The Rise of Miles Morales
This is a reprint of the feature essay from Issue #77 of Exploits, our collaborative cultural diary in magazine form. If you like what you see, buy it now for $2, or subscribe to never miss an issue (note: Exploits is always free for subscribers of Unwinnable Monthly).
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For a kid or a kid at heart, a superhero can be a powerful role model to look up to. However, American superhero comics are so numerous and convoluted that it can be difficult for new readers to explore them. Thankfully, more approachable media such as films and novels can bridge this gap and this is the case for the Marvel Comics’ character Miles Morales. Through the 2018 animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse and the 2023 novel Miles Morales: Suspended, Miles Morales is presented as an earnest and creative young man who appeals to a new generation trying to find their place in the world.
Directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse introduces viewers to Miles Morales’ potential within the first ten minutes of the film. His creativity is demonstrated as we see him drawing in his sketchbook while listening to music as his parents yell at him to get ready for school. We see his complicated love for his parents as he is kissed on the cheek by his mother and reluctantly accepts a ride to school from his dad. Finally, we glimpse of his internal struggle at Brooklyn Visions Academy where we see him attempt to live up to the expectations of his teachers and his father. These expectations are further complicated when Miles is bitten by a radioactive spider while doing graffiti art with his Uncle Aaron.
A similar issue occurs for Miles in Miles Morales: Suspended, a mixed-media young adult novel written by Jason Reynolds with art by Zeke Peña. Not only has Miles landed an in-school suspension, but his Spidey-Sense keeps noticing termites acting strangely, eating pages and words that belong to Black and Brown writers. In order to save their words, he must figure out the source of the termites before it’s too late.
A clever combination of prose and poetry from Jason Reynolds and visual art from Zeke Peña displays Miles Morales’ creativity and burgeoning potential. In particular, the poetry becomes a way for Miles to escape the temporary confinement of in-school suspension as well as the limits others impose on him. A notable use of poetry is when Miles uses poems to answer questions on his school work, such as a question for chemistry class that asks, “When have you ever been a green banana? A brown and bruised one?” Miles responds, in part, “No / I ain’t ever been no green banana / I was born brown / and what some call bruises be Brooklyn / beauty marks.”
Together, Into the Spiderverse and Miles Morales: Suspended show an Afro-Latinx young man determined to define himself on his own terms. It takes time, but eventually, he frees himself from the weight of others’ expectations. Not only does he rise to the occasion to save the world by becoming his most authentic self, but he also inspires others to do the same.
