When the story of a new, Black Spider-Man first made headlines, there was a lot of hype surrounding him before he even appeared in a single panel. Before he’d even been able to do anything, fans were proclaiming him an important character who would change the Marvel Universe.
Miles Morales Mask
While he wants to be a normal teen, Miles’ life gets interrupted by the burglarized spider who bites him and bestows him with superhuman powers. After witnessing the death of his idol, Peter Parker, and blaming himself for not using his powers to help him, Miles decides to take on the mantle of Spider-Man. He initially fights crime in a makeshift costume, but once S.H.I.E.L.D. recognizes his dedication to the cause, they reward him with a uniform that reflects his Afro-Latino heritage and cultural identity.
Miles’ abilities include proportionate strength, superhuman durability, and the ability to camouflage. He also possesses the power to direct bio-electric energy like a sting, which allows him to stun enemies or damage nearby devices. He often partners with his friend Ganke Lee and the other heroes displaced from Earth-616, as well as with a younger version of himself from his own reality who becomes a mentor to him.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, 2018) is a critically acclaimed film that has received accolades for its representational inclusivity. However, its explicit theme that “anyone can wear the mask” functions less to legitimize Miles as Spider-Man than to ensure his subordination to Parker, who remains the franchise’s ideal of the real hero. Miles Morales Mask