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Sunday, April 7, 2024

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #18 Review


 


Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artists: David Marquez; Sara Pichelli; Juann Cabal with Matt Horak; Luciano Vecchio & Federico Vicentini

Colorists: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Richard Isanove; Kaare Andrews; Iban Coello & Jesus Aburtov; Mr Garcin; Adi Granov; David Marquez & Rachelle Rosenberg

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $8.99

Release Date: March 27, 2024

 

Luke Cage gave Agent Gao her marching orders. But instead of disbanding her Cape Killers squad and reporting to Vice, she sought out Rabble. Agent Gao wants the troubled weapons designer’s help. Does she have a plan, or at least 12% of a plan, to keep her crew of semi-reformed supervillains together? Let's ignite our venom-sabers, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #18, and find out!

 

Story

Miles is on a mission to reform Rabble. A natural—or at least the best--reaction to receiving help is wanting to help others. Doc Sasquatch and Dr Kwan have helped Miles deal with his traumas. Miles feels an affinity for the talented young woman who induced them. Miles believes he can help Rabble by sharing what he's learned. The chances may seem remote, but he's trying anyway.

 

Gust returns, and Cody Ziglar tells us the young Cape Killer's name. Ziglar also gifts Scorpion, Ms. Marvel, Shift, and Rabble some powerful character moments. After throwing Miles into harm's way with Rabble and Hobgoblin before vanishing, the Prowler returns to help his nephew. Unfortunately, the villains have pieced the clues together and realize that Prowler is Miles' uncle. That's another weapon in their utility belts now.

 


 

 

But the big news in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #18 is Agent Gao's team-up with Rabble. Everyone’s heard the sad tidings. The clock is ticking on the Cape Killers. Agent Gao gives her people an offer they can’t refuse. Rabble can boost their powers to the max! So it's time for one last blowout battle. But good teamwork involves people working together for the good of all. Does that sound like something Rabble would be part of?

 

The Battle Of Central Park pitted armies of heroes against hordes of villains. Miles Morales: Spider-Man #18 features fewer combatants but packs the last 25 pages of the 60-page story with ferocious fighting. People will be hurt. Villains won't play by the rules. And far from curing Rabble, Miles may have to relieve her suffering in an undesirable way. 

 


 

 

Art

Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, Shift, and Bumbler leap off the opening pages with startling clarity. Drones whiz through the air and bang off people. Spider-Man thwips webs resembling balls of sticky string while Bumbler shoots globs of honey that leave a gooey residue on his gun. Spider-Man’s visors prove expressive, and animal-like villains frequent The Bar With No Name. Shift demonstrates his alien-like morph-ability, while Ms. Marvel gets stretchy and venomous at a disagreeable suggestion.

 

Character depictions alter with the artist, but Bryan Valenza applies appealing colors throughout the supersized Miles Morales: Spider-Man #18. Prowler’s purple outshines other patrons in The Bar, while light and shadow add depth and interest to Scorpion. Overhead lights reflect off Bumbler’s lenses, becoming spots of yellow while showing darker yellow beneath. The pink sweater Rabble wears to visit her father evokes the pink of her armored suit, while orange circles radiate from Taskmaster when he pulls back his bowstring.

 


 

 

Cory Petit thwips large, uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes. Giant letters indicate places. Laughs whiz past Spider-Man's head like Rabble's drones when he leaves The Bar, while immense transparent letters fill the charged air as Miles stops pulling his venom-punches in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #18.

 

Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 


 

 

Final Thoughts

Two women with axes to grind lure Brooklyn’s Team Spidey to a last stand at the Cape Killers’ Corral in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #18.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

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