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.
