There’s hope that Spider-Man: Miles Morales will take up the top spot in the best games ever made about the superhero. The hype behind the title’s release has had the effect of bringing notice to the main character as well, with fans wanting to know about his background.
It’s best to learn about the comic book version of Miles Morales before the game’s release, as many points are expected to be reflected here. Miles has had such a unique rise to fame that several facts will change the way you see this incarnation of Spider-Man. Read on further to know about important things connected to Miles Morales.
10 He Made His Comic Book Debut In 2011
A misconception around the character is that he’s been around since 2000. This was due to Ultimate Spider-Man debuting that year, a comic book series in which Miles Morales was first seen. It’s a surprise, then, that the character has made such an impact despite not even being a decade old.
Morales was created by comic book writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Sara Pichelli. While his first appearance was in August 2011’s Ultimate Fallout #4, Miles’ backstory was revealed September 2011’s Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man.
9 He Was Originally Exclusive To The Ultimate Marvel Universe
The character didn’t achieve true mainstream popularity until Spider-Man PS4 and the Oscar-winning film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The reason for his lower profile was because Miles was exclusive to Ultimate Universe, which was an alternate reality to the mainstream comic book continuity that is Earth-616.
Miles was the successor to the Ultimate Universe Peter Parker, who was killed off in the Death of Spider-Man arc. The main universe Peter Parker did come across Miles when he traveled to the Ultimate Universe, which was significant in communicating to Miles that there were other realities.
8 The Inspiration For The Character Was Actor Donald Glover
Donald Glover’s appearance as Aaron Davis in Spider-Man: Homecoming was supposed to be a reference toward his role in the creation of Miles Morales. Creator Brian Bendis was influenced by Glover’s appearance in an episode of Community wearing Spider-Man pajamas.
There was even a push from fans to get Glover cast as the character for The Amazing Spider-Man. This inspired Bendis to incorporate elements he discerned from Glover into the mannerisms of Miles Morales in the comics.
7 His Arch Enemy Is The Prowler
One of the villains to make an appearance in the next game should be the Prowler. While this villain is unspectacular in the area of power -- he doesn’t have any — he’s seen as the main enemy of Miles Morales. This comes down to the history between the two characters.
In the Ultimate universe, the Prowler was the alias for Aaron Davis, who was Miles’ uncle. The latter grew up respecting Davis but stopped when he realized his uncle was a villain at heart. This made the embittered Davis take on his nephew in his Prowler persona, in what then became a family rivalry.
6 Miles Was Reluctant To Be A Superhero
One of the mistakes the new game needs to fix from the previous one is making the main character too cheery. After all, Miles isn’t the happy-go-lucky person Peter is, something that started out within the comics. Unlike Peter, Miles wasn’t fond of risking his life others, as shown in Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man 3.
Miles got his powers when bitten by a radioactive spider in his uncle’s apartment, and wasn’t in favor of leaving his normal life just because of an accident. It was when he witnessed Peter’s death that the guilt of his unwillingness to help kicked in and forced him to become Spider-Man.
5 He Comes From A Diverse Ethnic Background
Miles Morales has been a popular character due to his being a representation of multiple backgrounds. The character is Afro-Latino, being the son of Jefferson Davis and Rio Morales. This makes him one of the few biracial leading superheroes out there. It’s also interesting to note that he isn’t known as Miles Davis.
Instead, the character carries his mother’s surname as his own, although it’s hard to ascertain why that is in the Spider-Man PS4 universe. The comics showed a rather fragile relationship between Miles and his father, but the game universe had Jefferson be a great parent.
4 His Spider-Sense Is Precognitive In Nature
A factor in gameplay that can be improved upon in Spider-Man: Miles Morales is by giving the character his unique Spider-Sense. The comics show his version of this ability to be precognitive in nature, a departure from Peter’s whose is simply instinct.
Miles’ Spider-Sense is such that he has visions that show him what the nature of the threat approaching him is supposed to be. This has proven instrumental in him mapping out his strategy against villains by using his precognitive abilities to his advantage.
3 The Prime And Ultimate Universe Miles Morales Switched Places
There were many great villains in the previous game, but it would be cooler if Miles Morales has the main character fighting himself. This is possible because the comic book version’s Earth-616 counterpart was a criminal and an ally of the Kingpin in the Ultimate universe.
This Miles was a full-grown adult with a scarred face, who was a part of the Kingpin’s rise in power. Eventually, the younger Miles was carried over to Earth-616 while the older one went to the Ultimate universe after finding out his deceased lover was alive in this reality.
2 He Was In A Relationship With A Version Of Hawkeye
References to other universes are one of the things fans want to see in the next game. It will be a cool addition if Katie Bishop shows up, who was the girlfriend of Miles Morales in the Ultimate universe. Bishop is a version of Kate Bishop, who went on to become Hawkeye.
This relationship ended in the Ultimate universe when Miles felt he was putting Katie in too much danger, and it appeared as if Katie’s existence was wiped out when the two universe’s merged. Having her appear in Miles Morales would be a nice nod toward acknowledging this.
1 Two Major Powers Separate Him From Peter Parker
Abilities the suits in the next game need to deliver are the ones the comic book Miles Morales has. Two abilities in particular set him apart from Peter Parker. The first is Miles’ ability to seamlessly camouflage himself, to the point where he pretty much becomes invisible.
The second is his “venom strike,” something that paralyzes his opponents upon touch. This is achieved by Miles channeling built-up energy in his gloves, and is useful in breaking binds and incapacitating enemies.