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Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man
Miles Morales: Spider-Man Modern Era Epic Collection, Vol. 2: Spider-Man No More
Collecting Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (2011) #13-28 And #16.1.
Foundational adventures of Miles Morales as the young Spider-Man! Miles Morales is still getting used to being Spider-Man when Captain America makes him a very special offer. Is Miles really joining the Ultimates? With a wounded nation crying out for heroes, Miles is determined to prove he has what it takes! But when a terrifying new Venom symbiote surfaces, armed with the truth about the incident that granted the new Spider-Man his powers and closing in on Miles' true identity, Spidey might have made his first true archenemy. Can the fledgling web-slinger overcome this horrific foe - or will he suffer a terrible loss? As Miles struggles with the weight of his new life, the Taskmaster and Cloak & Dagger just might force his hand. Can Miles get by with a little help from Peter Parker's friends?
Foundational adventures of Miles Morales as the young Spider-Man! Miles Morales is still getting used to being Spider-Man when Captain America makes him a very special offer. Is Miles really joining the Ultimates? With a wounded nation crying out for heroes, Miles is determined to prove he has what it takes! But when a terrifying new Venom symbiote surfaces, armed with the truth about the incident that granted the new Spider-Man his powers and closing in on Miles' true identity, Spidey might have made his first true archenemy. Can the fledgling web-slinger overcome this horrific foe - or will he suffer a terrible loss? As Miles struggles with the weight of his new life, the Taskmaster and Cloak & Dagger just might force his hand. Can Miles get by with a little help from Peter Parker's friends?
384 pages, Paperback
First published October 13, 2015
19 people are currently reading
306 people want to read
About the author
Brian Michael Bendis
4,417 books2,571 followersA comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim (including five Eisner Awards) and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For over eight years Bendis’s books have consistently sat in the top five best sellers on the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
October 19, 2016
I can’t imagine having any sort of super powers as a teenager. Struggling with an increasing sense of alienation, acne, and raging hormones, I can’t see how shooting laser beams out of some part of my body would have been a benefit for anyone.
Luckily, Miles Morales has a better handle on the whole “with great power comes great responsibility” thingy.
Marvel’s crunched together three previously published individual volumes into an Ultimate edition, so let’s take a look at each of the three storylines, shall we?
Book the First and the lessor of the three. The Ultimate world is under siege as H.Y.D.R.A.
starts some sort of Civil War. Miles wants so badly to be an Ultimate Avenger that he goes to any lengths to impress Captain America.
Congrats! Now go give Tony Stark a sponge bath.
Poor Miles and his requisite “golly, gee did I do that” moments get swallowed up in this unwieldy story line.
In Book the Second, Miles gets taken to school on symbiotes…
…but tragedy is just around the corner, with this as the sad consequence.
Aside from the “What was Venom’s true identity again?” question, this is a keeper.
In Book the Third, the lesson is “Kids, just say no to evil corporations that want to give you super-duper powers.”
Gwen Stacey patiently asks Miles about his Spider-career.
Bottom line: Overall, this is a weaker entry than the last “Ultimate” collection. Bendis can still breathe some pizazz into the Spider-mythos, but too many crossover events in the Marvel 616 universe probably spread his talents thin.
HYDRA does have giant women.
Luckily, Miles Morales has a better handle on the whole “with great power comes great responsibility” thingy.
Marvel’s crunched together three previously published individual volumes into an Ultimate edition, so let’s take a look at each of the three storylines, shall we?
Book the First and the lessor of the three. The Ultimate world is under siege as H.Y.D.R.A.
starts some sort of Civil War. Miles wants so badly to be an Ultimate Avenger that he goes to any lengths to impress Captain America.
Congrats! Now go give Tony Stark a sponge bath.
Poor Miles and his requisite “golly, gee did I do that” moments get swallowed up in this unwieldy story line.
In Book the Second, Miles gets taken to school on symbiotes…
…but tragedy is just around the corner, with this as the sad consequence.
Aside from the “What was Venom’s true identity again?” question, this is a keeper.
In Book the Third, the lesson is “Kids, just say no to evil corporations that want to give you super-duper powers.”
Gwen Stacey patiently asks Miles about his Spider-career.
Bottom line: Overall, this is a weaker entry than the last “Ultimate” collection. Bendis can still breathe some pizazz into the Spider-mythos, but too many crossover events in the Marvel 616 universe probably spread his talents thin.
HYDRA does have giant women.
January 29, 2019
Miles and Ganke are too precious for this world and deserve all the movies please and thank you.
I'm loving this series so much and thanks to all the characters introduced throughout this volume, I'm even more pumped to continue reading.
I'm loving this series so much and thanks to all the characters introduced throughout this volume, I'm even more pumped to continue reading.
July 6, 2017
I want to give this a 4 cause there's moments I really enjoyed. I love Miles. I think he's awesome and he comes into his own as these stories progress. I love the fact Spider-man NAME can be passed down to others and still hold up the same values. That was the biggest thing for me in heroes realm. That the "suit" and the "name" can be ANYONE who holds the same values. I know for some that's insane. It's the person behind the mask! However I always felt anyone can be a hero if you give them a chance and it works here pretty well.
The first half of this book, or least 1/3rd, is a crossover event with the Ultimates. I guess something big happened (stopped keeping up with Ultimate universe awhile before this) and Cap is now president. So he tells Miles he can't be Spider-man. However Miles joins and they fight Hydra for world domination. 2/3rd of the book is Venom war where Venom thinks he knows who the new Spider-man is and goes hunting. The last portion is about Miles not being Spider-man anymore and doing a retelling of the "No More".
What I liked: The Venom War event was good, though I had issues with Venom himself. However the events that happened and especially a death really hit hard. It was to build up Miles and give him more to deal with. I also like the last portion quite a bit. Watching Miles a year older is a lot better and I can see him dealing with teenage years + life in a lot of tough ways. Also Cloak and Dagger are boss. Oh and I have huge crush on Spider-women and Jessica Drew in Ultimate Universe is soooo hot <3
What I didn't like: The first arc felt like a wacky confusing crossover that did Miles no justice. The moment with caps felt rushed and not fun at all. Then venom war arc was good but the idea behind why Venom is here is left...unexplained. He just returns. Like wtf? Also I feel like Bendis didn't know what to do with Gwen here so she's just...here. Shame cause loved her in the original run.
I still think Miles is great, and moments here are wonderful, but it's uneven like volume 1 which felt was a lot better in flow. Still, very much worth reading. Especially if you're watching Homecoming this weekend you should check this out to get more High School fun times!
The first half of this book, or least 1/3rd, is a crossover event with the Ultimates. I guess something big happened (stopped keeping up with Ultimate universe awhile before this) and Cap is now president. So he tells Miles he can't be Spider-man. However Miles joins and they fight Hydra for world domination. 2/3rd of the book is Venom war where Venom thinks he knows who the new Spider-man is and goes hunting. The last portion is about Miles not being Spider-man anymore and doing a retelling of the "No More".
What I liked: The Venom War event was good, though I had issues with Venom himself. However the events that happened and especially a death really hit hard. It was to build up Miles and give him more to deal with. I also like the last portion quite a bit. Watching Miles a year older is a lot better and I can see him dealing with teenage years + life in a lot of tough ways. Also Cloak and Dagger are boss. Oh and I have huge crush on Spider-women and Jessica Drew in Ultimate Universe is soooo hot <3
What I didn't like: The first arc felt like a wacky confusing crossover that did Miles no justice. The moment with caps felt rushed and not fun at all. Then venom war arc was good but the idea behind why Venom is here is left...unexplained. He just returns. Like wtf? Also I feel like Bendis didn't know what to do with Gwen here so she's just...here. Shame cause loved her in the original run.
