Biracial (and all-around awesome) hero Miles Morales is back as Spider-Man in the Marvel Comics Universe
Although the name “Peter Parker” has been associated with Spidey for as long as we can remember, times have changed, and we’re all SUPER excited for an alternate comic book line that will be coming out oh-so-soon. . . featuring Spider-Man, aka Miles Morales.
Miles Morales is the teen son of a Puerto Rican mother and an African-American father, New York Daily News reports. And yes, he was also bitten by a radioactive spider (just a different one).
Miles replaced the murdered Peter in Marvel’s offshoot “Ultimate” line back in 2011. When the news broke out that Marvel would be creating new Spidey reboots for its Cinematic Universe, social media immediately started rooting for Miles to be featured in the films instead of Peter. And although Miles won’t be on the big screen in the near future, Marvel listened with their event series “Secret Wars,” and Miles is getting a promotion to the official Marvel Comics Universe.
“Our message has to be it’s not Spider-Man with an asterisk,” writer and co-creator Brian Bendis told New York Daily News. “It’s the real Spider-Man for kids of color, for adults of color and everybody else.”
There’s been a lot of talk about more diversity and inclusiveness in comics. IRL, heroes come from all different backgrounds, nationalities, races, genders, sexual orientations, you name it… yet this diversity does not reflect in mainstream media. Though there has been more diversity in comics as of late, there’s still a lot more that must be done.
“Many kids of color who when they were playing superheroes with their friends, their friends wouldn’t let them be Batman or Superman because they don’t look like those heroes, but they could be Spider-Man because anyone could be under that mask,” Bendis told New York Daily News. “But now it’s true. It’s meant a great deal to a great many people.”
According to the New York Daily News, the importance of Miles Morales and his story didn’t totally hit Bendis until quite recently. Bendis is a father to four children, two of whom are of color. His 4-year-old adopted African-American daughter saw a Miles Morales Spiderman mask in a toy aisle at the store, put it on, and told her father, “Look Daddy, I’m Spider-Man!”
“I started crying in the middle of the aisle,” Bendis explained. “I realized my kids are going to grow up in a world that has a multi-racial Spider-Man, and an African American Captain America, and a female Thor.”
Finally, it looks as though comics are starting to adapt to the times, and we could not be happier. It’s essential to bring more diversity to our media, and we’re so happy that Marvel is taking a step in that direction. Miles Morales is TOTALLY our new favorite superhero. Peter Parker, step aside, because Miles’ Spidey senses are tingling. He’s got some serious butt to kick.
