Comics
Published March 30, 2024

Spider-Man: Miles Morales' Greatest Hits (So Far)

As Miles Morales celebrates a landmark moment, revisit a few of his other greatest hits as Spider-Man in both the Ultimate and main Marvel Universe.

Miles Morales may have started out as a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, but he's grown into one of the brightest stars of the Multiverse. Since the death of his world's Peter Parker inspired him to become Spider-Man, Miles Morales has established a heroic legacy in his home dimension as well as the main Marvel Universe. 

Since becoming a resident of the Marvel Universe, Miles has joined the Avengers, assembled a new generation of heroes with the Champions, and worked alongside Spider-Man (Peter Parker) to make the world more spectacular. But even though he's fought among the alternate reality heroes of the Spider-Verse, Miles has remained dedicated to protecting his family and his neighborhood.

Now, let's take a look back at some of Miles Morales' greatest triumphs and most memorable moments, just as he gets ready to swing into his next landmark adventure in MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN #18 by Cody Ziglar, David Marquez, Sara Pichelli, Juann Cabal, Matt Horak, Luciano Vecchio, Federico Vicentini, Bryan Valenza, and VC's Cory Petit.

BECOMING SPIDER-MAN

Shortly before Miles Morales debuted in a ULTIMATE FALLOUT (2011) #4 story by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli, Peter Parker died as a teenage Spider-Man in his home dimension, the Ultimate Universe. After receiving a bite from a spider injected with the experimental Oz formula, Miles became a new Spider-Man to carry on the legacy of his world's late Spider-Man. 

Wearing a modified Halloween costume, Miles began operating as Spider-Man—to the disapproval of Parker's allies like Spider-Woman and Nick Fury. But after watching Miles selflessly take on Electro, Fury gave him his iconic costume in ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN (2011) #5 by Bendis, Pichelli, and David Messina, which kicked off Miles’ Spider-Man career in earnest.

ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN (2011) #5 artwork by Sara Pichelli, David Messina, and Justin Ponsor

FIGHTING THE PROWLER

Long before he was Spider-Man, Miles Morales formed a special connection with his uncle, Aaron Davis. While operating as a costumed thief known as the Prowler, Aaron realized that Miles was the new Spider-Man and confronted his nephew. After his uncle threatened to expose his identity, Miles took down the Scorpion, a criminal kingpin and one of Aaron's professional rivals. 

When he realized that his uncle was using him as superhuman muscle, Miles stood up to Aaron and told him to stay out of his life in ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN (2011) #12 by Brian Michael Bendis and David Marquez. In the battle that followed this character-defining moment, Aaron was mortally wounded when one of his own Vibro-Shock Gauntlets malfunctioned and exploded.

SPIDER-MEN

Miles Morales never got the chance to meet his world's Peter Parker before he became Spider-Man, but when the Peter of the Marvel Universe's Earth-616 fell into his dimension, Miles Morales met a different version of the hero who inspired him in SPIDER-MEN (2012) #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli. After Peter fell through a portal that Mysterio had been using to operate on both worlds, Miles knocked out the original Spider-Man and then introduced him to a world where he died as a teenage hero. 

Through teaming up to take down Mysterio, Miles gained a better understanding of the Spider-Man legacy and got the approval of the hero who inspired him. This initial meeting set the stage for these universe-hopping web-slingers to become partners and close friends in subsequent adventures like SPIDER-VERSE.

SECRET WARS 

When the worlds of the Multiverse crashed into each other, Miles Morales was one of his dimension's last survivors. Doctor Doom assembled the remnants of the Multiverse into Battleworld, where Miles reunited with Peter and the last survivors of the Marvel Universe. 

While sneaking through Doom's compound, Miles stumbled across Molecule Man, the powerful reality warper at the center of Doom's empire. Molecule Man said he was hungry, so Miles offered him the cheeseburger he had in his bag in SECRET WARS (2015) #6 by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribić. So, as the Multiverse was being rebuilt, Molecule Man returned Miles' kindness by giving him and his family a new home and history in the primary Marvel Universe.

DEFEATING BLACKHEART 

Just as Miles Morales landed in the Marvel Universe, the young Spider-Man faced Blackheart, the son of Mephisto, in SPIDER-MAN (2016) #1 by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli. When Blackheart attacked New York, the Avengers tried to stop the demonic powerhouse but were quickly defeated. 

With Captain America's shield and his own bioelectric venom blasts, Miles knocked Blackheart out. Peter Parker arrived and tried to get Miles to leave the scene, only for Mephisto to wake up and knock Peter out. Miles then used his camouflage abilities to sneak up on Blackheart and take him down for good. Marking Miles' debut in the Marvel Universe proper, this battle helped Miles ingratiate himself with several heroes, earn a spot on the Avengers, and set the stage for his rivalry with Blackheart.

MILES AND GHOST-SPIDER

Even though they were born universes apart, Miles Morales and Ghost-Spider—the Gwen Stacy of Earth-65—found a way to each other. Although they were both part of the Multiversal Spider-Army that came together during SPIDER-VERSE, they only really got to know each other when Miles traveled to Earth-65 to look for his missing father in SPIDER-MAN (2016) #12 by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli

Miles felt instantly attracted to Gwen, and the heroes began romancing each other as they searched for Miles' dad throughout the "Sitting in a Tree" arc. After Gwen traveled to a future where she and Miles were married celebrities with two children, Miles and Gwen ended their romance out of a mutual desire to let their friendship evolve more naturally and not feel tied to that future.