I still think Miles is great, and moments here are wonderful, but it's uneven like volume 1 which felt was a lot better in flow. Still, very much worth reading. Especially if you're watching Homecoming this weekend you should check this out to get more High School fun times!
May 3, 2021
Peter Parker may be dead, but Spider-Man is far from so as the Afro-Hispanic teenager Miles Morales carries on the legacy of Peter Parker, whilst finding his own identity in the Ultimate Marvel universe, which is going through the event “Divided We Fall” where the United States is in turmoil due to the world-dominating methods of Hydra.
Still mourning for the death of his criminal uncle Aaron Davis, Miles blames himself as do some of the higher authorities, including Captain America of the Ultimates. When Cap confronts the new Spidey, stating that he is too young to join Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Through a stroke of luck or misfortune, Miles is perhaps in over his head when plunged into a warzone, whilst his parents try to find their son in a fractured America.
Tying in with the crossover event, I was less concerned about the grandeur of Hydra’s domination and more about the little people trying to live their lives when anti-government militants walk among their streets. This is where Miles’ father Jefferson shines as a character where he witnesses death and rises to the occasion by fighting off the terrorists, which then leads to him recognised as a hero by the media, a position he disowns himself off.
As for Miles himself, it’s him interacting with the likes of Aunt May, Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson that gives heart to this arc. Although these women have suffered a loss, but they approve of Miles as Spider-Man, which is their way of remembering Peter at his most heroic, even if Miles finds himself in similar situations that Peter went through, for better or worse. Certainly, the seal of approval is when Miles is gifted with Peter’s web-shooters, which allows his scene-stealing best friend Ganke Lee to develop the web fluid.
Things don’t pan well for Miles when investigative journalist Betty Brant tries to uncover the identity of the new Spider-Man, much to the displeasure of her boss J. Jonah Jameson. As the investigation knocks on to Miles’ front door, it attracts the attention of a new Venom, who confronts Jefferson due to his believing him to be Spider-Man.
Despite a new host to the Venom symbiote, which is stunningly drawn in horrific fashion by Sara Pichelli, this Venom is a bit one-dimensional and doesn’t quite have the emotional connection in the same way that how Eddie Brock has with Peter. However, it does benefit with great action and characterisation, all of which comes to a heartbreaking conclusion that makes Miles rethink his position as the web-slinger.
As the cover of issue #23 directly references the iconic panel of "Spider-Man No More!" from the John Romita Sr era, the story jumps one year later as Miles moves on from being Spider-Man, causing detachment towards Ganke and Gwen. However, when a bunch of super-powered people are fighting each other in the streets, including Cloak and Dagger, Miles struggles to decide on whether or not to don the costume.
For most of this arc, Miles is not Spider-Man, but he’s still as interesting as his journey is reconciliation and learning the lessons from his elders such as Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman, who is not just a clone of Peter Parker but represents his broken nature. Even if you haven’t read Peter’s adventures during the first 100 issues of Ultimate Spider-Man, Brian Michael Bendis is able to use the continuity of before and help enforce Miles’ story. Being the Ultimate universe, some of the reinventions of Marvel characters work better than others, such as the aforementioned Cloak and Dagger, while Taskmaster falls short of being some boring-looking mercenary.
Primarily drawn by David Marquez and Sara Pichelli, both of which make this era of Ultimate Spider-Man one of the most visually-stunning superhero comics and despite a few niggles along the way, Bendis is in top form with his original creations that is Miles Morales, who has reached some form of finality, whilst opening the door for future adventures.
Still mourning for the death of his criminal uncle Aaron Davis, Miles blames himself as do some of the higher authorities, including Captain America of the Ultimates. When Cap confronts the new Spidey, stating that he is too young to join Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Through a stroke of luck or misfortune, Miles is perhaps in over his head when plunged into a warzone, whilst his parents try to find their son in a fractured America.
Tying in with the crossover event, I was less concerned about the grandeur of Hydra’s domination and more about the little people trying to live their lives when anti-government militants walk among their streets. This is where Miles’ father Jefferson shines as a character where he witnesses death and rises to the occasion by fighting off the terrorists, which then leads to him recognised as a hero by the media, a position he disowns himself off.
As for Miles himself, it’s him interacting with the likes of Aunt May, Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson that gives heart to this arc. Although these women have suffered a loss, but they approve of Miles as Spider-Man, which is their way of remembering Peter at his most heroic, even if Miles finds himself in similar situations that Peter went through, for better or worse. Certainly, the seal of approval is when Miles is gifted with Peter’s web-shooters, which allows his scene-stealing best friend Ganke Lee to develop the web fluid.
Things don’t pan well for Miles when investigative journalist Betty Brant tries to uncover the identity of the new Spider-Man, much to the displeasure of her boss J. Jonah Jameson. As the investigation knocks on to Miles’ front door, it attracts the attention of a new Venom, who confronts Jefferson due to his believing him to be Spider-Man.
Despite a new host to the Venom symbiote, which is stunningly drawn in horrific fashion by Sara Pichelli, this Venom is a bit one-dimensional and doesn’t quite have the emotional connection in the same way that how Eddie Brock has with Peter. However, it does benefit with great action and characterisation, all of which comes to a heartbreaking conclusion that makes Miles rethink his position as the web-slinger.
As the cover of issue #23 directly references the iconic panel of "Spider-Man No More!" from the John Romita Sr era, the story jumps one year later as Miles moves on from being Spider-Man, causing detachment towards Ganke and Gwen. However, when a bunch of super-powered people are fighting each other in the streets, including Cloak and Dagger, Miles struggles to decide on whether or not to don the costume.
For most of this arc, Miles is not Spider-Man, but he’s still as interesting as his journey is reconciliation and learning the lessons from his elders such as Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman, who is not just a clone of Peter Parker but represents his broken nature. Even if you haven’t read Peter’s adventures during the first 100 issues of Ultimate Spider-Man, Brian Michael Bendis is able to use the continuity of before and help enforce Miles’ story. Being the Ultimate universe, some of the reinventions of Marvel characters work better than others, such as the aforementioned Cloak and Dagger, while Taskmaster falls short of being some boring-looking mercenary.
Primarily drawn by David Marquez and Sara Pichelli, both of which make this era of Ultimate Spider-Man one of the most visually-stunning superhero comics and despite a few niggles along the way, Bendis is in top form with his original creations that is Miles Morales, who has reached some form of finality, whilst opening the door for future adventures.
May 18, 2017
Book 2 of the Ultimate Spiderman collection covers Ultimate Spiderman issues 13-28 and 16.1 a special issue.
Miles Morales is a very good character for the new Spiderman. In the Ultimate's universe Peter Parker is dead and Miles takes over the role. Miles is an awesome character and one of my favorite of the "newer" versions of popular heroes. His sidekick Ganke is also pretty cool. The story covers a lot of ground with Miles thinking about becoming an Avenger (called the Ultimates). There are also stories about the return of the Venom symbiote. The writing is excellent and the artwork is also very well done.
