What do you think?
Rate this book
Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2018)
Miles Morales: Spider-Man, Vol. 5: The Clone Saga
Collects Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2018) #22-28.
Nothing will ever be the same for the Morales family! The battle against Ultimatum is over, but Miles and his family will bear the scars for the rest of their lives. A day with Starling may raise Miles' spirits, but there's always another shoe about to drop - like symbiote dragons attacking Brooklyn! And that's not the worst thing unleashed by the King in Black: Knull has taken over one of Miles' friends and is using them to go after the young Spider-Man! If Miles can come out of this ordeal unscathed, he'll face an even greater one when the Assessor's machinations are revealed at last - and Miles' Clone Saga will mess up his life even worse than Peter Parker's did!
Nothing will ever be the same for the Morales family! The battle against Ultimatum is over, but Miles and his family will bear the scars for the rest of their lives. A day with Starling may raise Miles' spirits, but there's always another shoe about to drop - like symbiote dragons attacking Brooklyn! And that's not the worst thing unleashed by the King in Black: Knull has taken over one of Miles' friends and is using them to go after the young Spider-Man! If Miles can come out of this ordeal unscathed, he'll face an even greater one when the Assessor's machinations are revealed at last - and Miles' Clone Saga will mess up his life even worse than Peter Parker's did!
165 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 28, 2021
24 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Saladin Ahmed
478 books1,768 followersSaladin Ahmed was born in Detroit and raised in a working-class, Arab American enclave in Dearborn, MI.
His short stories have been nominated for the Nebula and Campbell awards, and have appeared in Year's Best Fantasy and numerous other magazines, anthologies, and podcasts, as well as being translated into five foreign languages. He is represented by Jennifer Jackson of the Donald Maass Literary Agency. THRONE OF THE CRESCENT MOON is his first novel.
Saladin lives near Detroit with his wife and twin children.
His short stories have been nominated for the Nebula and Campbell awards, and have appeared in Year's Best Fantasy and numerous other magazines, anthologies, and podcasts, as well as being translated into five foreign languages. He is represented by Jennifer Jackson of the Donald Maass Literary Agency. THRONE OF THE CRESCENT MOON is his first novel.
Saladin lives near Detroit with his wife and twin children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
December 13, 2023
Yes, the went and did it to Miles to, a Goddaman Spidey Clone Saga! Why? Marvel used to be called the House of Ideas, but it should be rebranded the House of recycled ideas? Why do the clones have the exact same bespoke haircut as Miles? Did thy go to his African-American/Latino barber shop? That aside, despite my moaning, this is the best Miles book by Ahmed so far, which says more about the lack of quality of Ahmed's run, than the goodness of this volume. The upside is that bit-by-bit Ahmed is improving. 5 out of 12, Two Star read. Thwip!
2023 read
2023 read
July 27, 2022
First off are a couple of one-off issues that were fun and amp up the teenage drama. The King in Black issue was actually really good. Ganke's been seeing Miles old girlfriend without telling Miles. Unfortunately, they never really get a chance to talk it out because a bunch of Miles's clones show up. There's plenty of action during these issues, but not a lot of characterization. Also, I don't get why they set off trying to ruin Miles's life if they are just trying to stay alive. I also didn't get how they knew anything about Miles's personal life. They are clones of his physical body. They don't have his memories just like a twin wouldn't.
Carmen Carnero draws most of the book and I really like her art. Natacha Buchos bookends this volume and her art isn't great. It gives me this vibe of coloring book art. There's never any interior lines to indicate edges of cheeks or creases in clothes or shading. I think it leads to color artists trying to overcompensate. I know David Curiel does in the first issue of this collection and it looks awful. But the color art was good in the Carnero issues and he did those too.
Carmen Carnero draws most of the book and I really like her art. Natacha Buchos bookends this volume and her art isn't great. It gives me this vibe of coloring book art. There's never any interior lines to indicate edges of cheeks or creases in clothes or shading. I think it leads to color artists trying to overcompensate. I know David Curiel does in the first issue of this collection and it looks awful. But the color art was good in the Carnero issues and he did those too.
July 22, 2021
This one was quite good! Miles has to deal with so many things and first a teamup with Starling to take down the frost Pharoah or a team up with Kamala to defeat Knull and then superhero basketball and finally deal with his clones which was a twisted and sad and emotional affair. I like the new clones Selim, Mindspinner and Shift and in just a few issues, the writer is able to express the emotional shift in the story and what these clones want and why their hatred for Miles is satisfied.
But when they target his family and what Miles does to save them and how an addition happens in the family, its sweet. I like the emotional underpinnings of this volume and it just shows where Miles is atm like his mind state he is in. And he even lashes out but by the end regains his composure and learns what it means to be a hero and has some new villains and a great thrust of emotional salvaging.
I like how the writer is managing the personal life drama side of his and its just getting good from here and the art was good throughout. Highly recommend this volume!
But when they target his family and what Miles does to save them and how an addition happens in the family, its sweet. I like the emotional underpinnings of this volume and it just shows where Miles is atm like his mind state he is in. And he even lashes out but by the end regains his composure and learns what it means to be a hero and has some new villains and a great thrust of emotional salvaging.
I like how the writer is managing the personal life drama side of his and its just getting good from here and the art was good throughout. Highly recommend this volume!
September 15, 2022
This is my first volume of this series, and I honestly found it to be a pretty solid jumping on point. And I know the original Clone Saga is thought as awfully overlong nonsense from pretty much everyone, so it’s nice to see this run only spend a couple of issues on Miles’ own Clone Saga. Not a huge fan of any of the art in here, but it works fine enough for the story itself I guess.
February 9, 2022
A lot has happened in Miles Morales’ life, based on the previous volume, which involved the defeat of both Ultimatum and C.R.A.D.L.E., whilst Miles loses his uncle Aaron, even if he can’t accept it like everyone else in his family has. In the first issue of this volume, in an attempt to clear his head from the recent trauma, he dons his Spidey mask and teams up with Starling and face Frost Pharaoh, who has gone full-Kaiju.
