his ability to turn invisible and using the venom strike behind Electro, they was able to subdue him. The next day, Jessica appeared at Miles' school with a case containing a new Spider-man costume, telling him that Fury will give him one chance to prove himself.

With The Prowler

While walking to class, Miles saw his Uncle Aaron near the gate. Aaron revealed that he knew Miles was the new Spider-Man, while Miles revealed that he knew that his Uncle was the Prowler. Aaron then asked Miles to work together with him to take on the Scorpion, but Miles initially refused. Aaron then threaten to tell Miles parents his secret. With little choice, Miles texted his Uncle later at night and told him that he was in.

At night, both Miles and Aaron took on the Scorpion at a night club, and defeated him. Unfortunately for Miles, his Uncle was just using him to become the new Kingpin of New York, and was going to keep using him to take down the competition. Wanting no part of his plans, Miles decided to fight back, despite that his Uncle could reveal his secret to his family. During the battle, Miles managed to use his venom strike on his Uncle, damaging some of his equipment. When Aaron tried to use his gauntlets on his nephew, they malfunctioned and exploded, catching Miles in the blast. Miles was mildly injured, but his uncle was severely injured. Before dying, his uncle told him that he was just like him.

Spider-Men

Miles suddenly encountered an alternative version of Peter Parker, who accidentally was transported into Miles' universe thanks to Mysterio, on the rooftops. Peter, who already confused enough by seeing Miles, attacked him. Miles was able to knock Peter out with his venom strike despite the latter being more experienced. He then brought Peter to Nick Fury at the Triskelion. When Peter came to, he managed to convince Nick Fury that he was from an alternative universe. Fury then ask Miles to fill Peter in about the previous Spider-Man in the helicopter, but before he could, Mysterio appeared and shot down the helicopter with a RPG. Miles and Peter fought with him while Mysterio used his illusions to try to distract them. The two managed to subdue him, but the real Mysterio self-destructed the body he was controlling, knocking Miles unconscious. When Miles woke up, Nick Fury and The Ultimates were standing around him, while Peter was missing. Fury had an idea to where he was headed.

Miles headed to Aunt May and Gwen Stacy house where he found Peter. Miles stayed around while Peter talked with the alternative versions of Gwen and Aunt May, until Nick Fury arrived. Back at the Triskelion, they managed to find the location of Mysterio and made a plan to strike. With the help of Nick Fury, the Ultimates. and Miles, Peter manage to defeat Mysterio. Nick Fury decided to keep Mysterio in Miles universe, and before Peter left to go home, he gave Miles his blessing.

Divided We Fall

Miles was shaken after learning that his Uncle Aaron was killed, making matters worse was when the Daily Bugle called Miles a murder. Later at school, Miles received a phone call telling him to meet him at a specific warehouse after school. While going to the warehouse, Miles saw a supervillain named Batroc and took him down. When he arrived, at the warehouse, he was greeted by Aunt May and Gwen Stacy. They were about to give Miles Peter's web shooters and the formula to create web fluid when Captain America appeared saying that Miles shouldn't be Spider-Man.

Captain America revealed that he was following Miles and saw him in action, stating that he was too young to be Spider-Man, and told him that he would arrest him if he continued. Captain America then leaves after learning that Rhino attacking New York. Despite Captain America's warning, Aunt May gave Miles Peter's web shooters and gave him her blessing to be Spider-Man.

After having some trouble using the web shooters, Miles managed to locate Rhino and help out Captain America. Although reluctant to use the venom strike (due to using it against his Uncle), Miles used it to defeat Rhino. Captain America then agrees to let Miles be Spider-Man, but he still needs training.

United We Stand

During school, Miles learned that the Academy was closing, due to the United States in civil war. Miles decided to use that time to join the Ultimates. He traveled to the Triskelion, and after a brief argument with Captain America, the Triskelion was then attacked by Hydra. Miles then helped Captain America and SHIELD subdue Hydra. Captain America was again impressed by Miles, and told him he could join. Miles was also present when Captain America was shortly inaugurated as the newly elected President of the United States.

Miles was then sent to retake Wisconsin from Hydra with the Ultimates. During the battle, Miles continued to argue with Spider-Woman about being on the Ultimates. Miles managed to save President Rogers from a War Machine drone about to attack him, but in the process, he flew away from the battlefield crashing in the middle of nowhere. When Miles awoke, he found himself miles away from the battlefield. As he continued walking, he managed to find Cassandra Lang (Giant-Woman) however, she was still under the influence of Modi's mind control and attacked him. After a long battle, Miles managed to render her unconscious with his venom strike. Soon after, Spider-Woman located Miles and Cassandra.

Back in New York, Jessica provided Miles with some new clothes and a cover story for his parents to explain his disappearance.

Powers & Abilities

Powers

• Superhuman Strength: Thanks to being bitten by a genetically enhanced spider, Miles possesses advanced strength, similar to Peter Parker. Miles strength is a lot weaker, due to the fact his a teenager. His true strength is yet to be seen.

• Superhuman Durability: Miles' body is physically tougher, and more resistant to some types of injury than the body of a normal human. Miles is still susceptible to bullets, stab wounds, and severe injuries.

• Superhuman Agility: Miles' agility, balance, and bodily coordination are all enhanced to levels that are beyond the natural physical limits of a regular human athlete. He is extraordinarily flexible, and his reflexes are superhuman.

• Wall-Crawling: Miles can cling to any surface using just his fingertips and feet. The extent to how much pressure he can stick to walls is thus far unknown, except that he can handle lifting his own weight.

• Spider-Sense: When danger is present, Miles feels a buzzing sensation in his head as a sort of warning system, allowing him to react accordingly- much like the Peter Parker from his Universe and that of 616.

• Venom Strike: Miles can "zap" or temporarily paralyze his enemies by simply touching them with his hands. This provides a great advantage since Miles can end a confrontation quickly with little collateral damage.

• Spider-Camouflage: Not unlike a chameleon, Miles, including his clothing, can blend into his surroundings, allowing him to sneak up on his enemies or, in some cases, flee from them.

Other Media

Video Games

In Marvel Super Hero Squad Online, Miles appears as a playable character.

In Spider-Man: Edge of Time, Spider-Man (Peter Parker) can wear the suit Miles wears as an alternate costume.

Televison

In episode 21, season one of the Ultimate Spider-Man show, his name appears on a list showing possible actors to play Spider-Man in a school musical.