It has been nearly 15 years since the beloved Marvel hero Miles Morales debuted in 2011’s Ultimate Fallout #4, and the iconic Spider-Man legacy character remains one of the most popular heroes in comics. With a seemingly never-ending supply of ongoing comic series, and a starring role in the Spider-Verse animated series, Miles Morales just needs to debut in the MCU to reach peak public awareness. Marvel’s new Miles Morales: Spider-Man Modern Era Epic Collection: Hero in Training trade paperback is the perfect way to reflect on how far Miles has come, and how much he has grown.
This Epic Collection collects material from Ultimate Fallout #4, establishing Peter Parker’s death post-Ultimatum, as well as the first 12 issues of Ultimate Comics Spider-Man (2011) and all five issues of the first installment of Spider-Men (2012). Brian Michael Bendis wrote every comic in the collection, and crafted a wonderful introduction to a “replacement Spider-Man” who has remained a fan-favorite for almost two decades.
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I read Miles’ debut series years ago, after reading Secret Wars and immediately gaining interest in the likable web-slinger, partly because of his characterization by Bendis, but also because of the art from Sara Pichelli, whose emotive illustrations really shine in this collection. Before reading this Epic Collection, the only series from the original Ultimate Marvel imprint I had read were Miles’ initial storylines, but re-reading this collection inspired me to read all of Ultimate X-Men and The Ultimates, something I am… glad I did? I think?
Miles Morales is such a lovely character, a very realistic depiction of a young man torn between multiple sides of his life, and may be even more approachable as a character than Peter Parker. From his tragic interactions with his uncle The Prowler to his sweet friendship with Ganke, Morales’ first foray into heroism is intense, meaningful, and filled with hope. It makes perfect sense that Miles was the one hero to be transitioned into the mainline Earth-616 universe after Secret Wars. Marvel would have made a huge mistake if they had let Miles’ potential slip through their fingers.
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My only real gripe with this collection – because at the end of the day, this is a review of the collection, not of the 15-year-old comics – is that I think it really could have benefited from a foreword, or some more behind-the-scenes documentation. The debut of Miles Morales’ is an iconic moment in modern Marvel Comics, and I think this collection deserves to be recognized as an important part of the Spider-Man legacy. I recently reviewed the new Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet trade from Marvel’s new Premier line, which included a lovely introduction from rapper and activist Killer Mike. I wish that this Miles Morales trade included something similar.
I loved re-reading these comics, and I think that presenting them together in this Modern Era Epic Collection format is a great way for new readers, or major fans of Miles Morales, to digest his debut tales. Plus, Spider-Men includes some heartbreaking but beautiful scenes between Earth-616 Peter Parker and Earth-6160 May Parker. If you haven’t read it, you definitely should. I am excited for Miles to get more Epic Collection trades, as the beloved young hero deserves this special Marvel treatment, as do his fans.
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