As fun as it is, seeing Miles and Starling taking on one of the silliest villains in recent Marvel history, the true strength of this run (and Spider-Man comics in general) is the exploration of relationships. From Miles finally revealing his identity to Starling, resulting in the two of them kissing, to his best friend Ganke starts dating his ex-girlfriend Barbara, the soap opera grows strong. Before Ganke reveals who he is seeing to Miles, a certain Marvel event gets in the way of the drama.
As a tie-in to the King in Black storyline, the second issue starts with Miles fighting with a symbiote dragon, which has a sweet conclusion, only for Miles to then go up against his friend, who has turned into a symbiote: Kamala Khan AKA Ms. Marvel. Now, Kamala is just precious and no harm should ever come to her – including a black alien substance – and as I don’t want to see these two young heroes fight each other, fortunately it gets resolved and then the next issue shows the two of them hanging out and playing basketball. Seeing the delightful banter between Miles and Kamala makes me want to read Ahmed’s Ms. Marvel run.
However, all that sweetness is the prologue for things to get really dramatic as Miles is not only struggling with his emotions by showing more aggression, but there are three clones of himself that are plaguing the streets of Brooklyn. Although it was set up in the previous volume that the Assessor has cloned the young Spider-Man, the prospect of Miles having his own Clone Saga is a scary one, considering how the title has been an infamous one towards Spider-Man's comics history. Despite the trepidation, Ahmed makes this well-worn comic book concept for Miles’s story, with not only three evil versions of him with their own quirks, but the saga builds on what came before, such as Miles’s aggressive behaviour and still finding happiness based on the family he still has.
With the exception of the first issue, which is drawn by Natacha Bustos (with a heavy-inked style, similar to Chris Samnee), the majority of the volume is drawn by Carmen Carnero, who is killing it with the art. The incredible detail she puts into every page is outstanding, from how expressive his characters are, to the diverse range of panel layouts. Her action looks huge and impactful, not least in seeing your masked hero getting his suit torn up and any time he uses his Venom Strike, it reveals this blast of energy.
Concluding with a lacklustre backup by Cody Zigler and Natacha Bustos, whatever issues there are, they are minor as this creative team puts a compelling spin on The Clone Saga that could set up something new and exciting in the life of this particular Spider-Man.
As fun as it is, seeing Miles and Starling taking on one of the silliest villains in recent Marvel history, the true strength of this run (and Spider-Man comics in general) is the exploration of relationships. From Miles finally revealing his identity to Starling, resulting in the two of them kissing, to his best friend Ganke starts dating his ex-girlfriend Barbara, the soap opera grows strong. Before Ganke reveals who he is seeing to Miles, a certain Marvel event gets in the way of the drama.
As a tie-in to the King in Black storyline, the second issue starts with Miles fighting with a symbiote dragon, which has a sweet conclusion, only for Miles to then go up against his friend, who has turned into a symbiote: Kamala Khan AKA Ms. Marvel. Now, Kamala is just precious and no harm should ever come to her – including a black alien substance – and as I don’t want to see these two young heroes fight each other, fortunately it gets resolved and then the next issue shows the two of them hanging out and playing basketball. Seeing the delightful banter between Miles and Kamala makes me want to read Ahmed’s Ms. Marvel run.
However, all that sweetness is the prologue for things to get really dramatic as Miles is not only struggling with his emotions by showing more aggression, but there are three clones of himself that are plaguing the streets of Brooklyn. Although it was set up in the previous volume that the Assessor has cloned the young Spider-Man, the prospect of Miles having his own Clone Saga is a scary one, considering how the title has been an infamous one towards Spider-Man's comics history. Despite the trepidation, Ahmed makes this well-worn comic book concept for Miles’s story, with not only three evil versions of him with their own quirks, but the saga builds on what came before, such as Miles’s aggressive behaviour and still finding happiness based on the family he still has.
With the exception of the first issue, which is drawn by Natacha Bustos (with a heavy-inked style, similar to Chris Samnee), the majority of the volume is drawn by Carmen Carnero, who is killing it with the art. The incredible detail she puts into every page is outstanding, from how expressive his characters are, to the diverse range of panel layouts. Her action looks huge and impactful, not least in seeing your masked hero getting his suit torn up and any time he uses his Venom Strike, it reveals this blast of energy.
Concluding with a lacklustre backup by Cody Zigler and Natacha Bustos, whatever issues there are, they are minor as this creative team puts a compelling spin on The Clone Saga that could set up something new and exciting in the life of this particular Spider-Man.
September 10, 2021
Miles Morales: Spider-Man Volume 5: The Clone Saga
The words 'Clone' and 'Saga' in a Spider-Man book usually make people wary. Not me though, I love a good Clone Saga. And thankfully, Miles Morales' Clone Saga is hella good.
But first, some one-and-dones, as Miles navigates his new world post-baby sister with a Starling team-up, and then a King In Black tie-in with his Champions buddy Kamala Khan. These are good little buffer stories between the bigger arcs of the series, and the King In Black tie-in is especially good for drilling into both the core of Miles' relationship with Kamala and his trauma from Absolute Carnage.
The Clone Saga itself then gets underway. It's five issues of sadness as Miles runs into clones of himself who are out to sully his reputation and steal his life. Getting Peter Parker to guest star makes perfect sense given that he's had his fair share of run-ins with clones, and the emotional heart of this story is where it really comes through. As Miles grapples with his new sister, he now has three new brothers to deal with too, and as anyone who's read a Clone Saga knows, they rarely end well for everyone.
Series artist Carmen Carnero pencils all but one issue here, doing the entirety of the Clone Saga and the King In Black tie-in, while Natacha Bustos drops by for the Starling team-up issue.
I know Clone Saga can be a triggering phrase from comic book fans, but hopefully this one will change your mind. It's tight, succinct, and full of so much heart it can't even keep them all at the end of the story.
The words 'Clone' and 'Saga' in a Spider-Man book usually make people wary. Not me though, I love a good Clone Saga. And thankfully, Miles Morales' Clone Saga is hella good.
But first, some one-and-dones, as Miles navigates his new world post-baby sister with a Starling team-up, and then a King In Black tie-in with his Champions buddy Kamala Khan. These are good little buffer stories between the bigger arcs of the series, and the King In Black tie-in is especially good for drilling into both the core of Miles' relationship with Kamala and his trauma from Absolute Carnage.
