Miles Morales, Staten Island, and the Spider-Man Generation – Collectors Confessions

Miles Morales, Staten Island, and the Spider-Man Generation

By Chad Farley
Collectors Confessions LLC

Recently on our YouTube channel, Collectors Confessions, we had the pleasure of interviewing author Ytasha L. Womack about her new book Spider-Man: Miles Morales, part of Marvel’s Marvel Age of Comics series. Our conversation led us to think about two fascinating questions.

First, how did Miles Morales become one of the most popular superheroes in the world? And second, does this modern Spider-Man have any connection to our hometown of Staten Island?

When Marvel Comics introduced Miles Morales in 2011, the reaction was anything but quiet. Miles was created by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Sara Pichelli as the new Spider-Man of Marvel’s Ultimate Universe following the death of Peter Parker in that reality. As the son of a Black father and an Afro-Puerto Rican mother, Miles represented a new generation of heroes and readers.

Not everyone embraced the change.

Some fans welcomed Miles immediately, including Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee, who praised the creation of a positive role model for children of color. Others questioned Marvel’s decision, arguing that replacing Peter Parker was unnecessary or merely a publicity stunt. Critics and supporters debated the character’s place in comic book history almost from the moment he appeared.

The interesting thing is that none of that debate mattered as much as the stories themselves.

Readers connected with Miles. He wasn’t trying to be Peter Parker. He was a teenager facing many of the same challenges—school, family, friendships, responsibility—but through his own unique experiences and perspective. Over time, Miles developed into a fully realized character rather than simply “the other Spider-Man.”

Today, it is difficult to argue against his success.

Miles Morales has appeared in animated television series, bestselling video games, toys, novels, and perhaps most importantly, Sony’s critically acclaimed Spider-Verse films. Voiced by Shameik Moore, Miles became the star of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2019. For many younger fans, Miles Morales is their Spider-Man.

This all raises an interesting question: could Miles Morales actually have a connection to Staten Island?

While Miles himself is from Brooklyn in Marvel’s Ultimate Universe, there is a surprising Staten Island connection buried deep within Marvel lore.

Miles originates from Earth-1610, the Ultimate Universe. In that reality, a portion of the Savage Land—the prehistoric hidden world filled with dinosaurs and ancient creatures—survived destruction by extending underground into the vicinity of Staten Island, New York. This subterranean region became connected to the Underworld, the domain ruled by the Mole Man, one of Marvel’s earliest and strangest villains.

It’s not exactly the Staten Island Ferry or the Staten Island Greenbelt, but it does mean that somewhere beneath Staten Island in the Ultimate Universe lies a hidden world of monsters, mysteries, and Marvel adventures.

For comic book fans, that’s one of the joys of comics. Connections can appear in the most unexpected places. A character created to introduce a new generation to Spider-Man can ultimately lead us back to our own borough.

Miles Morales’ success is a reminder that great characters evolve with the times. Peter Parker will always be one of the greatest superheroes ever created, but Miles has earned his place alongside him. What began as a controversial idea has become one of Marvel’s biggest success stories.

And if you’re a Staten Island comic fan, you can smile knowing that somewhere in the multiverse, Miles Morales’ world has a small but memorable connection to our corner of New York.

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To watch our full interview with Ytasha L. Womack and learn more about Miles Morales and his impact on comics, visit:

https://youtu.be/KmjjWxR2yns

Banner Image: Staten Island Savage Land.  Image Credit – Collectors Confessions