SECRET EMPIRE

During CIVIL WAR II (2016), an Inhuman with the ability to see the future had a vision of Miles Morales killing Captain America. Even after the conflict ended, that ominous vision lingered over Miles. When a reality warper replaced Captain America with a version of Steve Rogers who took over America in Hydra's name, Miles felt he had to fulfill that vision's grim promise in a sequence in SECRET EMPIRE (2017) #7 by Nick Spencer and Andrea Sorrentino

Although Black Widow died trying to stop him, Miles confronted the evil Captain America. However, Miles ultimately spared his life, thanks to encouragement from the Wasp (Nadia van Dyne). The real Steve Rogers eventually returned to defeat his doppelganger, but Miles proved he was in charge of his own destiny.

SPIDER-GEDDON

Miles Morales played more of a supporting role in the original SPIDER-VERSE, but SPIDER-GEDDON (2018) cemented his status as one of the greatest heroes of the Multiverse. When the Inheritors who hunted the Spider-Heroes of the Multiverse returned, Miles emerged as a Spider-Army leader who brought together web-slinging heroes from around the Multiverse. 

After proving himself worthy of the Enigma Force, Miles bonded with the all-powerful entity and temporarily gained the cosmic abilities of Captain Universe in SPIDER-GEDDON (2018) #5 by Christos Gage, Jorge MolinaStefano CaselliJoey Vazquez, and Carlo Barberi. By combining the Engima Force's Uni-Power with his venom blasts and Sword Vigor, Miles struck the killing blow against Solus, the leader of the Inheritors, and permanently stopped the Inheritors' threat.

SAVING THE PROWLER

Before Miles Morales moved to the Marvel Universe, Earth-616 had another Miles Morales, a criminal also known as Ultimatum. As he hopped between dimensions, Ultimatum teamed up with the Green Goblin of the Ultimate Universe but was defeated by the Prowler, Miles' Uncle Aaron. Although Miles was devastated when he thought Aaron died in battle, the web-slinger learned he might be alive and adrift somewhere in the Multiverse. 

Once he fell into an alternate reality ruled by his evil clone Selim, Miles found Aaron and rescued him in MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN (2018) #39 by Saladin Ahmed and Alberto Foche Duarte. Aaron and Miles teamed up to take down Selim before returning home and reuniting with their family.

TRIAL BY SPIDER 

Miles Morales was accepted into the prestigious Brooklyn Visions Academy after winning a lottery drawing that included hundreds of other prospective students. However, that did not sit well with Raneem Rashad, one of the students who was not selected. With technopathic powers that made her an engineering prodigy, Raneem began studying Miles and became the villainous Rabble once she realized he was Spider-Man. 

Rabble targeted Miles' girlfriend, Starling (Tina Toomes), and his best friend, Ganke Lee, before setting his family's house on fire. After saving his family, Miles confronted Rabble and used his bioelectric powers to create a venom saber for the first time in MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN (2022) #5 by Cody Ziglar and Federico Vicentini. Although Miles won the battle by overloading Rabble's systems, this battle established her as one of his most dangerous foes. 

After outfitting several other villains, Rabble is getting ready to attack Miles again in the landmark MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN #18 by Ziglar, Vicentini, David Marquez, Sara Pichelli, Juann Cabal, Matt Horak, Luciano Vecchio, Bryan Valenza, and VC's Cory Petit.

Celebrate Miles Morales with MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN #18, now on sale!

Grab these comics and more at your local comic book shop! Or redeem then read your digital copy on the Marvel Unlimited app by using the code found in your print comic. Find and support your local comic book shop at ComicShopLocator.com.

To read your Marvel comics digitally, download the Marvel Unlimited app for iOS and Android devices. Gain an expansive catalog of 30,000+ comics spanning Marvel Comics history, plus access your entire digital library including comics redeemed from print.

Related

SPIDER-MAN: REIGN II #1 cover by Kaare Andrews

Comics

'Spider-Man Reign II' Returns to Kaare Andrews' Heartbreaking Vision of Peter Parker's Future

On sale in July, 'Spider-Man: Reign II' will further explore Peter Parker’s future while introducing new takes on Black Cat and Miles Morales.

ROXXON PRESENTS: THOR (2024) #1 cover by Greg Land

Comics

April 17's New Marvel Comics: The Full List

Enter the Roxxon Age of Comixx, witness mutantkind's last stand against Orchis, meet Ultimate Killmonger and Ultimate Storm, and more in this week's comics!

X-MEN '97 #1 cover by Todd Nauck

Comics

March 27's New Marvel Comics: The Full List

Return to '90s X-Men, meet the Ultimate Universe's Green Goblin, team up with Jackpot and Black Cat, and more in this week's comics!

AVENGERS #15 cover by Joshua Cassara

Comics

Vampires Rain from the Sky, Doctor Strange Is Turned, & More in June's 'Blood Hunt' Tie-In Issues

Learn what's to come this June in 'Blood Hunt' tie-in issues of your favorite ongoing series!