The Clone Saga itself then gets underway. It's five issues of sadness as Miles runs into clones of himself who are out to sully his reputation and steal his life. Getting Peter Parker to guest star makes perfect sense given that he's had his fair share of run-ins with clones, and the emotional heart of this story is where it really comes through. As Miles grapples with his new sister, he now has three new brothers to deal with too, and as anyone who's read a Clone Saga knows, they rarely end well for everyone.
Series artist Carmen Carnero pencils all but one issue here, doing the entirety of the Clone Saga and the King In Black tie-in, while Natacha Bustos drops by for the Starling team-up issue.
I know Clone Saga can be a triggering phrase from comic book fans, but hopefully this one will change your mind. It's tight, succinct, and full of so much heart it can't even keep them all at the end of the story.
October 26, 2021
Originally read as single issues.
The best thing about this arc? It was mercifully brief and decently excecuted! (Having read the entire "Clone Saga" as it came out, I can testify to what an utter, utter clusterfuck it was.)
I've been enjoying Miles since his creation, but this run in particular really speaks to me, as it fleshes Miles out even further as three dimensional, living, breathing character. I'm actually as invested in his relationships with his family and friends as much as the superhero shenanigans. (The scene in this where Miles is attemping to reallly was well done.
And even the King in Black tie-in was one of the less egregious examples of the "Event Fatigue Syndrome", since it really shone focus on both MM and Ms M.
And I enjoy that the title (a bit like MS Marvel) really focuses on "hometown heroics", and how Miles impacts his city. (The other SPidey titles seem to have lost that focus, and now are facing larger (and even cosmic-level) threats.
The best thing about this arc? It was mercifully brief and decently excecuted! (Having read the entire "Clone Saga" as it came out, I can testify to what an utter, utter clusterfuck it was.)
I've been enjoying Miles since his creation, but this run in particular really speaks to me, as it fleshes Miles out even further as three dimensional, living, breathing character. I'm actually as invested in his relationships with his family and friends as much as the superhero shenanigans. (The scene in this where Miles is attemping to reallly was well done.
And even the King in Black tie-in was one of the less egregious examples of the "Event Fatigue Syndrome", since it really shone focus on both MM and Ms M.
And I enjoy that the title (a bit like MS Marvel) really focuses on "hometown heroics", and how Miles impacts his city. (The other SPidey titles seem to have lost that focus, and now are facing larger (and even cosmic-level) threats.
January 28, 2022
This volume starts off with some small action with Miles and Starling, The Vulture’s granddaughter. The end of that sets up some possibilities between the two. Then we get a King in Black tie in. Some cool stuff with Miles and one of the dragons flying around the city. Then we roll into the drama with the clones. Some imposter is running around looking like Miles robbing banks, kidnapping folks and hurting people. Miles doesn’t like his name being tarnished so he goes on the hunt. The back story on these clones is pretty jacked up. In the first fight, Miles gets some help but the clones still manage to get away. The next fight is just Miles vs them. Got pretty hairy towards the end. Ahmed delivers another good volume and the art has been pretty great throughout this series. From Garron in the beginning to Carnero taking over in these last 2 volumes. Now just waiting for volume 6 to arrive in the mail.
November 4, 2021
Miles isn't having much fun since now he has to live through his own Clone Saga. Yep, the infamous arc most spider-man fans seem to HATE more than life itself. Is this one better? In one word, yes.
Miles is suddenly attacked by copies that look just like him. Well one does, the other two are very different, but they all share the Miles feel and look of the suit. So miles has to face off against all 3 who easily take him on but then Peter comes in to help Miles since he's already lived this issue. It's a nice arc that actually helps Miles grow in some interesting ways. I felt it was a bit rushed at times and though we didn't need 2+ years of this like the original clone saga, a bit more time with the clones would have made the ending hit harder.
But overall fun storyline and Miles is a blast of a main lead. A 4 out of 5.
Miles is suddenly attacked by copies that look just like him. Well one does, the other two are very different, but they all share the Miles feel and look of the suit. So miles has to face off against all 3 who easily take him on but then Peter comes in to help Miles since he's already lived this issue. It's a nice arc that actually helps Miles grow in some interesting ways. I felt it was a bit rushed at times and though we didn't need 2+ years of this like the original clone saga, a bit more time with the clones would have made the ending hit harder.
But overall fun storyline and Miles is a blast of a main lead. A 4 out of 5.
January 14, 2022
At least this one wraps up a bit more quickly (and happily) than Peter Parker's did. Still, as a volume, this is a bit lacking. First, there's a fairly terrible issue with Miles and Starling facing off against some guy in a giant mummy. Seriously, some of the worst artwork I've seen in a top tier comic in a long time. Then, a fairly terrible issue wrapping up Miles' interaction with the whole King in Black storyline (nice to get it out of the way so quickly, but did it have to be there at all?). And then the nothingness that was C.R.A.D.L.E. and its retro-superhero registration (but for teen heroes) gets wrapped-up, too, without ever really making any sense to begin with. And then we get some fairly good issues of Miles' own clone saga, with a trio of clones left over from the Ultimatum story. This one comes to a pretty satisfying conclusion, only to have everything ruined by a stupid add-on featuring some idiot called The Bumbler...This is one of the more disorganized story arcs I've ever seen in a collection before. And the artwork varies from competent to simply awful. If Miles Morales is going to be a frontline title, it needs more care than this...
January 15, 2023
I’ll skip the first issues: the first one feels like a saturday morning cartoon down to the art while the second is a King in black tie-in.
The main feat. is the mandatory clone saga. Oddly enough it’s reasonably decent, compacted in 4 issues, no fat, no sugar. Tension, emotion, credible stakes and cool art by Carmen Carnero.
The main feat. is the mandatory clone saga. Oddly enough it’s reasonably decent, compacted in 4 issues, no fat, no sugar. Tension, emotion, credible stakes and cool art by Carmen Carnero.
