This article contains spoilers for Miles Morales: Spider-Man #1, on sale now from Marvel Comics.
It seems as though sometimes it’s a prerequisite for all those gifted with spider powers to also have the curse of bad luck. More commonly known as the “Parker luck”, despite all his amazing abilities, Peter is no stranger to this. But in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #1 (by Cody Ziglar, Federico Vicentini, Bryan Valenza, and VC’s Corey Petit), Miles Morales is struggling like never before, and it might be more than just bad luck.
On the outside, it may be easy to think that someone with super-strength, who can climb walls, zap criminals, and can sense trouble before it happens is living a charmed life. But Miles has been Spider-Man long enough to know that there’s more to being a hero than just being able to stop a villain. As Miles repeats Uncle Ben’s famous words “With great power there must also come great responsibility”, he realizes that what he’s struggling with is coming from within and might be his greatest battle yet.
Miles Morales’ Biggest Battle May Be With Himself
As Miles Morales swings into action against Scorpion, he’s wearing his old suit with fresh upgrades. He’s got his trademark plucky wit and appears to be all-around energized. But as his day goes on it turns out to be much different than how it started. After taking out the Scorpion and saving a girl’s life, he’s berated by Agent Gao of the PDNY for being a vigilante, he’s made an example of by his teacher, and ultimately, suspended from school.
When it comes to dealing with the stress of his personal life and his superhero life, Miles has always straddled a line between openly dealing with it and shoving some of it down. In one of the most sincere and heartfelt moments in Miles Morales’ career as Spider-Man, he makes a desperate attempt to catch his breath as he pauses on a rooftop to call his parents. It’s a move that he doesn’t always resort to but one of, if not his most valuable powers is that of his bond with his family.
As he talks with his parents, he unburdens himself of the day and confides how stressed he is with his role as Spider-Man. He admits to feeling like he’s losing himself amidst his struggle to just do good in the world. Any character allowing themselves to be this vulnerable is something not often seen in the superhero community. And Miles has struggled before, but he’s up against himself now, tangled in a web of responsibility as a hero and his responsibility to himself.
Miles Morales Appears to be Losing Control of His Spider-Man Powers
Though his talk with his parents is cathartic and may have reinforced the anchor of support he has available to him in his life, it wasn’t enough. Miles’ day ends with him losing control of the C-list villain, Bumbler, as he takes out his frustrations in a fit of rage. But Miles has always been good with self-control, and when that fails, gaining perspective on situations that he could have handled differently. He immediately realizes that he almost killed Bumbler and once again takes time to center himself. But right now, Miles doesn’t have the one person he looks to the most in times of doubt and despair.
Peter Parker is gone right now, and no one knows the down-on-your-luck side of being a superhero better than Pete. However, Miles’ humility and willingness to allow himself so vulnerable and to use his support network, is a superpower for sure. One thing that has been proven over time is that no one can be a Spider-Man on their own. But what is going on with Miles is something that has festered inside for a while now, and one of the most important things Miles could do is realize that regardless of his powers, his true responsibility is to himself. Simply put - Miles can’t be his best for others or himself until he realizes that his luck is what he makes it.