Now I must admit I did not care for the versions of Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane- apparently they've become hipster/punk caricatures. That's fine, if that's how the author imagines them-but I find them irritating and annoying. Miles father is another fine example of an idiot. One of those people constantly prattling on about "I'm an American" without thinking about what it means-it's just a reflexive shout whenever things don't go his way. A catastrophe is occurring, people are trying to evacuate NYC and what's he doing? Never mind what's going on..HE (since's he's an American) can do whatever he goddamn well pleases-regardless of how it may cause others harm or screw up the evacuation. I think many of Miles' issues are a byproduct of being the son of this annoying git. I really did not like him.
But this is not about him-it's about Miles. Miles shines. His humor and way of thinking are very much like the young Peter Parker. As he learns his powers and fights with the Ultimates, it's very cool to see him develop and progress.
Bendis has a way with developing good characters. Ultimate Spiderman is a fine example of his skills. The artwork throughout this volume is consistently good. If you're a Ultimate SPiderman fan or just want to find out more about him-then I can not recommend this to you enough. A great and fun read about a cool new character.
Miles Morales is a very good character for the new Spiderman. In the Ultimate's universe Peter Parker is dead and Miles takes over the role. Miles is an awesome character and one of my favorite of the "newer" versions of popular heroes. His sidekick Ganke is also pretty cool. The story covers a lot of ground with Miles thinking about becoming an Avenger (called the Ultimates). There are also stories about the return of the Venom symbiote. The writing is excellent and the artwork is also very well done.
Now I must admit I did not care for the versions of Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane- apparently they've become hipster/punk caricatures. That's fine, if that's how the author imagines them-but I find them irritating and annoying. Miles father is another fine example of an idiot. One of those people constantly prattling on about "I'm an American" without thinking about what it means-it's just a reflexive shout whenever things don't go his way. A catastrophe is occurring, people are trying to evacuate NYC and what's he doing? Never mind what's going on..HE (since's he's an American) can do whatever he goddamn well pleases-regardless of how it may cause others harm or screw up the evacuation. I think many of Miles' issues are a byproduct of being the son of this annoying git. I really did not like him.
But this is not about him-it's about Miles. Miles shines. His humor and way of thinking are very much like the young Peter Parker. As he learns his powers and fights with the Ultimates, it's very cool to see him develop and progress.
Bendis has a way with developing good characters. Ultimate Spiderman is a fine example of his skills. The artwork throughout this volume is consistently good. If you're a Ultimate SPiderman fan or just want to find out more about him-then I can not recommend this to you enough. A great and fun read about a cool new character.
June 25, 2023
Updated review - 25.06.2023
I didn't enjoy this as much this time around. It wasn't just what happens in the hospital with Rio Morales or the usual annoyance with characters talking just to talk (because Bendis loved monologues in this series), or the tons of jokes that never landed: it just wasn't that enjoyable over all.
The best parts of this book were Miles' moments where he actually got to connect with people. The stuff with Jessica Drew and Ganke were good. Even the stuff with Ults Steve was good (a tiny bit more enjoyable this time around because Ults Steve is always an adjustment). There wasn't enough of those moments for me to really enjoy this. Also, there was a gross, unnecessary crotch shot of a female hero.
Original review:
3.5 stars.
I hovered on this one. Not because the stories with Miles were bad but because this series suffered from the thing all Marvel books seem to suffer from these days: unnecessary tie-ins. The moment I saw that big ass "United We Stand" banner across the covers for these issues, I thought "Fuck, not again." I'm tired. I'm so damn tired, Marvel. Stop doing this.
Anyway, that dragged this down for me but there were several moments with Miles and especially Miles and Ganke's relationship that were so good! I didn't want to be unfair to those because I like their relationship for the most part.
Anyway, this starts with Ults Cap (and boy do I hate Ults Cap. He takes second place on my shit list after Spencer ruined him in 616) getting the low down on the new Spidey. I quit reading Ultimates long before this so I have no idea why Cap wasn't around when SHIELD tracked him down in the first place. Tony says Miles is a good kid which gave me the warm fuzzies. I love what Waid does with Tony and Miles later so it was pretty cool to see Ults Tony being fond of Miles as well. Cap thinks Miles is too young to be Spidey because he's 13. We get this famous panel:
Gwen feels strongly protective over Miles and I'm not sure if that's because she wants to spare him Peter's fate or she's just a sweet person. (Also, spoiler alert for current comics but: it's weird that she's in highschool here and Miles is 13 and they make out later. Why???) Anyway, Cap is stubborn and it takes Miles saving his ass a few times for him to accept Miles as Spidey. He feels guilt as well over Peter's death and I think we get just enough of explanation as to why he wanted Miles to stay out of it.
Here's the thing, I get it. We have Bucky (616, not MCU), the Robins, the Young Avengers, the Runaways. Child heroes have been around for a long tim and maybe it's because Miles looks like my younger cousins but I couldn't unsee the fact that he was 13. The US is warring with itself. Hydra are anti-government terrorists and states have seceded. It's a fucking warzone and Miles is out there trying to stop this. I just wanted to wrap him up in a blanket and feed him some hot cocoa.
Anyway, these tie-ins are okay. I've read worse. I wish we could've gotten more of Miles just flying around on Peter's web shooters saving the day. Hell, I would've rather seen more stuff with him at school. I hate these universe wide events. They just get in the way.
Anyway, the story leads to Miles' dad taking down Hydra goons. He gets harassed by reporters and Venom attacks. I don't know much about Venom's real origin but this version was kind of interesting. Miles tries to save his dad and it goes wonky.
Then the fight is taken to the hospital and it gets even worse. I just wanted them to give Miles a fucking break.
This series jumped a year ahead which took some getting used to.
Suddenly Miles is dating Katie Bishop. She seems a lot less interesting than her 616 counterpart. Miles has quit being Spidey for an extremely understandable reason. Ganke is mad at him because of it and has stopped speaking to him.
It's here that we get several panels that make me question whether Bendis actually intended to have Ganke be a gay character (which would've been amazing) or he thought inserting a solid "no homo" moment was needed in case the audience thought Ganke and Miles were "too close." One of the things I appreciate about this series is that Miles is allowed to be soft. He gets anxiety, he's incredibly sweet and kind. Ganke is so gentle with him when Miles comes to him for support. Miles is allowed to cry. Do you know how rare that is for male characters? This relationship is wonderful. So, I have to wonder why Bendis felt it necessary to insert these panels:
Here is a plot that would have been a game changer. Imagine if they'd gone that extra mile and Marvel gave us a bisexual Spider-Man? If they changed the story and his love interest was his male best friend? How amazing would that have been for lgbt teens? In the hands of a writer like Brian K. Vaughn or Kieron Gillen, I wouldn't have to doubt that this was the direction they were headed. I would be certain that they were introducing Ganke as a gay character and perhaps, we'd get more on that later. How interesting would it have been to have a story from his point of view where he was in love with his best friend who turned out to be Spider-Man? I would've latched onto that so fucking quickly because it's 2017 and we still don't have that many prominent gay characters in Marvel comics. However, because this is Bendis, I have to wonder if he was pulling the obligatory "no homo" moment and shutting that down. Or maybe Ganke is a gay character and this was his way of saying that? I don't know. Either way, I saw a story we're missing out on with Ganke and that makes me sad.
Miles sees Gwen Stacy who's mad at him, too. (Btw, her slapping him was not okay at all). Everyone gives Miles some version of the "hey kid, dead parents is a rough beat but we really need you to be Spidey again" speech. It's Spider-Woman that gets through to him and he suits up again.