March 15, 2022
Pra quem pode estar pensando ao ler o subtítulo deste encadernado: "Xiii, vem aí mais uma Saga do Clone, e isso é sinônimo de histórias ruins!", pode ir sem medo na versão Miles Morales da história que não é tão desastrosa e alongada quanto a de Peter Parker. Na verdade se o problema é o de arrastamento, o conflito da versão Miles se resolve em apenas duas edições, as anteriores são parte da preparação e do crescendo do enfrentamento do nosso novo Homem-Aranha com seu trio de clones, que vêm cometendo crimes e assassinatos e pondo a culpa em Miles Morales. Os clones de Miles, na verdade, não são tão "perfeitos" como Ben Reilly era de Peter Parker, mas defeituosos. Um deles é psicopata e sociopata, o outro, tem oito membros e oito olhos e pode controlar mentes, o último, o mais dócil, não consegue manter sua forma e também é um transmorfo. Ao final da saga, o transmorfo acaba ficando ao lado de Miles prometendo a volta do chefe dos clones e muitas outras aventuras dos dois "novos irmãos gêmeos".
July 8, 2022
Wowie Ganke & Barbra!
But also, Miles and Tiana! YAY! I've been waiting for this!
Now that we've got the teenage romance out of the way for now...action! (There's a dragon and a symbiote and Ms. Marvel.)
I like that Miles is keeping his journal again for a second (like earlier volumes) and there's a cute hang-out with Kamala for an issue. But all this feels a bit like filler until we get to the main plot of this book... It's only in issue #25 that we get to see some clone stuff this book is titled after.
The plot: A Spider-Man look-alike has kidnaped a scientist and robbed a warehouse, and everyone thinks it's Miles. :(
Also, Miles finds out about Ganke & Barbra and he does not handle it well at all. :-/
Leading poor Miles to think that all his fighting has been changing him/negatively affecting him as a person, and it's so sad. :(
Anyway, Spider-Man (Miles) has a run-in with Spider-Man (Peter) and then, of course, they team up (yay!) against the imposter Spider-Man (the clone)!
One of Miles' clones is still alive, and he's the one causing all the ruckus around town.
I think Selim brought out a lot of good Spider-Man angst and trouble in this volume, making this a pretty good book overall. It did take a while for the story to get started, but I really liked issues #25-28.
3.5 stars
The end story with Judge's cake was only OK.
Art by Natacha Bustos is not my favorite (at the end & issue #22), but the art gets better with Carmen Carnero (#23-28), including the great representative Brooklynite scene in #25.
But also, Miles and Tiana! YAY! I've been waiting for this!
Now that we've got the teenage romance out of the way for now...action! (There's a dragon and a symbiote and Ms. Marvel.)
I like that Miles is keeping his journal again for a second (like earlier volumes) and there's a cute hang-out with Kamala for an issue. But all this feels a bit like filler until we get to the main plot of this book... It's only in issue #25 that we get to see some clone stuff this book is titled after.
The plot: A Spider-Man look-alike has kidnaped a scientist and robbed a warehouse, and everyone thinks it's Miles. :(
Also, Miles finds out about Ganke & Barbra and he does not handle it well at all. :-/
Leading poor Miles to think that all his fighting has been changing him/negatively affecting him as a person, and it's so sad. :(
Anyway, Spider-Man (Miles) has a run-in with Spider-Man (Peter) and then, of course, they team up (yay!) against the imposter Spider-Man (the clone)!
One of Miles' clones is still alive, and he's the one causing all the ruckus around town.
I think Selim brought out a lot of good Spider-Man angst and trouble in this volume, making this a pretty good book overall. It did take a while for the story to get started, but I really liked issues #25-28.
3.5 stars
The end story with Judge's cake was only OK.
Art by Natacha Bustos is not my favorite (at the end & issue #22), but the art gets better with Carmen Carnero (#23-28), including the great representative Brooklynite scene in #25.
August 9, 2022
miles and kamala?? two pretty best friends😘❤️
April 22, 2022
English/Spanish review:
T'was good. Got a bit scared when I read "Clone Saga" I was like oh Jesus not again. It was a good read,well executioned,not confusing at all and it might have had a nice support cast adition. Miles personal life was finally given some weigh with GANKE GIVING SOME LOW BLOW.
Out of jokes,finally some interaction between em. Dammit I kind of want Miles with Kamala together but at the same time I don't. My man be getting to many girls,where's Gwen???
I'm still annoyed Miles going through all the exact same things that Peter did again and again PLEASE let my guy grow by himself. Ah,and that Black King tie-in was terrible.
KILOMETERS MORALES *WHEEEEEEEZZZ*
Spanish:
Estuvo bueno. Me asusté un poco cuando leí "Clone Saga". Pero fué una buena lectura,bien ejecutada,no confusa en absoluto y puede haber tenido una buena adición de reparto de apoyo. La vida personal de Miles finalmente tomó algo de peso con GANKE DANDO UN GOLPE BAJO.
Fuera de joda,al fin una interacción entre ellos. PTM,quiero a Miles con Kamala juntos,pero al mismo tiempo no. Este chabón está levantandose a muchas chicas, ¿dónde está Gwen?
Todavía me molesta que Miles esté pasando exactamente por lo mismo que Peter una y otra vez POR FAVOR deja que mi chico crezca solo. Ah, y ese tie-in con el Rey Negro fue terrible.
KILOMETERS MORALES *WHEEEEEEEZZZ*
T'was good. Got a bit scared when I read "Clone Saga" I was like oh Jesus not again. It was a good read,well executioned,not confusing at all and it might have had a nice support cast adition. Miles personal life was finally given some weigh with GANKE GIVING SOME LOW BLOW.
Out of jokes,finally some interaction between em. Dammit I kind of want Miles with Kamala together but at the same time I don't. My man be getting to many girls,where's Gwen???
I'm still annoyed Miles going through all the exact same things that Peter did again and again PLEASE let my guy grow by himself. Ah,and that Black King tie-in was terrible.
KILOMETERS MORALES *WHEEEEEEEZZZ*
Spanish:
Estuvo bueno. Me asusté un poco cuando leí "Clone Saga". Pero fué una buena lectura,bien ejecutada,no confusa en absoluto y puede haber tenido una buena adición de reparto de apoyo. La vida personal de Miles finalmente tomó algo de peso con GANKE DANDO UN GOLPE BAJO.
