WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Spider-Man #236, by Brian Bendis, Oscar Bazaldua, Brian Reber and Cory Petit, on sale now.
The Marvel Legacy era of Spider-Man has seen Miles Morales' rogues gallery increase in size thanks to a new iteration of the Sinister Six, a crew led by a mysterious individual dressed in a modified version of the Iron Spider suit. Of course, readers discovered the new Iron Spider held a personal connection to Miles when it was revealed his uncle Aaron Davis was back from the dead and under the mask.
The details of Aaron's resurrection and appearance in the Marvel Prime Universe are unknown at this time, but he's wasted no time recruiting Sandman, Electro, the Spot, Hobgoblin and Bombshell (another Ultimate U refugee) to pull off the score of a lifetime: stealing a decommissioned S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.
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So far, Miles and Aaron have managed to avoid one another, but it was only a matter of time before the two crossed paths. It finally happened in Spider-Man #236 from Brian Bendis, Oscar Bazaldua, Brian Reber and Cory Petit -- but instead of a one-on-one confrontation, Miles and Aaron's reunion turned into a tag team affair.
Family Feud, Spider-Man Style
Even if Miles knew his uncle was alive, he's recently had enough to worry about in his personal life. The young superhero is experiencing an identity crisis when it comes to carrying on the name of Spider-Man, his mother isn't speaking to him after learning his secret, and his father is once again an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. If that wasn't enough, Miles has gotten himself in the middle of a mother-daughter spat as his friend Lana deals with her freshly-released-from-jail mom Lori wanting to get their crime duo, the Bombshells, back together.
Lana tries to talk some sense into her mother, but Lori is only interested in working with her daughter because their powers are stronger when they're together. After some arguing on a rooftop, Miles decides to insert himself into the discussion on the behalf of Lana. The only problem is the adult Bombshell also has a Spider-Man up her sleeve as the Iron Spider appears.
Remember, at this point Miles isn't aware that the Iron Spider is his uncle Aaron. As far as Miles is concerned, this is a case of copyright infringement gone horribly wrong, which he makes sure to voice out loud. Lana takes the opportunity to get the drop on her mother, taking her out of the fight with an explosive blast and leaving us with a spider vs. spider throwdown.
Do I Know You?
Part of the earlier Bombshells' fight left Aaron blasted halfway down the street. He could have easily begun his getaway, but deep down the criminal formerly known as the Prowler knew this confrontation with his nephew Miles was happening for a reason. "I came back because I saw this for what it is," Aaron said. "A test." Deep down in his heart, Aaron knew if he was going to make a serious push as the new Iron Spider, he'd have to confront Miles sooner or later. This dialogue leaves Miles wondering do they know one another, even contemplating if this Iron Spider is himself from an alternate future.
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Meanwhile, Lana is watching this scuffle from up above and offers a helping hand with a blast of her powers, leaving Spider-Man and the Iron Spider stunned on the street below (with Aaron taking his mask on in the process). Miles takes this opportunity to use his newly-discovered powers to tie Aaron up, allowing him to learn the Iron Spider's true identity at last.
Learning his uncle Aaron is the Iron Spider leaves Miles physically stunned, a reaction Bazaldua and Reber illustrate perfectly. The moment is captured with a close-up of Spider-Man's mask, his enlarged eyes speaking volumes through the lenses. The issue ends with Aaron using this moment to his advantage by knocking Miles unconscious, reapplying his mask as he stands above his nephew, contemplating his next move.
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In the Ultimate Universe, Aaron's death occurred in large part due to his battle against his nephew Miles. The answer to how he's alive and in the Marvel Prime reality may not be answered right away, with Bendis perhaps choosing to focus on the family drama in the here and now. Will the Iron Spider and Mama Bombshell take Spider-Man hostage, leaving Lana to seek help from Miles' friends (Goldballs and Ganke)? Or will Aaron look to remain focused on keeping the Sinister Six on the task of stealing the Helicarrier? Spider-Man #237 should hopefully provide these answers.