There was a lot of Cloak and Dagger here. I know this is because Miles ends up on a team with them later but that took me out of the book, too. We get their entire origin so we have some idea of who they are when they drop into Miles' life. I was kind of bored. I liked their interludes in the Runaways series because the Runaways had gone downhill at that point but here, I just wanted to follow Miles. Anyway, he works with them, Spider-Woman and Bombshell to stop Roxxon corp's evil scientists and we get the iconic panel:
Overall, pretty solid. The problems I had with this book were mostly due to the forced inclusion of set ups and tie ins to other Marvel books. I have no freaking clue what comes next for Miles because they re-launched/rebranded after this but I'll figure it out. I really love Miles as a character and I can't wait to see what happens to him next.
This remains my favorite series from Bendis. This and Jessica Jones are fantastic.
I didn't enjoy this as much this time around. It wasn't just what happens in the hospital with Rio Morales or the usual annoyance with characters talking just to talk (because Bendis loved monologues in this series), or the tons of jokes that never landed: it just wasn't that enjoyable over all.
The best parts of this book were Miles' moments where he actually got to connect with people. The stuff with Jessica Drew and Ganke were good. Even the stuff with Ults Steve was good (a tiny bit more enjoyable this time around because Ults Steve is always an adjustment). There wasn't enough of those moments for me to really enjoy this. Also, there was a gross, unnecessary crotch shot of a female hero.
Original review:
3.5 stars.
I hovered on this one. Not because the stories with Miles were bad but because this series suffered from the thing all Marvel books seem to suffer from these days: unnecessary tie-ins. The moment I saw that big ass "United We Stand" banner across the covers for these issues, I thought "Fuck, not again." I'm tired. I'm so damn tired, Marvel. Stop doing this.
Anyway, that dragged this down for me but there were several moments with Miles and especially Miles and Ganke's relationship that were so good! I didn't want to be unfair to those because I like their relationship for the most part.
Anyway, this starts with Ults Cap (and boy do I hate Ults Cap. He takes second place on my shit list after Spencer ruined him in 616) getting the low down on the new Spidey. I quit reading Ultimates long before this so I have no idea why Cap wasn't around when SHIELD tracked him down in the first place. Tony says Miles is a good kid which gave me the warm fuzzies. I love what Waid does with Tony and Miles later so it was pretty cool to see Ults Tony being fond of Miles as well. Cap thinks Miles is too young to be Spidey because he's 13. We get this famous panel:
Gwen feels strongly protective over Miles and I'm not sure if that's because she wants to spare him Peter's fate or she's just a sweet person. (Also, spoiler alert for current comics but: it's weird that she's in highschool here and Miles is 13 and they make out later. Why???) Anyway, Cap is stubborn and it takes Miles saving his ass a few times for him to accept Miles as Spidey. He feels guilt as well over Peter's death and I think we get just enough of explanation as to why he wanted Miles to stay out of it.
Here's the thing, I get it. We have Bucky (616, not MCU), the Robins, the Young Avengers, the Runaways. Child heroes have been around for a long tim and maybe it's because Miles looks like my younger cousins but I couldn't unsee the fact that he was 13. The US is warring with itself. Hydra are anti-government terrorists and states have seceded. It's a fucking warzone and Miles is out there trying to stop this. I just wanted to wrap him up in a blanket and feed him some hot cocoa.
Anyway, these tie-ins are okay. I've read worse. I wish we could've gotten more of Miles just flying around on Peter's web shooters saving the day. Hell, I would've rather seen more stuff with him at school. I hate these universe wide events. They just get in the way.
Anyway, the story leads to Miles' dad taking down Hydra goons. He gets harassed by reporters and Venom attacks. I don't know much about Venom's real origin but this version was kind of interesting. Miles tries to save his dad and it goes wonky.
Then the fight is taken to the hospital and it gets even worse. I just wanted them to give Miles a fucking break.
This series jumped a year ahead which took some getting used to.
Suddenly Miles is dating Katie Bishop. She seems a lot less interesting than her 616 counterpart. Miles has quit being Spidey for an extremely understandable reason. Ganke is mad at him because of it and has stopped speaking to him.
It's here that we get several panels that make me question whether Bendis actually intended to have Ganke be a gay character (which would've been amazing) or he thought inserting a solid "no homo" moment was needed in case the audience thought Ganke and Miles were "too close." One of the things I appreciate about this series is that Miles is allowed to be soft. He gets anxiety, he's incredibly sweet and kind. Ganke is so gentle with him when Miles comes to him for support. Miles is allowed to cry. Do you know how rare that is for male characters? This relationship is wonderful. So, I have to wonder why Bendis felt it necessary to insert these panels:
Here is a plot that would have been a game changer. Imagine if they'd gone that extra mile and Marvel gave us a bisexual Spider-Man? If they changed the story and his love interest was his male best friend? How amazing would that have been for lgbt teens? In the hands of a writer like Brian K. Vaughn or Kieron Gillen, I wouldn't have to doubt that this was the direction they were headed. I would be certain that they were introducing Ganke as a gay character and perhaps, we'd get more on that later. How interesting would it have been to have a story from his point of view where he was in love with his best friend who turned out to be Spider-Man? I would've latched onto that so fucking quickly because it's 2017 and we still don't have that many prominent gay characters in Marvel comics. However, because this is Bendis, I have to wonder if he was pulling the obligatory "no homo" moment and shutting that down. Or maybe Ganke is a gay character and this was his way of saying that? I don't know. Either way, I saw a story we're missing out on with Ganke and that makes me sad.
Miles sees Gwen Stacy who's mad at him, too. (Btw, her slapping him was not okay at all). Everyone gives Miles some version of the "hey kid, dead parents is a rough beat but we really need you to be Spidey again" speech. It's Spider-Woman that gets through to him and he suits up again.
There was a lot of Cloak and Dagger here. I know this is because Miles ends up on a team with them later but that took me out of the book, too. We get their entire origin so we have some idea of who they are when they drop into Miles' life. I was kind of bored. I liked their interludes in the Runaways series because the Runaways had gone downhill at that point but here, I just wanted to follow Miles. Anyway, he works with them, Spider-Woman and Bombshell to stop Roxxon corp's evil scientists and we get the iconic panel:
Overall, pretty solid. The problems I had with this book were mostly due to the forced inclusion of set ups and tie ins to other Marvel books. I have no freaking clue what comes next for Miles because they re-launched/rebranded after this but I'll figure it out. I really love Miles as a character and I can't wait to see what happens to him next.
This remains my favorite series from Bendis. This and Jessica Jones are fantastic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2016
I haven't been following Marvel comics events, so why or how the US got divided into lots of little enclaves, only one of which is controlled by the US government as we know it, was a mystery to me. I didn't know why Captain America was elected president or why all the Avengers go to war with Hydra in Wyoming or why nuclear bombs and Sentinels are in play, and unfortunately there's no explanation in the comic. Basically, Miles is trying to prove he can fight alongside legends like Cap and ends up in a warzone, but amazingly he manages to get out unscathed, having proven himself. I thought we'd get some training sequences with Cap afterward, but alas, instead Miles goes toe-to-toe with Venom...and Miles loses, big-time.
This loss springs us forward a year into the future, where now-fourteen year old Miles has given up superheroing entirely, despite the admonitions of his bff Ganke, Gwen Stacey, and Mary Jane Watson. Eventually he decides that he has to help, even though it exposes his family to terrible danger, and fights an evil corporation with the help of Spider-Woman, Boomerang, and Cloak & Dagger. Miles himself seems like a bit of an add-on in this story-line, just along for the ride.