Fuera de joda,al fin una interacción entre ellos. PTM,quiero a Miles con Kamala juntos,pero al mismo tiempo no. Este chabón está levantandose a muchas chicas, ¿dónde está Gwen?
Todavía me molesta que Miles esté pasando exactamente por lo mismo que Peter una y otra vez POR FAVOR deja que mi chico crezca solo. Ah, y ese tie-in con el Rey Negro fue terrible.
KILOMETERS MORALES *WHEEEEEEEZZZ*
February 17, 2022
This was fine, I guess. The art was cool. The story was fine. It was just … aggressively okay. I’m pretty sure I won’t remember anything from this volume by this time tomorrow, which is always a sure sign that the drama was somewhat insubstantial.
October 16, 2022
Was definitely not my favorite, but once you got into the thick of it with the clones (3 issues in…), it was worth it.
Dislikes:
-There are some tacky, dumb characters that have been popping up, like the Frost Pharaoh, that I could do without. But, I guess they’re throwing some stuff in there for the kids, or that’s their attempt at humor, in which case, not my brand of humor.
-Ganke dating Barbara kind of randomly also didn’t feel natural to the character. It felt like they just wanted to give Ganke more of a storyline/give him something to do.
-It’s unclear to me what’s going on with all the C.R.A.D.L.E stuff. I get the gist, but I’m assuming I’d need to read some Ms. Marvel and other stories to get the details.
-Natacha Bustos’ art was not appealing to me and kind of didn’t have the “feel” of Miles. Style just wasn’t for me — was very “basic” for lack of a better word.
Besides that, there was plenty to like:
-Peter helping Miles with the clones was cool. I like that he lends him a hand in the beginning, but at the end of the day, Miles made the choice to fight this battle on his own. I liked the scene of Miles and Peter talking after they both came up short in finding leads on where the clones might be. Miles is frustrated and wants to go back out there and hunt for them all night. Peter is the big brother and tells him he knows that impulse all too well, but, he shouldn’t go another night without sleep and neglect himself. He says, “you have to be Miles, not just Spider-Man. Take it from someone who’s learned the hard way.”
-The writers do a good job of continuing to put Miles’ family at the heart of the story. With his new baby sister, Billie, the stakes are higher in terms of protecting his family.
-The end result was rewarding, with Miles defeating Selim and ending up with a friend/brother in Shift after Mindspinner essentially sacrifices himself. Miles was able to get through to two of the clones and made them see reality in that they all had that “good” in them. They just had to see past the anger Selim preached.
-The very brief scene dealing with the Assessor and what he did to create the clones and seeing them as kids was interesting. I liked seeing that backstory even if it was only a few pages. It made you kind of feel for the clones and understood why they were pissed Miles accidentally destroyed the “cure.”
-The growing friendship between Kamala/Ms. Marvel and Miles - it’s nice Miles has someone else besides Peter that understands what he’s going through and can be someone he trusts and confides in. She also gets him out of his comfort zone and pushes him to have fun - like them playing basketball at the spur of the moment.
Dislikes:
-There are some tacky, dumb characters that have been popping up, like the Frost Pharaoh, that I could do without. But, I guess they’re throwing some stuff in there for the kids, or that’s their attempt at humor, in which case, not my brand of humor.
-Ganke dating Barbara kind of randomly also didn’t feel natural to the character. It felt like they just wanted to give Ganke more of a storyline/give him something to do.
-It’s unclear to me what’s going on with all the C.R.A.D.L.E stuff. I get the gist, but I’m assuming I’d need to read some Ms. Marvel and other stories to get the details.
-Natacha Bustos’ art was not appealing to me and kind of didn’t have the “feel” of Miles. Style just wasn’t for me — was very “basic” for lack of a better word.
Besides that, there was plenty to like:
-Peter helping Miles with the clones was cool. I like that he lends him a hand in the beginning, but at the end of the day, Miles made the choice to fight this battle on his own. I liked the scene of Miles and Peter talking after they both came up short in finding leads on where the clones might be. Miles is frustrated and wants to go back out there and hunt for them all night. Peter is the big brother and tells him he knows that impulse all too well, but, he shouldn’t go another night without sleep and neglect himself. He says, “you have to be Miles, not just Spider-Man. Take it from someone who’s learned the hard way.”
-The writers do a good job of continuing to put Miles’ family at the heart of the story. With his new baby sister, Billie, the stakes are higher in terms of protecting his family.
-The end result was rewarding, with Miles defeating Selim and ending up with a friend/brother in Shift after Mindspinner essentially sacrifices himself. Miles was able to get through to two of the clones and made them see reality in that they all had that “good” in them. They just had to see past the anger Selim preached.
-The very brief scene dealing with the Assessor and what he did to create the clones and seeing them as kids was interesting. I liked seeing that backstory even if it was only a few pages. It made you kind of feel for the clones and understood why they were pissed Miles accidentally destroyed the “cure.”
-The growing friendship between Kamala/Ms. Marvel and Miles - it’s nice Miles has someone else besides Peter that understands what he’s going through and can be someone he trusts and confides in. She also gets him out of his comfort zone and pushes him to have fun - like them playing basketball at the spur of the moment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2021
3.5 rounded up for not just making a carbon copy of the original clone saga.
Miles must try to help three individuals cloned with his powers, all while protecting his new baby sister from the same people.
Miles must try to help three individuals cloned with his powers, all while protecting his new baby sister from the same people.
October 20, 2022
3.5 Stars
November 22, 2021
With a title like "The Clone Saga", we expect the wonderful action and chaos that goes along with Spider-Man whenever the word "clone" comes out. This Volume, while not as insane and in depth as when Peter had to go through it, it is still written well.
Highlights:
- Miles and Starling (Tiana Toomes, granddaughter of Vulture) reveal their identities to each other and begin dating.
- Miles answers a call to arms sent by Ms Marvel to come help fight against the symbiotes, only to find out that she has been possessed by Knull as well. He is able to free her and they spend some post-KiB time helping people around the city. Until...
