WARNING: the following contains spoilers for One Piece: Ace's Story, Vol 1, written by Sho Hamazaki and Stephen Paul, published by Viz Media
Portgas D. Ace is well-known as a beloved member of Whitebeard's crew. The Whitebeard Pirates consist of fleets of pirate ships, all loyal to the magnificent pirate Whitebeard, who, much like Ace, would eventually be slain. However, before ever meeting Whitebeard, Ace had his own crew: the Spade Pirates. But what do we know about the Spade Pirates? And where did they go after Ace merged with Whitebeard's crew?
The Origins
The Spade Pirates got their start after Ace and Masked Deuce escaped on their newly formed pirate ship, the Striker. From there, Ace's acts of piracy draw people to him, one by one, many of whom have yet to actually appear in the One Piece manga at all, if they ever will. Among these core members drawn to Ace are Mihar, Skull, Ganryu, Finamore, Saber, Aggie 68, Ducky Bree and many others.
While these colorful characters have relatively little in common, they all share one thing: a profound devotion to and admiration of Ace. Skull in particular is a pirate enthusiast who, unlike the rest of Ace's crew, has never appeared outside the light novels centered around Ace. He's a devoted loyalist who helped save Ace and Deuce's life from bounty hunters attacking the ship.
Another vital member is Mihar, who is one of the few members who respects Deuce as a pirate and not just some second-fiddle to Ace. Deuce, Mihar and Skull serve as the strategists behind most of Ace's various schemes, providing vital feedback for Ace to progress, against both bounty hunters and the Marines.
The crew went on several adventures, fighting against the Marines and Bounty Hunters, before eventually traveling to Wano, encountering young Tama, who would grow up to idolize Ace.
What Happened to Them
The majority of the Spade Pirates are still alive. When Whitebeard assimilated the Spade Pirates into his greater crew, many of them found new roles on the ship. Their status since the Whitebeard Pirates' collapse following the death of Whitebeard remains a mystery, but it's presumed they made it out OK, as the Whitebeard Pirates managed to survive following the death of their leader and consequent revenge quest against Marshall D. Teach.
Much like the rest of the Whitebeard Pirates, they might be retired and relaxing around the world, perhaps waiting for the right reason to come out of retirement. What if the thing that brings them out of retirement would be joining Luffy and the Straw Hats as they sets out to finally claim One Piece, or some final battle with the Marines for the sanctity of piratehood?
At the moment, Ace's Spade Pirates are a memory of the past. However, they might still play a role in the future of One Piece, especially as the story gradually ramps up to a final confrontation.