The storylines continue to be great. I love that we're still dealing with the consequences and aftereffects of things like the Prowler's accidental death. I really enjoy the way Peter Parker's life and legacy continues to influence how others react to Miles. And the coloring in this collection is just beautiful--at times each cell looks like a painting.
This loss springs us forward a year into the future, where now-fourteen year old Miles has given up superheroing entirely, despite the admonitions of his bff Ganke, Gwen Stacey, and Mary Jane Watson. Eventually he decides that he has to help, even though it exposes his family to terrible danger, and fights an evil corporation with the help of Spider-Woman, Boomerang, and Cloak & Dagger. Miles himself seems like a bit of an add-on in this story-line, just along for the ride.
The storylines continue to be great. I love that we're still dealing with the consequences and aftereffects of things like the Prowler's accidental death. I really enjoy the way Peter Parker's life and legacy continues to influence how others react to Miles. And the coloring in this collection is just beautiful--at times each cell looks like a painting.
July 15, 2016
Another stellar collection featuring one of the best and most intriguining new characters to come out of Marvel in the last decade or so. This second collection completes the run of this title, and leads the way into "Cataclysm" and "Secret Wars", as well as the "Spiderverse Saga" [*SHUDDER*].
There's very little to dislike about this book; as with the first collection. As with the early days of Peter Parker, the writers managed to keep the trademark "Spider-man" style. Miles manages to comes across as both optimistic and yet grounded in reality at the same time, while still dealing with not only super-powered issues [his own AND others], but family and social issues as well.
I'm pleased that this character has caught on, and become a mainstay in the Marvel Universe; it's certainly well deserved!
There's very little to dislike about this book; as with the first collection. As with the early days of Peter Parker, the writers managed to keep the trademark "Spider-man" style. Miles manages to comes across as both optimistic and yet grounded in reality at the same time, while still dealing with not only super-powered issues [his own AND others], but family and social issues as well.
I'm pleased that this character has caught on, and become a mainstay in the Marvel Universe; it's certainly well deserved!
February 7, 2017
I love this series, and I love how it depicts black and Asian men. I wish that there were more (or really, any) female characters who aren't white - I think it's a strange omission that I hope is cleared up in future episodes of the story. But this really is a great Spider-Man series that I'm really enjoying.
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
February 12, 2016
Ugh, this book. What a mess.
After finishing the first collection yesterday I immediately dove into this. (I received all three as Xmas gifts.) It starts off with a S.H.I.E.L.D. map of a fractured US with notes about anti-government militias and Sentinels occupying states and who knows what. But there aren't any notes as to what happened to get the country in this state. Why isn't there a paragraph telling us what's going on? Something like, "Sentinels attacked D.C. and killed the President (see Ultimate X-Men #so-and-so), leading to separatist militias to seize the opportunity to secede from the nation (see Ultimates #such-and-such)."
I'm guessing this was some big crossover event to tie the Ultimate universe together. I hate crossover events, and I wish you comic book collectors would stop buying them because they're a pain in the ass when it comes to continuity. At the very least Marvel should tell us what's going on in the other books so we can get some background.
It's doubly hard with Bendis writing it, because he almost never does those, "I can't believe you're breaking up with me when the President has been assassinated and the entire country is breaking up with itself because of the mutants stopping the Sentinel attack on Washington!" kind of dialogue drop-ins -- which I appreciate because of their artificiality -- but it leaves the reader more at sea than usual.
A note on what's happening, that's all I ask.
The maps change with each chapter, so you know *something* is happening elsewhere, but there aren't any references to it. Miles is just a small part of it, and he never overhears someone talking about the big picture. There's no, "Texas wants to come back. They said they're sorry."
Beyond that there are continuity errors throughout the book. Mr. Roxxon has a very different appearance when he's introduced than when his sub-story kicks into gear. The same restaurant has a different name in different issues. Sometimes it's day and sometimes it's night in scenes that take place literally seconds apart. This might be down to the plethora of artists rotating through the various issues. They're all really good and the artwork feels fairly stable from issue to issue because of the similar styles (although in one chapter Miles' Spider-man mask has enormous eyes for some reason), but I think Bendis might have been distracted and didn't put in enough stage direction to guide the artists, which means it's a failure on the part of the editors.
It's not horrible, but it happens often enough to be distracting.
There's also the weirdness of Gwen Stacy and Aunt May not really knowing who Miles is when they set up a meeting with him, despite the fact that in the first collection Spider-man from the regular Marvel universe was sent through a portal and they all visited for a day. Yet it doesn't seem out of order when you consider the rest of the story. I'm curious as to what was going on in Bendis' life that he dropped the continuity ball like that. Was this when the first pilot of the Powers TV series was filming, maybe? Combine that with corporate-dictated crossovers and you just have a mess.
Then there's a section titled "Venom War" but it's only a couple chapters. Was there more to it in other books? Impossible to say. Venom is also GIGANTIC here. Like dinosaur big. No idea what's going on there, either.
Finally everything settles down in the last section, which takes place a year later, after all the events above and we get back to business as usual. Spider-woman, agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and clone of Peter Parker, tries to get Miles back into the superhero game. So does Gwen Stacy. Then we meet the Ultimate versions of Cloak and Dagger and the return of the criminal Bombshell. All are teenagers and they've all been wronged in some fashion by Roxxon. So that's a nice arc.
Miles is now 15 years old and looks it. The change in the art is subtle but really well done. He and his best friend Ganke Lee are both taller and they are looking more mature. The physical differences between 13-going-on-14 boys and 15-year-old boys is not extreme but it is noticeable. As I say, the art is really good throughout, but detailing these differences is incredibly impressive. The boys still look the same, but you can tell they're a little bit older. One of the my next door neighbors' sons is going through this exact same thing currently, so I have a real-life model I see all the time to compare the art against, which makes the capturing of the differences all the more impressive.
I also want to call out the colorist on these. The color is amazing and really brings it to life. There's one moment when Miles and Ganke are looking at a video on a phone and the blue of the screen is reflected subtly on their faces. Really great.
Since there are only 3 collections, I assume the Ultimate universe comes to an end soon. Overall I've really enjoyed this version of the Marvel universe and there's no denying its enormous influence on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so I'll be sad to see it go. I just hope the next collection is more like the first than the second.
Less crossing-over, more stand-alone stuff, because that's where this book shines.
After finishing the first collection yesterday I immediately dove into this. (I received all three as Xmas gifts.) It starts off with a S.H.I.E.L.D. map of a fractured US with notes about anti-government militias and Sentinels occupying states and who knows what. But there aren't any notes as to what happened to get the country in this state. Why isn't there a paragraph telling us what's going on? Something like, "Sentinels attacked D.C. and killed the President (see Ultimate X-Men #so-and-so), leading to separatist militias to seize the opportunity to secede from the nation (see Ultimates #such-and-such)."
I'm guessing this was some big crossover event to tie the Ultimate universe together. I hate crossover events, and I wish you comic book collectors would stop buying them because they're a pain in the ass when it comes to continuity. At the very least Marvel should tell us what's going on in the other books so we can get some background.
It's doubly hard with Bendis writing it, because he almost never does those, "I can't believe you're breaking up with me when the President has been assassinated and the entire country is breaking up with itself because of the mutants stopping the Sentinel attack on Washington!" kind of dialogue drop-ins -- which I appreciate because of their artificiality -- but it leaves the reader more at sea than usual.