- A clone of Miles is going around the city starting a bunch of trouble. It actually turns out to be 3 clones: Selim (a very close copy of Miles), Mindspinner (a more spider-like psionic-powered clone) and Shift (a shapeshifter, Clayface-like clone) who were created by Assessor to discover Miles' weaknesses. When Miles takes initiative to take them down, he accidently destroys their antidote. In revenge, they take Miles' baby sister. A showdown ensues and Selim and Mindspinner are killed. Shift, a failed clone and thus less intelligent, makes peace with Miles and is welcomed into the family.
While I did like this Volume, I feel like it was kind of a cheap shot story for Miles. Almost like they don't know what to do with him, so "Let's recycle old Spidey storylines and update them for Miles....". I truly hope this isn't the case.
Other than that point, absolutely recommend.
Highlights:
- Miles and Starling (Tiana Toomes, granddaughter of Vulture) reveal their identities to each other and begin dating.
- Miles answers a call to arms sent by Ms Marvel to come help fight against the symbiotes, only to find out that she has been possessed by Knull as well. He is able to free her and they spend some post-KiB time helping people around the city. Until...
- A clone of Miles is going around the city starting a bunch of trouble. It actually turns out to be 3 clones: Selim (a very close copy of Miles), Mindspinner (a more spider-like psionic-powered clone) and Shift (a shapeshifter, Clayface-like clone) who were created by Assessor to discover Miles' weaknesses. When Miles takes initiative to take them down, he accidently destroys their antidote. In revenge, they take Miles' baby sister. A showdown ensues and Selim and Mindspinner are killed. Shift, a failed clone and thus less intelligent, makes peace with Miles and is welcomed into the family.
While I did like this Volume, I feel like it was kind of a cheap shot story for Miles. Almost like they don't know what to do with him, so "Let's recycle old Spidey storylines and update them for Miles....". I truly hope this isn't the case.
Other than that point, absolutely recommend.
July 21, 2021
Clones in super heroes are never really my thing, but this volume handles it well enough I guess. A rare "meh" entry into Ahmed's Miles Morales comics, but I still really enjoy the line.
March 13, 2025
I grabbed this from the library since I liked Spiderverse and wanted to see more from Miles. This story wasn't nearly as fun or enticing as the movie. This seems to be a western comic trait where things just sort of happen at a break neck pace. Or maybe its more Marvel and DC because graphic novels don't do this. Personally, it makes it hard for me to get into the stories.
The beginning has random villains showing up that are dealt with within 2 pages. First is Frost Pharoah. Who is he, doesn't matter, he's knocked out. Wait there's a dragon. A symbiote dragon. Why? Never mind, he's knocked out too. Now he's friendly and takes Miles to fight a super symbiote Ms. Marvel. Why?? Not important, he beat her in two blasts. This is more me not knowing enough about the Marvel Universe, but this creature would be more unsettling if I knew what it was. Apparently Knull is the creator of the symbiotes. Why is the creator of symbiotes attacking people? None of it is important. Its only after these random encounters that the actual clone story starts and the pacing slows down to a more sensible speed.
Overall, not my favorite. This is also a running theme that I like the side story comic at the end of the issue more than the actual issue. Big Time Buzzkill was a cute snippet. If anything, I would have liked this as an intro instead of the mess of villains at the start. Having small time villains trying dumb things to get famous like an influencer sounds like an interesting side story. I liked that they actually got someone to write accurate dialogue instead of letting corporate pretend to be a teenager. Corporate using slang usually doesn't end well but this time it worked.
One thing I do like that it has a little index of which books to read to get more from Miles' story. Back to the library it goes.
The beginning has random villains showing up that are dealt with within 2 pages. First is Frost Pharoah. Who is he, doesn't matter, he's knocked out. Wait there's a dragon. A symbiote dragon. Why? Never mind, he's knocked out too. Now he's friendly and takes Miles to fight a super symbiote Ms. Marvel. Why?? Not important, he beat her in two blasts. This is more me not knowing enough about the Marvel Universe, but this creature would be more unsettling if I knew what it was. Apparently Knull is the creator of the symbiotes. Why is the creator of symbiotes attacking people? None of it is important. Its only after these random encounters that the actual clone story starts and the pacing slows down to a more sensible speed.
Overall, not my favorite. This is also a running theme that I like the side story comic at the end of the issue more than the actual issue. Big Time Buzzkill was a cute snippet. If anything, I would have liked this as an intro instead of the mess of villains at the start. Having small time villains trying dumb things to get famous like an influencer sounds like an interesting side story. I liked that they actually got someone to write accurate dialogue instead of letting corporate pretend to be a teenager. Corporate using slang usually doesn't end well but this time it worked.
One thing I do like that it has a little index of which books to read to get more from Miles' story. Back to the library it goes.
August 22, 2022
For me as a reader of comics, as a long-time fan of Spider-Man and someone who has enjoyed the Miles Morales character pretty much from when he came blazing onto the scene, this entire by Saladin Ahmed has been an absolute blast and I've enjoyed it at most every step.
That is until we got to this set of issues.
To allay any misunderstanding, this is not to say that the story is a bad one - in fact, the very nature of it being just a few issues long and with a clearly defined start and finish already puts it miles ahead of its namesake Spidey-story. The original gave us some major fan favourite things like Ben Reilly and all, but the spider-franchise and cloning have often been highly divisive and rarely (if ever) been high-points and that seems to be a continuing trend with this arc.
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
Overall the writing is brisk and tight and we even get another cameo from Peter Parker in the story, but overall its all about Miles and this time HE is the cloned one.
The saving grace to a small extent is that the story when it hits is in its own way a more plausible path and hearkens back to the early arc of this series - which was for me also one of the best and more grueling Miles stories I've ever read, wherein the horrific new A.I called The Assessor, hands down one of the most creepy and macabre-ly interesting villains in a while. It makes sense that an A.I whose purpose is to test their subjects limits and to push the boundaries would have taken the samples collected from Miles and grown more as backups to do even more varied (and vile) tests on just to see what happens.
So the premise was a one that I rate higher. But I did feel it lost something by coming back quite so fast. I mean it's not even 10 issues between the capture of Miles by Assessor and this explosion on the scene of his dopple-gangers.
The art however, continues to be a major winner with the team having a real feel for the source material and for the Spider-action - I particularly enjoyed the designs and visual representations of the clones themselves, it was nicely handled.
