Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse just came out, and it's shaping up to be a big hit for Marvel and Sony. At the center of its success is no other than Miles Morales, a Spider-Man that's way different than the person who started it all – Peter Parker. But even if the latter is the golden standard, both in films and comics, there's a chance Miles is slowly becoming the better hero of the two. We take a look at several reasons why the new kid on the block
4 reasons why Miles Morales is the better Spider-Man than Peter Parker
4. A cooler costume
Peter Parker has gone through several costumes, including the classic black alien symbiote that led to the introduction of Venom. But even if that's the case, there's something eye-catching about Miles' black and red costume that puts it a level above most outfits Peter wore, both in the comics and films.
As seen in Spider-Man: Across the Universe, Miles' updated black and red costume stands out in a vast sea of Spider-Men from the Spider Society. Even when it was first introduced in Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #5, the black and red suit captured everyone's fancy in a story that saw Miles become the next wall-crawler in an alternate universe. Since then, Miles has moved to Earth-616, the primary comic universe, and become more popular, thanks to Sony's movies about the teenager. As it stands, Miles' standard suit is shaping up to be the cooler one than Peter's, especially when seen in Across the Spider-Verse.
3. Miles' story fits better with the world today
When Peter Parker first came out in the 1960s, Stan Lee fashioned him to be different from most superheroes in the era. While most characters followed the typical hero formula, Lee wrote Parker as a socially-inept teenager that gains the powers of a spider and uses them to fight crime after his Uncle Ben is killed by a robber. And while that origin is the gold standard when it comes to Spider-Man, there's no denying that Miles' origin is picking some steam.
Back in the comics, Miles became the new Spider-Man after the Ultimate Universe's version of Peter Parker passed away. The African-Latino teenager then obtains a similar skillset, dons a suit, and fights crime while trying to balance his life as a student, teenager, and son of a cop. Sometime after, Miles's mother was killed by police gunfire and makes his son promise not to tell his father that he's Spider-Man. Since then, the new Spider-Man learns that his father and uncle used to work for the Kingpin, further complicating their relationship.
The use of a diverse background, that of an African-American father and a Latina mother, a tragic backstory with his parents, coupled with all the usual pressures of growing up and saving the world, has made Miles's story a better fit for today's society. Due to these story elements, more and more people around the world can relate better to him as Spider-Man.
2. A more epic power set
Marvel's Spider-Man, as portrayed by Peter Parker usually, follows the same template when it comes to the hero's powers. After being bitten by a radioactive spider, Parker gained the ability to stick to walls, superhuman strength, reflexes, agility, and a Spider-Sense that allowed him to steer away from most forms of harm. But while those abilities have served Peter over the decades, Miles takes it to another level when it comes to this aspect of being Spider-Man.
Along with Peter's abilities, Miles boasts two other powers that give him the advantage over him – a way to camouflage himself and an electrical discharge he calls Venom Strike. The former allows Miles to match his clothing and physical appearance with the background, effectively making him invisible. The Venom Strike, meanwhile, is using a kind of directed energy to temporarily paralyze anyone Miles can lay his hands on. As seen in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse, these abilities allow Miles to do things Peter can't, giving him the means to save the day better.
1. Miles Morales breaks the mold Peter Parker built
For more than five decades, Peter Parker has been the standard when it comes to Spider-Man. After capturing the hearts of many through the countless comic book stories, films, and animated series, not to mention tons of merch in the market, the good ole' Webslinger has gone stale at certain points of his existence. That's why Miles Morales' entry into the canon, especially his star-turning stories in Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse, is helping him stand out from Parker in the best way possible.
With these reasons, it's safe to say that Miles is doing a pretty good job of being Spider-Man, both in Marvel comics and in the animated films produced by Sony. It remains to be seen whether the hero will make his way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe soon or if Sony will capitalize on his popularity more. In any case, better keep an eye out for him as his journey is only just beginning.
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