A note on what's happening, that's all I ask.
The maps change with each chapter, so you know *something* is happening elsewhere, but there aren't any references to it. Miles is just a small part of it, and he never overhears someone talking about the big picture. There's no, "Texas wants to come back. They said they're sorry."
Beyond that there are continuity errors throughout the book. Mr. Roxxon has a very different appearance when he's introduced than when his sub-story kicks into gear. The same restaurant has a different name in different issues. Sometimes it's day and sometimes it's night in scenes that take place literally seconds apart. This might be down to the plethora of artists rotating through the various issues. They're all really good and the artwork feels fairly stable from issue to issue because of the similar styles (although in one chapter Miles' Spider-man mask has enormous eyes for some reason), but I think Bendis might have been distracted and didn't put in enough stage direction to guide the artists, which means it's a failure on the part of the editors.
It's not horrible, but it happens often enough to be distracting.
There's also the weirdness of Gwen Stacy and Aunt May not really knowing who Miles is when they set up a meeting with him, despite the fact that in the first collection Spider-man from the regular Marvel universe was sent through a portal and they all visited for a day. Yet it doesn't seem out of order when you consider the rest of the story. I'm curious as to what was going on in Bendis' life that he dropped the continuity ball like that. Was this when the first pilot of the Powers TV series was filming, maybe? Combine that with corporate-dictated crossovers and you just have a mess.
Then there's a section titled "Venom War" but it's only a couple chapters. Was there more to it in other books? Impossible to say. Venom is also GIGANTIC here. Like dinosaur big. No idea what's going on there, either.
Finally everything settles down in the last section, which takes place a year later, after all the events above and we get back to business as usual. Spider-woman, agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and clone of Peter Parker, tries to get Miles back into the superhero game. So does Gwen Stacy. Then we meet the Ultimate versions of Cloak and Dagger and the return of the criminal Bombshell. All are teenagers and they've all been wronged in some fashion by Roxxon. So that's a nice arc.
Miles is now 15 years old and looks it. The change in the art is subtle but really well done. He and his best friend Ganke Lee are both taller and they are looking more mature. The physical differences between 13-going-on-14 boys and 15-year-old boys is not extreme but it is noticeable. As I say, the art is really good throughout, but detailing these differences is incredibly impressive. The boys still look the same, but you can tell they're a little bit older. One of the my next door neighbors' sons is going through this exact same thing currently, so I have a real-life model I see all the time to compare the art against, which makes the capturing of the differences all the more impressive.
I also want to call out the colorist on these. The color is amazing and really brings it to life. There's one moment when Miles and Ganke are looking at a video on a phone and the blue of the screen is reflected subtly on their faces. Really great.
Since there are only 3 collections, I assume the Ultimate universe comes to an end soon. Overall I've really enjoyed this version of the Marvel universe and there's no denying its enormous influence on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so I'll be sad to see it go. I just hope the next collection is more like the first than the second.
Less crossing-over, more stand-alone stuff, because that's where this book shines.
June 29, 2016
Ugh I'm so torn here. On one hand, I thought the stories told here were more interesting and creative than in the first collection. On the other hand it jumped all over the place & left several plots unfinished. Unfinished as in I would have to go hunt down such and such Captain America comics & such and such Ultimates comics. I hate it. This is why I generally dislike hero comics, they lure you in with a good story, then try to force you to read every since character comic they publish.
blerghs...
So yeah, it was fairly jarring to have a chapter end with the likely destruction of humanity only to have the next page be business as usual school times. (also the president was dead & the US falling apart from page 1? something serious clearly happened between the first collection & this one) Having said that, I wouldn't have been nearly as irritated about the jumping around if the stories had been bad.
blerghs...
So yeah, it was fairly jarring to have a chapter end with the likely destruction of humanity only to have the next page be business as usual school times. (also the president was dead & the US falling apart from page 1? something serious clearly happened between the first collection & this one) Having said that, I wouldn't have been nearly as irritated about the jumping around if the stories had been bad.
February 5, 2020
This collection had issues of Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #13-28, though it was made up of three main arcs. The first, "Divided We Fall, United We Stand," was ... not very fun for me in retrospect. Yeah, seeing the various Avengers I mean, Ultimates, was fun, but this suffers from most crossover events that I've experienced so far--too much expectation that I'm following the event across all of Marvel's comics, when I just don't know or care (why is there a weird and dumb civil war thing going on? It's never explained). The second arc was more interesting, called "Venom War," which has one of the traditional Spider-Man villains show up to attack Miles and his family, which resulted in an emotional death. The third arc, "Spider-Man No More," has Miles hanging up his costume for a while, but he's drawn back in. I wish I liked this more, but it just seems like a backdoor pilot for a new super group (and having looked it up, yep, the Young Ultimates. Sigh).
I'm hoping I'll enjoy the third Ultimate Collection, but I don't have high hopes right now. I think my interests in superheroes is just very specific and limited.
I'm hoping I'll enjoy the third Ultimate Collection, but I don't have high hopes right now. I think my interests in superheroes is just very specific and limited.
May 16, 2017
Why oh why can't there be a simple blurb explaining what's happening in the Marvel U before each book? In order to read just a Spider-Man comic, I needed to do extensive Wiki searching and reading, and ended up spoiling a huge Spider-Man plot point .
Trying to make sense of it all: The broken United States, the war against Hydra in Wyoming, Captain America as POTUS, I read half of Cataclysm The Ultimates Last Stand, which was, of course, the wrong order of things. Le sigh.
If only Marvel wanted to make it easier for new readers or single story readers, they could insert a blurb of context or something re: the Marvel U. If only. *eyeroll*
Otherwise, I love Miles. Though I'm still broken hearted over Peter, I think Miles is a fantastic new Spider-Man. He is kind, and quippy, and adorable. I love how MJ and Gwen Stacey are trying to mentor him, and the introduction of Spider-Woman & Cloak and Dagger Vs. Ruxxon Corp is very interesting.
Art is on point, and Brain Michael Bendis is king. Loving Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-Man. <3
Trying to make sense of it all: The broken United States, the war against Hydra in Wyoming, Captain America as POTUS, I read half of Cataclysm The Ultimates Last Stand, which was, of course, the wrong order of things. Le sigh.
If only Marvel wanted to make it easier for new readers or single story readers, they could insert a blurb of context or something re: the Marvel U. If only. *eyeroll*
Otherwise, I love Miles. Though I'm still broken hearted over Peter, I think Miles is a fantastic new Spider-Man. He is kind, and quippy, and adorable. I love how MJ and Gwen Stacey are trying to mentor him, and the introduction of Spider-Woman & Cloak and Dagger Vs. Ruxxon Corp is very interesting.
Art is on point, and Brain Michael Bendis is king. Loving Miles Morales Ultimate Spider-Man. <3
January 23, 2019
While this book had more of the classic superhero action stuff that I didn't miss, and had a major character death that I'm NOT a fan off because come on wtf was the point, I seriously love Miles as a character. His development and relationships with other characters makes him so interesting.
Can I also just say that I love his friendship with Ganke. They're so chill with each other it's honestly really cute. Yay friendship!
Ganke, Jessica Drew, and Gwen Stacy are still shining bright as great side characters.
Brian Michael Bendis is wayyyyy too talented. I don't say this lightly, but his dialogue is up there next to Rainbow Rowell's.
