While Marvel Studios may still be hunting their teenage high-school Spidey candidate for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the All New, All Different Marvel comics has officially announced their new Spider-Man series post the multiverse-event Secret Wars. Starring not the regular Peter Parker but another grade-schooler, Miles Morales would be playing Spiderman in the upcoming series penned by the creative duo Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli.
Miles Morales, the fictional character and successor to Peter Parker in Marvel Comics’ Ultimate Marvel universe is of Black Hispanic descent and defending Marvel’s new Spidey choice, Bendis stated to Daily News that, “Many kids of color who when they were playing superheroes with their friends, their friends wouldn’t let them be Batman or Superman because they don’t look like those heroes but they could be Spider-Man because anyone could be under that mask. But now it’s true. It’s meant a great deal to a great many people.”
Bendis who recently announced an all new Iron Man series in the upcoming Iron Man issues has also worked with Pichelli in penning the All New X-Men which also starred Morales donning the Spidey-suit.
Morales’ debut in the Marvel comic universe dates back to 2011’s The Ultimate Fallout #4 which brings about the death of Peter Parker at the hands of Green Goblin. Miles, the nephew of the criminal Prowler, gained his Spiderman powers by getting bit from one of the genetically-engineered spiders from Oscorp, similar to how Peter Parker gained his Spidey abilities. Miles then carries on the Spiderman mantle and works his way establishing himself as the new Spiderman with a new Black and red Spidey suit.
“Our message has to be it’s not Spider-Man with an asterisk, it’s the real Spider-Man for kids of color, for adults of color and everybody else,” Bendis added.
Back in 2009, Marvel Editor in Chief, Axel Alonso had commented that the character of Miles Morales drew inspiration from both the U.S. President Barack Obama and American actor Donald Glover. Describing Morales he stated that, “When we were planning “Ultimatum,” we realized that we were standing at the brink of America electing its first African-American President and we acknowledged that maybe it was time to take a good look at one of our icons.”
However Peter Parker fans have no reason to be disappointed as not only does Parker return to his Spidey avatar in the MCU but also continues to star in The Amazing Spiderman, the franchise’s main title in the Marvel comics’ universe which is best known to play with multiple alternate universe storylines. The All New, All Different Marvel posters feature both Peter Parker and Miles Morales as Spiderman.