Miles Morales: Spider-Man Annual #1 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar, Curtis Baxter & Danny Lore

Artist: David Baldeón, Alitha Martinez & Elena Casagrande

Colorist: Dono Sánchez-Almara, Ceci De La Cruz & Dee Cunniffe

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Erick Arciniega; Dike Ruan & Moreno Dinisio

Design: Jay Bowen

Editors: Kaeden McGahey, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 21, 2024

 

While he enjoys crimefighting with his friends as Spider-Man, Miles Morales looks forward to personal time with his friends. But Miles won't spend Spring Break attending art shows or street fairs with Tiana, Ganke, Shift, and his baby sister Billie. Instead, he’ll face a foe scarier than Hobgoblin, Rabble, Agent Gao, or the Cape Killers. Can Miles forge a fragile peace with his irascible abuela Gloria Morales? And what other adventures might Miles undertake in this multi-story special issue? Let's grab our venom swords, leap into the Miles Morales: Spider-Man Annual #1, and find out!

 

On The Road: Story

Gloria recently returned to Puerto Rico and needs help unpacking. Jeff and Rio kindly offer her Miles' services. When you're in a bad mood, everything bothers you, and Miles finds plenty to grumble about. Still, when he arrives in Puerto Rico's capital city, he's stunned by its beauty. His flight arrives early, so he explores San Juan and befriends three generous teens. Then his phone rings and his abuela chews him out for keeping her waiting. Miles boards a bus for a circuitous journey filled with stops and starts until he reaches Gloria in Trujillo Alto.

 

In Miles Morales: Spider-Man Annual #1, Gloria makes it clear from the outset that she expects him to be on his best behavior. Miles soon discovers why. His grandmother presents him to her sisters and wants him to impress them. Their discussion helps Miles realize why she had to forsake her life in New York City and return to the island of her youth. Miles doesn't don his spidey suit in On The Road, but like the friends he met in San Juan, he uses his abilities to help the endangered. Cody Ziglar’s heartwarming story celebrates Latino culture and sparkles with humor as Miles and Gloria find common ground and forge peace between warring locals.

 

Leyendas: Story

In Curtis Baxter’s story, Miles isn’t griping about giving up time with his friends or flying the friendly skies in Economy. Instead, he complains about being cooped up in his abuela’s house. The skies have grown distinctly unfriendly. The wind howls. The rain batters the roof. Gloria suggests a divine reason for the hurricane. His parents have arrived, and his mother tries to nip Miles' curiosity in the bud, but even strong-willed Rio can't keep Spider-Man down. Miles doesn't brave the elements to save lives or protect the locals’ homes and infrastructure. Nor does he meet the mythical Juracán, who lashed Puerto Rico with a storm in a fit of jealousy. Still, he makes a new friend in Curtis Baxter’s story about urban legends and learns how the stories that define us change with the times.

 

Night Shift: Story

While On The Road and Leyenas ignored Miles’ vampirism, he’s struggling to cope with his new identity in Night Shift. Danny Lore’s story doesn’t associate Miles with the vampire that haunted the Puerto Rican town of Moca in 1975. Instead, it focuses on how isolating being different can be. Miles fears that Doctor Strange’s spell will wane and his bloodlust will return. Instead of seeking a talking cure with Doc Sasquatch or looking to Tiana for moral support, Miles fixes on Bloodline. He figures that her experience in fighting vampires might give her insights into controlling his unwanted urges. Miles may be grasping at straws, but he’s desperate. Reaching out to Bloodline is a dangerous proposition, given their complicated history. And even if she’s inclined to help, Miles knows how she’ll react if she suspects he's losing control. 

 

 

 

Art

David Baldeón wows with the stunning beauty of Puerto Rico in Miles Morales: Spider-Man Annual #1. His portrayal of Gloria and her sisters is fanciful and endearing. Miles moves swiftly through action scenes and demonstrates respect, nonchalance, leadership, and bravery amid his interactions with the locals. Dono Sánchez-Almara lavishes On The Road with a loaded palette. Her vibrant colors remind mainlanders of the tropical beauty that suffuses these sparkling jewels dotting the azure seas.

 

While Leyenas continues Miles’ vacation in Puerto Rico, Spider-Man steals the show. Alitha Martinez suffuses interiors with familial warmth and belonging, while Spider-Man braves the raging forces of nature. Miles looks dauntless as the elements pound him, and the person he meets exhibits flair and glamour. Ceci de la Cruz lavishes bright colors on Gloria's home, and the red on Miles' black suit shines amid the darkness. But everything glows on this dark and stormy night as Miles thwips toward the heart of the black and gray storm lashing Puerto Rico.

 

Elena Casagrande communicates the isolation Miles feels as the weight of his vampirism threatens to crush him. Dee Cunniffe lavishes blues, reds, pinks, and lavender on this story about navigating the ever-changing landscape of friendship.

 

Cory Petit thwips black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons in Miles Morales: Spider-Man Annual #1. He shares Miles' thoughts as white letters in red narrative boxes and his journal entries as black letters on tan parchment. The delicate font never shrinks and emboldens for inflection. Energizing sound effects accompany a runaway vehicle and a storm’s ferocity. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

The Miles Morales: Spider-Man Annual #1 reminds us of the importance of self-care and family, that those we love may die but never abandon us, and the importance of achieving our potential. Along the way, Miles learns more about his Puerto Rican heritage and struggles to cope with his vampirism. The epilogue showcases the dangers awaiting Brooklyn's Spider-Man in forthcoming issues.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

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