Can I also just say that I love his friendship with Ganke. They're so chill with each other it's honestly really cute. Yay friendship!
Ganke, Jessica Drew, and Gwen Stacy are still shining bright as great side characters.
Brian Michael Bendis is wayyyyy too talented. I don't say this lightly, but his dialogue is up there next to Rainbow Rowell's.
December 29, 2024
Review to come. 5 stars. I feel like this second volume in Miles Morales The Ultimate Spider-Man really upped the ante. It was funny, intense, emotional and a wild ride. We got appearances from Spider-Woman, Bombshell, Cloak and Dagger, Venom...actually I'll just go into it in the review. But exactly what I was expecting.
April 5, 2022
It's getting harder to write meaningful reviews of these while remaining spoiler free, so I'll just say:
Now we're really cooking. We're far enough in to Miles' story to have some real emotional stakes. The artists are ALL excellent. (Sara Pichelli nails emotion like non other, and Marquez has the cleanest pencils/best splash pages in the business. Also Pepe Larazz is one I'm gonna need to check out). This is also a great reminder of just how incredible a colorist Justin Ponsor was before he was taken far too soon.
This is another 4 star collection, but for the record I think it's better than the last 4 star one!
Ongoing super-hero series don't get much better folks.
Now we're really cooking. We're far enough in to Miles' story to have some real emotional stakes. The artists are ALL excellent. (Sara Pichelli nails emotion like non other, and Marquez has the cleanest pencils/best splash pages in the business. Also Pepe Larazz is one I'm gonna need to check out). This is also a great reminder of just how incredible a colorist Justin Ponsor was before he was taken far too soon.
This is another 4 star collection, but for the record I think it's better than the last 4 star one!
Ongoing super-hero series don't get much better folks.
January 23, 2019
THIS WAS ALSO FUN but a little less fun maybe? Starts to feel narratively like a soap opera...thing after thing after thing and not a ton of development? But still: FUN!
January 19, 2021
This second volume continues to deliver as it explores Miles’ complicated life as the newly dubbed Spider-Man. Between the unsavory headlines from the Daily Bugle, to the death of his mother, Miles’ limits are being tested. He is often being reminded of that wonderful clichè that, “with great poster, comes great responsibility.”
As a newcomer to comics, I enjoyed the plot points where we get to explore Miles’ relationship with characters like MJ, Gwen Stacey, and Aunt May. He’s forever attached to Peter Parker, and it’s nice to see these people on his side. Likewise, I like the dynamic and evolving relationship between Miles and Spider-Woman. So much so, that I’m very interested in her character and wouldn’t mind exploring her story more by reading her comics. Bendis’ writing really excels when his characters are self-reflective and emotional. You can feel the impact immediately, and you just want to keep reading.
I’m not normally a fan of flashbacks or time jumps in stuff (mostly because it makes it hard for my brain to follow. Let’s just keep the story linear, people...), but I liked the use of that in the second half of this volume. By doing so, we get to learn the origins of characters like Bombshell, Cloak, and Dagger. Their stories tie together as we see them all resenting and wanting to fight against the evil that is Roxxon, who really is the epitome of a greedy corporation willing to use and abuse whomever and whatever it needs in order to succeed.
I don’t really have any knocks on this volume except the issues revolving around some event taking place in Washington, D.C. that has the United States a mess/at war is not entirely clear to me. The first issue just jumps right into that, but I don’t know the details as to how we got there. I guess that is the disadvantage of not having read the other Ultimate books. But, they provide a map that makes the factions and situation easier to digest. It quickly just becomes a storyline where Miles’ abilities are being tested and further developed.
Anyways, that’s all for now...’tis some good stuff...
As a newcomer to comics, I enjoyed the plot points where we get to explore Miles’ relationship with characters like MJ, Gwen Stacey, and Aunt May. He’s forever attached to Peter Parker, and it’s nice to see these people on his side. Likewise, I like the dynamic and evolving relationship between Miles and Spider-Woman. So much so, that I’m very interested in her character and wouldn’t mind exploring her story more by reading her comics. Bendis’ writing really excels when his characters are self-reflective and emotional. You can feel the impact immediately, and you just want to keep reading.
I’m not normally a fan of flashbacks or time jumps in stuff (mostly because it makes it hard for my brain to follow. Let’s just keep the story linear, people...), but I liked the use of that in the second half of this volume. By doing so, we get to learn the origins of characters like Bombshell, Cloak, and Dagger. Their stories tie together as we see them all resenting and wanting to fight against the evil that is Roxxon, who really is the epitome of a greedy corporation willing to use and abuse whomever and whatever it needs in order to succeed.
I don’t really have any knocks on this volume except the issues revolving around some event taking place in Washington, D.C. that has the United States a mess/at war is not entirely clear to me. The first issue just jumps right into that, but I don’t know the details as to how we got there. I guess that is the disadvantage of not having read the other Ultimate books. But, they provide a map that makes the factions and situation easier to digest. It quickly just becomes a storyline where Miles’ abilities are being tested and further developed.
Anyways, that’s all for now...’tis some good stuff...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2019
This is a solid entry, but I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the Ultimate Collection Volume 1, which gives Miles's origin story, has a great storyline with his uncle Aaron Davis, and has a really fun universe-crossover with Peter Parker-Spiderman.
The best thing about this volume is that it has the Venom symbiote. I watched a lot of the Spider-Man cartoon show after school as a kid, and the Venom episodes were always my favorites. It's just such a creepy and unknowable adversary, and it looks metal as fuck. Unfortunately, in this collection,
The best thing about this volume is that it has the Venom symbiote. I watched a lot of the Spider-Man cartoon show after school as a kid, and the Venom episodes were always my favorites. It's just such a creepy and unknowable adversary, and it looks metal as fuck. Unfortunately, in this collection,
July 9, 2021
Typical fare including: a crossover series without any context/introduction (confusing); random heroes and villains coming and going like the wind (meh?); team-ups (this was cool); rushed
Art is polished and very fun to look at.
Story is rushed, too rushed, but dramatic, funny, strong beats, and written well enough.
Miles is a great Spider-Man. He's young, ignorant, and vulnerable. Even knowing there's the invisible hand of the plot armor, I worry about him in ways I can't worry about most supers. The series puts him through more than his fair share of trials and tribulations, laying out an excellent hero's journey.
Miles vs Venom is cool and exciting. It could've been the beginning of something huge. The ending is epic, affecting, and tragic but it was too quick.
The final series in the book is good. Miles has to overcome all the feels and team up with Spider-Woman, Bombshell, Cloak, and Dagger. Paced fairly well but still rushed.
Stay gold, Pony Boy.
Art is polished and very fun to look at.
Story is rushed, too rushed, but dramatic, funny, strong beats, and written well enough.
Miles is a great Spider-Man. He's young, ignorant, and vulnerable. Even knowing there's the invisible hand of the plot armor, I worry about him in ways I can't worry about most supers. The series puts him through more than his fair share of trials and tribulations, laying out an excellent hero's journey.
Miles vs Venom is cool and exciting. It could've been the beginning of something huge. The ending is epic, affecting, and tragic but it was too quick.
The final series in the book is good. Miles has to overcome all the feels and team up with Spider-Woman, Bombshell, Cloak, and Dagger. Paced fairly well but still rushed.
Stay gold, Pony Boy.