The short run-time also does have the negative side effect of being one that is unable to develop any but one of the clones and with the way the story ends, it is kind of... deflated...? I can't think of a better word but that seems to hit what I'm aiming for here.
It's like a short and intense story that felt oddly out of placed and perhaps a tad premature. The art saves the day and there is a nice touch for Miles in the aftermath but overall it was a mediocre story that is unlikely to be memorable or a major touchstone at all for Miles except for the connection to Assessor who I anticipate being a good villain in the future of the 616 universe.
That is until we got to this set of issues.
To allay any misunderstanding, this is not to say that the story is a bad one - in fact, the very nature of it being just a few issues long and with a clearly defined start and finish already puts it miles ahead of its namesake Spidey-story. The original gave us some major fan favourite things like Ben Reilly and all, but the spider-franchise and cloning have often been highly divisive and rarely (if ever) been high-points and that seems to be a continuing trend with this arc.
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
Overall the writing is brisk and tight and we even get another cameo from Peter Parker in the story, but overall its all about Miles and this time HE is the cloned one.
The saving grace to a small extent is that the story when it hits is in its own way a more plausible path and hearkens back to the early arc of this series - which was for me also one of the best and more grueling Miles stories I've ever read, wherein the horrific new A.I called The Assessor, hands down one of the most creepy and macabre-ly interesting villains in a while. It makes sense that an A.I whose purpose is to test their subjects limits and to push the boundaries would have taken the samples collected from Miles and grown more as backups to do even more varied (and vile) tests on just to see what happens.
So the premise was a one that I rate higher. But I did feel it lost something by coming back quite so fast. I mean it's not even 10 issues between the capture of Miles by Assessor and this explosion on the scene of his dopple-gangers.
The art however, continues to be a major winner with the team having a real feel for the source material and for the Spider-action - I particularly enjoyed the designs and visual representations of the clones themselves, it was nicely handled.
The short run-time also does have the negative side effect of being one that is unable to develop any but one of the clones and with the way the story ends, it is kind of... deflated...? I can't think of a better word but that seems to hit what I'm aiming for here.
It's like a short and intense story that felt oddly out of placed and perhaps a tad premature. The art saves the day and there is a nice touch for Miles in the aftermath but overall it was a mediocre story that is unlikely to be memorable or a major touchstone at all for Miles except for the connection to Assessor who I anticipate being a good villain in the future of the 616 universe.
July 22, 2023
I liked "The Clone Saga" overall, but it was a bit rushed. One of the first things that was rushed was the aftermath of Aaron's passing. There were a couple of scenes that showed Miles' grief, and one scene of the death getting to him, but not many. Given how important Aaron was to Miles, it felt a bit rushed.
So were the first couple of stories. There was a fun team up with Starling and I like how Starling and Miles/Spider-Man got to know each other more, but the battle with Frost Pharaoh went by too quickly. So did the evolution of Miles' and Tiana/Starling's relationship. Ditto for Ganke and Barbara's relationship. The next issue went through some battles with symbiotes taking control of various individuals, including Ms. Marvel and a dragon. However, they went by a bit too quickly.
Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the story that came afterwards. Miles and Kamala hung out. They're so cute together and both have such great chemistry and a wonderful friendship. It was fun seeing them chat and play basketball using their powers. Plus, it was awesome seeing them work together to save lives.
The main story came afterwards. It involved some clones impersonating Miles as Spider-Man and wrecking havoc - including attacking laboratories - throughout the city. The explanation for why they chose to do this is something I have mixed feelings about. I get most of their motives, and I know they see Miles as an obstacle. They also have a great backstory. The confrontations between Miles and the clones are well-written and the last battle was well-written. However, I felt that the motives for doing what they could to smear Miles' reputation could've been fleshed out more.
Overall, The Clone Saga was an enjoyable, but also rushed book. There were some great action scenes. The story with Miles and Kamala was great. The artwork was solid too. I like how Ganke assisted throughout and the overall stories were good. However, the stories themselves were a bit rushed and I have mixed views about the characterization of the clones. That made the pacing a bit too fast. Still, it is a fun read altogether.
So were the first couple of stories. There was a fun team up with Starling and I like how Starling and Miles/Spider-Man got to know each other more, but the battle with Frost Pharaoh went by too quickly. So did the evolution of Miles' and Tiana/Starling's relationship. Ditto for Ganke and Barbara's relationship. The next issue went through some battles with symbiotes taking control of various individuals, including Ms. Marvel and a dragon. However, they went by a bit too quickly.
Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the story that came afterwards. Miles and Kamala hung out. They're so cute together and both have such great chemistry and a wonderful friendship. It was fun seeing them chat and play basketball using their powers. Plus, it was awesome seeing them work together to save lives.
The main story came afterwards. It involved some clones impersonating Miles as Spider-Man and wrecking havoc - including attacking laboratories - throughout the city. The explanation for why they chose to do this is something I have mixed feelings about. I get most of their motives, and I know they see Miles as an obstacle. They also have a great backstory. The confrontations between Miles and the clones are well-written and the last battle was well-written. However, I felt that the motives for doing what they could to smear Miles' reputation could've been fleshed out more.
Overall, The Clone Saga was an enjoyable, but also rushed book. There were some great action scenes. The story with Miles and Kamala was great. The artwork was solid too. I like how Ganke assisted throughout and the overall stories were good. However, the stories themselves were a bit rushed and I have mixed views about the characterization of the clones. That made the pacing a bit too fast. Still, it is a fun read altogether.
October 19, 2022
Uh oh? A Spider-Man book called "Clone Saga"? PTSD....
...but then it's...okay pretty darn good? That's in no small part because THIS Clone Saga is barely a saga. It's three out of the five issues of stuff here, with the first two being fun standalones (well, the second one is a King in Black tie-in). Ultimately, we're still dealing with Miles' trauma from Ultimatum and the Assessor, so while I don't really love how modern comics just put out TPBs every five issues, instead of waiting for larger overall overarching stories to finish and collecting 30 or however many issues into larger releases, but I am absolutely digging how Ahmed seems to be pretty focused on telling this story that sort of began way back in Spider-Men II and is committed to resolving all the possible threads of the alternate Miles Morales. It's pretty good long-form storytelling for a comic. At least so far. Hopefully it has a fitting conclusion ultimately. I don't read the monthlies, so I'm going to wind up waiting until the TPB of Vol. 8 hits in December. Looking forward to seeing how this all wraps up as Ahmed's run is about to come to an end.