December 21, 2021
This was so good! So, so, so, so, so, so good! I laughed, I cried, I enjoyed the whole ride. Spider Miles faces off with Venom for the first time, forges some bonds with Peter Parker's crew, and even saves Captain America's life! This offshoot into the Ultimates universe is so entertaining and well-crafted. [Spoiler] When Miles's mother died I was crushed. I felt so bad for him! He's just a little guy. It's so unfair how he loses her and blames himself. I love that the authors take the time to explore the emotional realities of what would happen if superheroes were real. In the final section Miles [Spoiler] comes out of retirement and, from the looks of it, starts building a Brooklyn teen superhero team. It was thrilling to watch them try to take on the Roxxon Corp. Of course we know that won't be the end of it, but it was fun to watch. Spider Miles is my favorite in the Spiderverse.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2018
I will be shocked if Miles Morales isn't Brian Michael Bendis' greatest contribution to comics. He's created an enduring new branch of the Spider-man mythos and given new life to a character that's been around for well over fifty years. It's an admirable thing and a hell of a legacy.
The stories collected here allow Miles to mature and develop nuances to his character that were previously unrevealed. He steps out of Peter Parker's shadow and finally owns being Spider-man. The issues I read here will likely be read for generations to come, by readers who will never know Miles Morales as anything but an entrenched and well-loved part of the Marvel universe. Pretty amazing stuff when you think about it.
The stories collected here allow Miles to mature and develop nuances to his character that were previously unrevealed. He steps out of Peter Parker's shadow and finally owns being Spider-man. The issues I read here will likely be read for generations to come, by readers who will never know Miles Morales as anything but an entrenched and well-loved part of the Marvel universe. Pretty amazing stuff when you think about it.
December 4, 2018
So it's no surprise at all to find that Bendis knows Spider-Man especially the two different spider-men from the (now extinct) Ultimate universe. This is the second volume of Miles Morales as the Ultimate Spider-Man, and it's fantastic. Miles goes through various realistic growing pains and we see him make some mistakes that represent tripping over obstacles unique to our day and time, that teen Peter back in the never-never of the sixties/seventies MU never would have had to deal with. And yet feeling the ways Bendis echoes and harmonizes with elements of the original Spider-Man stories here--not retelling, not even a homage, but lovely echoes throughout--and watching Miles build his own world is fascinating. I loved this one.
March 11, 2020
Really 3.5 stars.
Volume 2 of Miles Morales as Spider-Man. This collection (issues 13-28, plus issue 16.1) starts off poorly. There are three overarching stories in this volume and the first of these three falls pretty flat. Miles becomes a member of The Ultimates which is kind of cool to see but he's basically useless and unimportant in that battle that just fizzles out. No context and then BAM, he's there.
The other two storylines are really excellent. In the second, Miles faces Venom and must come to terms with the death of a loved one for the explicit reason that he is Spider-Man. In the final story arc, Miles finds his universe expanding and we witness some fellow teens fighting along side Spider-Man.
Good storytelling for 2/3 of this 400 page book which isn't bad, really.
Volume 2 of Miles Morales as Spider-Man. This collection (issues 13-28, plus issue 16.1) starts off poorly. There are three overarching stories in this volume and the first of these three falls pretty flat. Miles becomes a member of The Ultimates which is kind of cool to see but he's basically useless and unimportant in that battle that just fizzles out. No context and then BAM, he's there.
The other two storylines are really excellent. In the second, Miles faces Venom and must come to terms with the death of a loved one for the explicit reason that he is Spider-Man. In the final story arc, Miles finds his universe expanding and we witness some fellow teens fighting along side Spider-Man.
Good storytelling for 2/3 of this 400 page book which isn't bad, really.
August 14, 2022
The only thing keeping this from being a five star book is that it begins during an event that doesn't really fit in the rest of the story. It's fine. But everything before and after it is So Excellent.
We not only get more Morales family drama, we still follow the grief of Peter Parker's death with visits from Aunt May, Gwen, and Mary Jane, and then we throw President Captain America (has there ever been a more Mark Millar idea?)'s guilt into the mix. It never feels anything but organic, and it enhances the focus on Miles, as opposed to detracting from it.
If you love Spider-Man stories, you can maybe skip the Divided We Fall/ United We Stand storylines but don't miss out on the rest.
We not only get more Morales family drama, we still follow the grief of Peter Parker's death with visits from Aunt May, Gwen, and Mary Jane, and then we throw President Captain America (has there ever been a more Mark Millar idea?)'s guilt into the mix. It never feels anything but organic, and it enhances the focus on Miles, as opposed to detracting from it.
If you love Spider-Man stories, you can maybe skip the Divided We Fall/ United We Stand storylines but don't miss out on the rest.
February 10, 2023
Miles Morales yang awalnya merasa semangat untuk menjadi Spider-Man, harus merasakan hal pahit dan ingin berhenti saja menjadi pahlawan super setelah ibunya meninggal. Ia merasa bersalah karena tanpa disadari orang-orang terdekatnya jadi terlibat. Lantas, setelah setahun berhenti menjadi Spider-Man, akhirnya ia bisa meyakinkan diri untuk kembali menjadi manusia laba-laba setelah Spider-Woman mengatakan bahwa dunia membutuhkannya.
Sangat seru melihat perkembangan karakter Miles Morales dalam memaknai hidupnya setelah ia menjadi Spider-Man. Banyak hal yang harus dipertimbangkan sehingga jangan sampai kesalahan-kesalahan di masa lalu terulang kembali dan ia kehilangan orang-orang yang dicintainya.
Sangat seru melihat perkembangan karakter Miles Morales dalam memaknai hidupnya setelah ia menjadi Spider-Man. Banyak hal yang harus dipertimbangkan sehingga jangan sampai kesalahan-kesalahan di masa lalu terulang kembali dan ia kehilangan orang-orang yang dicintainya.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2024
I have a lot of criticism, but this was pretty good. Again I can't help but compare it to the Spider-Verse films, which did most of this in a way that was both more efficient and more impactful.
I think the desire to raise the stakes consistently hurts this work. I would have been delighted to just see Miles try to get a girlfriend while also having to stop an animal themed bank robber, but instead they have to make him part of some giant war with Hydra where Captain America gets elected president. I feel like the only times we see Miles as a kid are when he's wringing his hands about how hard it is to be Spider-Man. It makes the whole thing feel ungrounded.
I think the desire to raise the stakes consistently hurts this work. I would have been delighted to just see Miles try to get a girlfriend while also having to stop an animal themed bank robber, but instead they have to make him part of some giant war with Hydra where Captain America gets elected president. I feel like the only times we see Miles as a kid are when he's wringing his hands about how hard it is to be Spider-Man. It makes the whole thing feel ungrounded.
January 6, 2019
I really enjoyed this set of issues. We have the Venom arc (always a fun character), and we have some issues with Jessica Drew (also great in any universe). Plus we have Gwen calling Captain America a jerk in one of the greatest panels of all time. It’s a fun read, all told. I enjoy the way the story manages to involve Peter Parker’s legacy as Spider-Man while still growing beyond him — it’d be very easy to turn this into a series of comparisons to Peter, but Miles is given room to grow and be his own character.
April 10, 2023
The story of Miles Morales continues on strong. First with a moderately annoying story arc heavily impacted by a big event outside the title, but tying in without much confusion and focusing quite well on Spider-Man and further developing Miles's character. Then there's the Venom arc which is tense and very exciting, ending with a pivotal moment in Miles's story, which sets up the final arc that does wonders for the character and strengthening his heroism, not to mention talent and skill. I love Miles and continue to do so with this great book.
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