...but then it's...okay pretty darn good? That's in no small part because THIS Clone Saga is barely a saga. It's three out of the five issues of stuff here, with the first two being fun standalones (well, the second one is a King in Black tie-in). Ultimately, we're still dealing with Miles' trauma from Ultimatum and the Assessor, so while I don't really love how modern comics just put out TPBs every five issues, instead of waiting for larger overall overarching stories to finish and collecting 30 or however many issues into larger releases, but I am absolutely digging how Ahmed seems to be pretty focused on telling this story that sort of began way back in Spider-Men II and is committed to resolving all the possible threads of the alternate Miles Morales. It's pretty good long-form storytelling for a comic. At least so far. Hopefully it has a fitting conclusion ultimately. I don't read the monthlies, so I'm going to wind up waiting until the TPB of Vol. 8 hits in December. Looking forward to seeing how this all wraps up as Ahmed's run is about to come to an end.
February 9, 2022
Shortest Clone Saga ever. It's contained within this book. No sweeping 30 issue crossover BS.
This hits near a 5 star mark, based on the writing of Saladin Ahmed. He really fleshes out a Miles that is current, present, and real. Sadly, the art on this just hangs on this issue. First "issue" of this collection looks out of place in the series, stylistically. This series, i feel, has a Ganke thermostat. If the character is drawn consistently then you're going to get a higher rating/score. So, it's sad to say that this issue keeps falling back on inconsistent character portrayals.
Bonus: Spidey team up and even a fight. Selim is also Miles spelled backwards. I don't know what they're doing trying to be all, 'ohhh look. this character is smart and multilingual' hahaha
This hits near a 5 star mark, based on the writing of Saladin Ahmed. He really fleshes out a Miles that is current, present, and real. Sadly, the art on this just hangs on this issue. First "issue" of this collection looks out of place in the series, stylistically. This series, i feel, has a Ganke thermostat. If the character is drawn consistently then you're going to get a higher rating/score. So, it's sad to say that this issue keeps falling back on inconsistent character portrayals.
Bonus: Spidey team up and even a fight. Selim is also Miles spelled backwards. I don't know what they're doing trying to be all, 'ohhh look. this character is smart and multilingual' hahaha
February 18, 2022
Miles Morales finally gets himself a proper clone problem, and of course, it's a doozy. And while this is a continuation from the previous storyline, it's in this book that he has to deal with a full clone situation. And you can never have just one clone, of course.
There are some heavy moments in this arc and I appreciate what Ahmed is trying to craft here. There's a some nuanced levels to this story that tie who Miles is and who his clones are as individuals - and maybe who they're not. But things don't drag on too long - things are mostly resolved in this volume. And I'm not sure if that was sufficient for what this arc could have been.
Then again, Spider-Man stories have dealt with clones more than enough.
There are some heavy moments in this arc and I appreciate what Ahmed is trying to craft here. There's a some nuanced levels to this story that tie who Miles is and who his clones are as individuals - and maybe who they're not. But things don't drag on too long - things are mostly resolved in this volume. And I'm not sure if that was sufficient for what this arc could have been.
Then again, Spider-Man stories have dealt with clones more than enough.
April 3, 2022
I’m probably upscoring this because a) I played Miles Morales during winter recess this past year and b) I didn’t fully realize I was jumping midway into an in-progress series and so any oversights or holes in the plot were attributed to my lack of contextual knowledge. I did like that Peter Parker made his way into this and I’d love to see more of Starling. This Ganke and Miles are familiar, but both oddly lack the charm of their characters from the Sony video games. I’m actually a bit curious where this goes from here, especially regarding Shift. Also was a bit confused about how this fit into the King in Black event since elements did appear here but nothing really full-sale or clearly focused on Knull and the symbiotes.
April 15, 2023
Really a book of 2 halves for me one being poor while the other being very good.
Pros:
- 2nd half and core clone story is very good - page turner, good art and fast paced - if the whole book had been this quality it would have been an easy 4 stars
- spider-man !
- resolves some of the inner turmoil miles has been facing in a pretty decent way
Cons:
- first half is poor - really 1 / 2 star material on show. It’s teen angst focussed and the predicaments presented to them were just not all that exciting
- these team-ups with starling / ms marvel are pretty painful stuff for me though can see how they would have wider appeal
- not overly convinced by the ending - seemed just a little bit too simplistic
Pros:
- 2nd half and core clone story is very good - page turner, good art and fast paced - if the whole book had been this quality it would have been an easy 4 stars
- spider-man !
- resolves some of the inner turmoil miles has been facing in a pretty decent way
Cons:
- first half is poor - really 1 / 2 star material on show. It’s teen angst focussed and the predicaments presented to them were just not all that exciting
- these team-ups with starling / ms marvel are pretty painful stuff for me though can see how they would have wider appeal
- not overly convinced by the ending - seemed just a little bit too simplistic
June 23, 2022
This was interesting! Ahmed’s control of his characterization is really good.
The clone issue in this volume took up most of it and, unfortunately, was kind of underwhelming for me. I’m also not about this Ganke versus Miles thing that has been started, why can’t we just be happy for our friends? Yet also it’s true to teenage drama so… we suffer for realism.
Seeing Peter and Miles fight together was a treat though. And Shift is a super interesting new element that I hope we see more of in the coming volumes! The final battle of the clones was well done and I wonder what new overarching issue Ahmed will conjure next.
The clone issue in this volume took up most of it and, unfortunately, was kind of underwhelming for me. I’m also not about this Ganke versus Miles thing that has been started, why can’t we just be happy for our friends? Yet also it’s true to teenage drama so… we suffer for realism.
Seeing Peter and Miles fight together was a treat though. And Shift is a super interesting new element that I hope we see more of in the coming volumes! The final battle of the clones was well done and I wonder what new overarching issue Ahmed will conjure next.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews