Omega Kids #2 Review

 

Writer: Tony Fleecs

Artist: Andrés Genolet

Colorist: Fer Sifuentes-Sujo

Letterer: Travis Lanham

Cover Artists: Rod Reis; Chad Hardin & Israel Silva; Carlo Pagulayan, Jazon Paz & Rain Beredo; Federico Vicentini & Matt Milla

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 19, 2025

 

The X-Men fought for Mutant equality. But no matter how hard they tried, the X-Men failed to stamp out prejudice, repression, and persecution. So, Doug Ramsey, aka Revelation, unleashed a virus that killed Humans or turned them into Mutants.

 

Revelation has created a Mutant paradise in the former United States. But pockets of resistance still linger. Terrorists and assassins attempt to kill the Mutants’ glorious leader. Revelation can strip dissidents of their ability to communicate. But how does he control his growing territory as the X-Virus spreads across the former United States? And how does Revelation nip trouble in the bud before it can bite him? Let’s leap into Omega Kids #2 and see!

 

Story

Once, Quentin Quire was one of Professor Xavier's brightest students. Now, he leads a surveillance network for Revelation. Quentin has Omega Kids stationed throughout the Revelation Territories. When the young psychics observe dissidents, protestors, and fugitives, they can report their findings to him. But within his vast network, Quentin personally oversees his Elite team. Curtis Terrell Jr, Nell Widows, and Ayla Bozkurt are teenagers. Bailey Quinn is only eight years old. Yet these kids help him prevent uprisings in Revelation’s capital city.

 

In Omega Kids #2, Quentin urges his team to find insurgents in a Philadelphia suburb. While they can kill rebels and terrorists with a thought, the kids can also edit people's memories to keep them out of trouble. But Quentin urges them to carefully assess each subject before rushing to judgment.

 

 

 

Quentin drives his top team hard. He is awed by their potential. But Quentin wishes he were closer to them. And he knows they are as capable of inflicting needless suffering and death as they are of safeguarding Revelation. Sadly, Quentin thinks he can have it both ways in Tony Fleecs’s story. Quentin believes he can employ classical and operant conditioning techniques to transform children into soldiers while maintaining a healthy parental relationship.

 

While the kids constantly signal that they don't share his views, Quentin struggles to close the distance to them. What Quentin doesn't realize in Omega Kids #2 is that the children have turned his strengths against him. Quentin may believe that the kids are all right. But Curtis Terrell Jr, Nell Widows, Ayla Bozkurt, and Bailey Quinn insist, “This is my generation.”

 

 

 

Art

Curtis Terrell Jr is an insecure redhead. Nell Widows has blue hair and horns. Ayla Bozkurt wears teal gloves, a turtleneck, and a light-green bandana in her dark hair. Even though skin covers her eyes, she frequently smiles. Bailey Quinn may be 8 years old, but the blonde radiates confidence and leadership. All wear black jackets bearing a lavender omega symbol. Fer Sifuentes-Sujo lavishes a loaded palette on "Doug's Green Hell," as Quentin calls it. But lavender dominates scenes. The children turn lavender in their astral forms and relax in their lavender refuge. Lavender smoke lingers after their attacks.

 

Bailey and her friends relax on a peaceful hillside beneath a sky filled with mathematical equations and symbols. The residents of Beverly, Massachusetts, may chafe at Carol Danvers' leadership as their shielded town falls into disrepair in the Binary series. But like Republic City after Korra allows the spirit world to mingle with her own, trees, vines, and plants climb walls and push through streets. When the children place their hands against their heads, Andrés Genolet shows their target’s thoughts and memories. An absent loved one takes on a ghost-like appearance. But when they rush to judgment, a familiar symbol rises in Omega Kids #2.

 

Travis Lanham places black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons. Quentin's team shares their thoughts via clouds and wavy arrows. White letters in black boxes identify people and places. The words grow bold for inflection and swell for raised voices, while sound effects heighten attacks. Yet as Quentin affects his affable charm and struggles to contain his impatience, his T-shirt bears the inscription, "Magneto was weak." Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Quentin Quinn can create a universe with his mind. But as he tries to instill his values in his students, they hide their thoughts and feelings from him. The children express these in their secret place, a construct of their own making. And while he tries to squash rebellions before they start, Quentin doesn't realize that one is brewing in his inner circle in Omega Kids #2.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #38 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Luigi Zagaria

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Neeraj Menon; Anand Ramcheron & Ceci de la Cruz; Nogi San; Sergio Dávila & Cece de la Cruz; Todd Nauck & Rachelle Rosenberg

Designer: Jay Bowen

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe, & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: September 17, 2025

 

After battling and teaming up with Deadpool & Daughter to fight Agent Gao, Kwaku Anansi dragged Miles into another fight with Agent Gao and her divine benefactor. Battling gods and former police detectives with holy blades to grind can take a lot out of you. Miles could use some time off to reconnect with his friends and catch up on his schoolwork. But he looks up to Misty Knight. So, when Colleen Wing skips town, and Misty asks her intern to help investigate a crime spree, Miles leaps at the opportunity.

 

Miles may wear a Wakandan spider-suit, wield a venom sword, and thwip spider-webs, but he's still a teenager. He likes playing sports and games with his friends. Is Miles ready to investigate “cases” with his mentor? And how will he mesh with their new team member? Let's thwip into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #38 and see!

 

Story

You can’t take lots of heavy hitters off the board without creating a power vacuum, and that’s exactly what the Gang War did. While Tombstone became the new Kingpin, lots of other gangs lost their leaders and/or their territories. Controlling an underworld as big as New York City is a big ask. And Tombstone prioritizes his special projects. When Misty notices that all the thefts occurred at businesses in debt to crime lords, that gives her and Miles a starting point for their investigations.

 

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #38 introduces readers to Lance Lewis, aka White Cat, and his partner Monika Mori, aka Inari. Both boast unique backstories, cultural heritages, and special abilities. But Inari also brings a power pack along with her punch. 

 

 

 

Inari controls three kitsune, or supernatural Japanese fox spirits. All three have powers and are formidable foes. White Cat may have claimed that Miles was no fun. But he works alongside Inari's kitsune, who, like Miles, don't mind mixing business with humor.

 

That’s not the only similarity Miles notices between himself and his opponents in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #38. Cody Ziglar doesn't soft-soap White Cat and Inari's misdeeds. Still, Miles' recent experience with vampirism has taught him that sometimes people do things they don't want to. These experiences help him decide how to treat White Cat and Inari when he meets them again.

 

 

 

Art

While Luigi Zagaria grounds us in Miles’ everyday life, Misty and Felicia’s grand entrance hints at the action to come. As they drive through Brooklyn, Misty summons a holographic model of the evening’s stakeout. Given Inari, Yako, Tenko, and Zenko's heritage, tiny manga caricatures of Misty, Miles, and Black Cat overlay a bird's-eye view of Felicia’s jeep. When Inari dons her white fox mask, she emulates a popular mask worn at Japanese festivals. But while Inari uses her fox spirits to boost her attacks, Misty demonstrates the strength of her bionic arm, Miles thwips while he quips, and Black Cat performs stop-motion acrobatics.

 

Bryan Valenza lavishes a loaded palette in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #38. While Felicia's earrings link her with Misty's gold arm, her blue jeans link her with Miles. Felicia's red jeep also links her with Miles and Misty's costumes. Yet amid the bright and appealing colors, white forms a theme. From Felicia's hair to Misty and Miles' casual shirts, White Cat's hair and mask, Inari's mask, and the three kitsune, white promises that redemption is always possible.

 

 

 

Cory Petit uses large white block letters to locate us in time and space, and smaller ones to introduce White Cat and Inari. The black uppercase dialogue in white balloons grows bold for intonation and never shrinks. Greater-than and Less-than signs betray one thief's greater commitment to bridging cultural barriers. Sound effects enhance Felicia's exuberant driving, show what Tenko can do with three tails, and remind readers how valuable sipper lids are in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #38. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy. 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Misty Knight already puts Miles in his place. So, when Black Cat joins the team, she makes him feel bottom rung. But after all the teasing and teaching, Miles demonstrates wise and compassionate leadership in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #38.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #37 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Luigi Zagaria

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Neeraj Menon; Peach Momoko; Taurin Clarke; Gerardo Sandoval & Erick Arciniega

Designer: Jay Bowen

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe, & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: August 27, 2025

 

Villains keep turning Miles’ life upside down and inside out. He has battled Rabble to protect his family, Agent Gao to avoid jail, Vulture to keep his girlfriend, and Varnae to retain his humanity. After helping his spider-god, Kwaku Anansi, settle an ancient dispute with angry Ares, Miles looks forward to chilling with his homies. Will life give Miles a breather? Or will it thrust Brooklyn's Spider-Man into his most demanding battle yet? Let's slip on our Wakandan spider suits, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #37, and find out!

 

Story

After bidding goodbye to his brother, gamma-powered therapist, allies, Ares' teammates, and his delighted deity, Miles and Ganke walked home past Velour Vick’s Custom Jewelry & Haberdashery. Cody Ziglar begins his next chapter in Miles’ life that evening, as a security guard spots white animals scampering between the illuminated cases. The animals show a fondness for bling, and their barks ring like laughter in the guard’s ears.

 

When Miles snuck off to Wakanda with the Black Panther, Shift used his shapeshifting ability to impersonate Miles at Brooklyn Visions Academy. His clone-brother found holding Miles' shape stressful. The unfamiliar surroundings and being among so many people didn't help. Ganke noticed Miles stressin' in the boys' room. But when Shift explained why he was being Miles' body double, Ganke helped him through the experience (and introduced him to the wonders of the cafeteria). 

 

Even though they didn't realize what was going on, Miles' other friends eased Shift's distress. Miles has a lot to thank them for, as they helped Shift forge a new life as Jaime Morales in a school of his own. So, he’s overjoyed to share the afternoon with them in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #37. 

 

But Misty Knight has plans for Miles’ evening. Once again, she reminds him of his position in their relationship and quotes her rules as readily as a Ferengi. But Miles doesn’t mind. He looks forward to assisting her. Unlike his battles with the Hobgoblin, vampires, Deadpool & Daughter LLC, and gods, Misty gives Miles a chance to do something fun while protecting his borough. Yet his action-packed detecting will introduce new combatants who challenge him in unexpected ways.

 

Art

Miles and his friends may not wear bespoke haberdashery. But through their similar attire and shared activity, Luigi Zagaria strengthens Miles’ bond with his friends. As he hangs out on the court, jogs while transforming into Spider-Man, and thwips into Misty's rebuilt garage, Miles looks more at ease than at any time since he started seeking therapy. A consultation over a map keeps the investigation low-key, in contrast to earlier planning sessions involving higher stakes and holographic displays. A dramatic upshot of Misty evokes her prior team-up with Manhattan’s Spider-Man. But this time, the Lizard doesn’t join the team, and Miles takes point as they pursue their mission plan.

 

While Luigi Zagaria delivers the action with panel-packed pages, splash pages, and cross-page horizontal layouts, Bryan Valenza paints day scenes with the hum and vitality of everyday life in New York. Miles shines in his Wakandan red, black, and purple suit, while Misty's red outfit illustrates the bond between them. As darkness falls, and the yellow/orange interior lights make the building windows shine, Miles transforms into transparent white and blues. The suit’s color change links with what his enhanced spider-sense helps him see. But nothing glows quite like their adversaries’ animals in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #37.

 

Cory Petit portrays Human speech and animal utterances with black uppercase letters in white dialogue balloons. He shares Miles’ thoughts with white letters in red narrative boxes. The letters grow bold for intonation, enlarge for raised voices, and never shrink. Black letters in yellow boxes provide translations and footnotes. As changing situations prompt a request for assistance, sound effects help us sense music, hear gunfire, feel a brutal impact, and witness greatness in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #37. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy. 

 

Final Thoughts

Miles is feeling tight after surviving Ares' Agon. The way Kwaku Anansi repaired his beloved Brooklyn was da bomb. But while a savage Spider-Man stalks the night in Manhattan, sending Shocker's Aftershocks to the ICU, more aftereffects from the Gang War threaten Brooklyn in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #37. 

 

Rating 9.8/10

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #36 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Marco Renna

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Neeraj Menon; Logan Lubera & Rachelle Rosenberg; Mark Bagley & Frank D’Armata; Stefano Caselli & Jesus Aburtov; J Scott Campbell & Sabine Rich

Designer: Gabriel Mata

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe, & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: August 13, 2025

 

The Beatles sang, “All you need is love.” The God of War disagrees. While Kwaku Anansi delights in stories, Ares draws strength from arguments, fights, and battles. Ares’ Agon with Anansi has empowered him like never before. Ares uplifted Agent Gao into his herald Alala. He promised to elevate Zip Zephyr to the upper echelons of Olympus. Now, like Ronan grasping the Infinity Stone, Ares uses the conflict to become the Olympian Skyfather.

 

Hercules is tired of teleporting. Miles wants to protect Brooklyn. But Ares ignores their wishes and brings the battle to New York. Will the Brooklyn Visions Academy fall before Ares’ appetite for destruction? Or will Asgardian Skyfather Thor prevent their rumble in the rubble? Let's offer sacrifices to our lords above, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #36, and find out!

 

Story

Earlier in the Agon, Anansi used Ares’ Stymphalian birds against him. Hercules didn’t mind killing them again, especially if it meant fighting alongside Hulk-counselor Keisha Kwan. But Miles used the melee to convince Zip Zephyr to join forces. This time, Ares summons his beloved birds again. Unlike Anansi, the God of War won’t let the battle end in a tie. And while his ferocious birds attack Miles, Shift, Gust, Hercules, and Dr Kwan, Ares unleashes his anger on Anansi.

 

Cody Ziglar once again puts Miles’ character under the spotlight in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #36. Miles’ first concern is safeguarding the people in the streets. But he’s not just concerned for their safety. Unlike Tony Stark, Miles wasn't born into money. So amid the carnage and destruction, Miles worries about the survivors’ future. Taking notes from Dr Kwan, he again reasons with his opponents, encouraging them to embrace the better part of themselves.

 

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #36 is an action epic for the ages. Amid this clash of the titans, the chief battle rages in the combatants' hearts. Miles' concern for others will bring him to his knees. Ares's followers realize their leader doesn't care about collateral damage. But the overriding question is whether the characters can put the past behind them. 

 

 

 

Art

When Ares transported the players in his drama, he also teleported the setting. Marco Renna doesn't initially show the arena that descends below the pavement. Still, the dramatic upshots of Miles and his team suggest a view from the stands. Hovering above them, Ares and Anansi prepare for their one-on-one. Ares dominates the upper half of the second page of Miles Morales: Spider-Man #36 amid panels that showcase the fury of the Stymphalian birds. He may carry a gold spear, but like Legolas, Ares can launch a flurry of them in an instant. All Anansi can do is thwip in response. That, and sneak in some bodysurfing.

 

Yellow energy crackles off Miles’ venom sword amid the giant red birds’ attack. Gust and Zip summon bluish-white circular wind tunnels. Bryan Valenza shows both sides battling in and below an orange, yellow, and beige sky. Yellow and orange bolts launch not from Zeus’ hand, but from Miles’ head as his spider-sense works overtime, and the venom energy his Wakandan suit regulates. Chaos reigns blue and gold as Ares' forces fight against Anansi's forces. Yet as Zip confronts Miles, the shadow that darkens his features evokes Ares and Athena dining at Mount Olympus before they attacked Arachne.

 

Cory Petit thwips black and colored uppercase letters into dialogue balloons. Zip, Philomelus, and Pyrrha utter diagonal letters in white dialogue balloons. Since Ares made Agent Gao his herald, she speaks into color-bordered balloons, suggesting she ranks higher among the gods than Zip. Miles’ thoughts manifest as white words in red boxes. The words grow bold for intonation, enlarge for volume, and shrink for lowered voices. Sound effects accompany brutal blows, breath-taking impacts, smashed vehicles, and collapsing buildings. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy. 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Time and experience can tempt us to turn our backs on embracing the new. It’s easy to get set in your ways when you live forever. While Ares seems destined for misery, Anansi demonstrates why he's always so happy in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #36.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #35 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Marco Renna

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Neeraj Menon; Logan Lubera & Rachelle Rosenberg; Paco Medina & Edgar Delgado; Pere Pérez & Rachelle Rosenberg; Simone Di Meo

Designer: Gabriel Mata

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe, & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 9, 2025

 

Kwaku Anansi delights in expanding his web of stories. When Blade violates Miles Morales’ trust, Anansi spots an opportunity to grow closer to one of his spider-totems. The spider-god waits until Black Panther brings Miles into Bast’s realm. Then Anansi cures Miles by making him fight Black Panther. Only this time, Varnae possesses Black Panther instead of Blade.

 

Now, as Anansi prepares to battle Ares, Miles wonders why the spider-god healed him. Was he just a pawn in Anansi's schemes? And has Miles' healing inadvertently endangered Jaime, Gust, and his hulking therapist, Dr Keisha Kwan? Let's offer sacrifices to our lords above, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #35, and find out!

 

Story

Anansi expands his web of stories because he values his spider-totems. His champions will help him tell a story for the ages. But like Miles, Anansi’s story is filled with pain and loss.

 

In Miles Morales: Spider-Man #35, Anansi tells how Ares, unhappy over not fitting in on Olympus, decided that misery loves company. When the god of war initiates a conflict to grow closer to Athena, Ares sparks a battle between himself and Anansi. But others halt the battle, leaving both combatants dissatisfied.

 

When Ares enlisted Zip Zephyr and Agent Gao's aid and requested an Agon, Anansi asked Miles to trust him. But Miles dislikes being used and endangering the people in his life. Miles demonstrates how much Dr Kwan has taught him by reasoning with the gods. His constructive criticism delights Anansi. Ares is not amused.

 

As Cody Ziglar contemplates how privilege and distinction can lead to division, he shows the difficulty of accepting inequality. Ares promised Zip Zephyr ascension and respect. But regardless of how powerful he becomes or how much he wins, Ares demonstrates his inability to learn from his and his family's mistakes in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #35.

 

 

 

Art

While Hercules enjoys feasting with the gods, Ares frowns, and Athena looks glum. When Zip rushes to fill his goblet, Ares kicks the wineskin into the wind god's face. Compared with the gods' unproductive day, Arachne works in her studio. Marco Renna shows Anansi wearing a suit and shoes to honor the Human who finds more satisfaction in her weaving than the gods do in their laxity. 

 

Bryan Valenza colors the webs connecting scenes from Anansi's past light green. Long before Ares renamed Agent Gao, the original Alala wore the same blue, white, and gold as she fought alongside him. A green-blue wave reminds us why Ares chose Pyrrha to support him once again. But the gods Pyrrha despises see their children battling in the orange-brown sky. The combatants’ causes shine as brightly as their attire in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #35. Yet their elders are more concerned with the smoke rising from the beige, tan, and lavender-gray land below.

 

Cory Petit thwips uppercase letters into dialogue balloons and narrative boxes as shadows fall on Anansi, Hercules, and Ares. White block letters locate us in time and space, while music notes spill from Arachne’s lips as she weaves her spell over Anansi. Ares, Zip, Philomelus, and Pyrrha utter diagonal letters in balloons with colored borders, while Miles interrupts Anansi's retelling with white words in red boxes. The words grow bold for intonation, enlarge for volume, and rarely shrink. Sound effects showcase Anansi's zeal to right a great wrong and Ares's determination to win regardless of the cost. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Anansi revels in inspiring stories. But one story troubles him because it remains incomplete. Hercules' kin may have invented Greco-Roman Wrestling. But as Anansi demonstrates that even gods can struggle to "get over it," the spider-god risks reenacting a Greek Tragedy in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #35.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #34 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Marco Renna

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Rachelle Rosenberg; Logan Lubera & Rachelle Rosenberg; Geoff Shaw & Romulo Fajardo Jr; Todd Nauck & Rachelle Rosenberg

Designer: Gabriel Mata

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 25, 2025

 

Miles was supposed to be at Brooklyn Visions Academy. Gust was easing Shift through his first day at Eastside Academy of the Arts. Dr Keisha Kwan was pouring herself a cup of coffee in her comfortable office. Then, Kwaku Anansi pulled them into his song. Along with Hercules, Ares transported them to Mount Olympus. There, Anansi's champions face off against Ares' champions: Zip Zephyr, War-Cry, Pyrrha, and Philomelus.

 

Can the spider god's champions defeat the God of War's divine Defenders? And will anyone steal the books from Gust's open school locker? Let's offer sacrifices to our lords above, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #34, and find out!

 

Story

Keisha enjoyed working in the office, but Dr Sasquatch nudged her out of her comfort zone. Instead of video counseling, she has met with Miles. But when Ares transports her to Mount Olympus and forces her to fight Philomelus, Keisha reveals the trauma she’s worked to hide. Like Bruce Banner and Dr Sasquatch, gamma radiation has changed Keisha. So, the mild-mannered psychiatrist gives the ancient tiller of the soil a WWF therapy session in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #34.

 

Shift's origins as a pawn in someone else's game still traumatize him. Agent Gao forced Gust to fight on her Cape Killers squad. Once again, others control Shift and Gust in Cody Ziglar's story. Both feel overwhelmed by being drafted to fight gods in an Agon. Agent Gao (or War-Cry) has told Zip Zephyr that superpowered individuals are dangerous because they often hide in plain sight. Whether they like it or not, Mount Olympus reveals that Gust and Keisha are more powerful than they realize in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #34.

 

Miles may not know what Anansi wants from the contest, but Ares and his followers crave power. Ares and his champions believe they are entitled to positions of status and haven't gotten the respect they deserve. While Ares grants Agent Gao an upgrade by becoming his avatar, it's unclear what he can offer the others. But even if they help him win the Agon, it's hard to believe they'll ever win Ares' respect. 

 

 

 

Art

Keisha's muscles bulge as she tosses Philomelus his plow. Then, Keisha shows the Greek god she doesn't need weapons to win her fights. While her actions shake Zip and Pyrrha and irritate Ares, Agent Gao seems unmoved. But then, after losing the Harpe to Deadpool, perhaps "War-Cry" prefers to remain in the background. Throughout Miles Morales: Spider-Man #34, Anansi is in his element. While Hercules cheers on his team, Marco Renna shows Anansi crossing his arms over his chest, swelling like Ant-Man, or perching atop a broken pillar like Simeon Stylites. And all the while, the spider-god smiles, plays cat’s cradle with webbing, or shoots the air with finger guns.

 

The yellow and orange sky gives Mount Olympus an otherworldly feel. Keisha and Philomelus kick up the reddish dirt amid the pinkish-white stone pillars, pediments, battered temples, and empty stadium. Ares' helmet and Pyrrha's armor radiate a golden sheen, while Zip Zephyr's bluish-white cyclones complement Pyrrha's white and blue water jets. 

 

 

 

Bryan Valenza's nuanced palette grounds the otherworldly confrontations. Pyrrha's striking red hair and skirt foretell a later challenge that forces Ares to press his hands against his head. But then, Shift's body language suggests what Miles, Keisha, and Gust must feel: that The Gods Must Be Crazy!

 

Cory Petit thwips uppercase letters into dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. White block letters introduce the singers of Anansi’s latest hit single. Ares, Zip, Philomelus, and Pyrrha utter diagonal letters, but Zip never gets the colored balloon borders that his high-born status deserves. The words grow bold for intonation, enlarge for volume, and shrink for lowered voices. Sound effects enliven challenges that sadden Keisha, enrage Ares, and perhaps hint at why Miles thinks of Ms. Marvel more often than Starling. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy. 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Ares has an axe to grind. Instead of battling Kwaku Anansi, he fights through intermediaries. While Ares belittles his followers and inflicts pain, Anansi preaches the value of togetherness. And once again, the spider-god reminds us that force and brutality are not the only way to achieve victory in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #34.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch. 

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #33 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Marco Renna

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Neeraj Menon; Logan Lubera & Rachelle Rosenberg; Taurin Clarke; Rogê Antônio & Marcelo Maiolo

Designer: Gabriel Mata

Editors: Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: May 14, 2025

 

Kwaku Anansi has been silent and alone for too long. So he dubs Miles Morales his herald and explores life in Brooklyn. But Ares, the God of War, takes umbrage at Anansi's pact with Miles. He enlists Zip Zephyr and upgrades Agent Gao to War-Cry to prevent Anansi from breaking ancient pacts. When Anansi senses Ares' meddling in his new story, the spider-god enlists Thor's and Hercules' aid. Will Brooklyn play host to a battle of the gods? Let's offer sacrifices to our lords above, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #33, and find out!

 

Story

After living in fear of others, Shift braves a life above ground in New York. Miles gives him a new name, and Mayor Cage finds him a school. But Jaime finds gaining acceptance among people he doesn’t know more difficult than posing as Miles at Brooklyn Visions Academy. After achieving the seemingly impossible in overturning Fisk’s Law, perhaps Luke Cage selected the Eastside Academy of the Arts for a reason. Where other students see an insecure, swole dude, one person welcomes a new friend.

 

When Ares requests an Agon in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #33, Anansi readily accepts. The rules of the formal confrontation specify two four-person teams. Even though Miles doesn’t know who fights for Ares besides Zip Zephyr and War-Cry, Miles must choose who will fight with him and Hercules. Forced to decide which of his friends may die, Miles again battles the stress that has often threatened to overwhelm him. But like Ghostbuster Ray Stantz, whether Miles wants to choose anyone or not, his spider-god summons the people Miles thinks of.

 

Cody Ziglar’s story concerns how we regard surprise. Do we look for unexpected challenges or dread them? Do we welcome new experiences or seek a pattern to define our days? While each god wields trickery to gain an advantage, Ares seeks revenge for past slights. Anansi welcomes a contest that will inspire heroes in the future. After struggling to manage his stress, Miles must decide if he trusts the god who endangers his friends in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #33. 

 

 

 

Art

When Jaime approaches carrying his tray and sporting a smile, two boys wearing hoodies abandon the table, leaning forward. As his smile flees, Jaime hunches forward, showing less delight in his food than when he ate with Ganke and Miles’ friends. But when someone wearing a gleaming leather jacket and a confident expression joins him, Jaime relaxes, and his smile returns in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #33.

 

Compared with Jaime and Jade's reunion, a tense confrontation occurs outside Brooklyn Visions Academy. While Thor, Hercules, War-Cry, and Zip Zephyr prepare for battle, Ares looks self-assured. Miles seems poised for a nervous breakdown. 

 

 

Kwaku Anansi may not wear the rich blues and golds of Ares’ team. Nor does he wear a uniform as colorful as Miles' red, black, and purple Wakandan spider-suit. Yet a smile never lingers far from Anansi's face. Adorned in black fabric and beads, with bright blue and orange body-paint and feathered-mask, Anansi radiates a love for life and gratitude for every new situation.

 

As Bryan Valenza lavishes a bright color palette on Marco Renna's appealing characters, a tense confrontation, and a climactic fight, Cory Petit thwips uppercase letters into dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Miles' thoughts appear as white letters in red narrative boxes, while white block letters introduce the singers of Anansi’s new song. Two others join Zip's diagonal-lettered chorus. The dialogue grows bold for intonation, enlarges for volume, and never shrinks. Sound effects help us hear resounding thunder, teleportation, and a world-traveling axe that puts Phileas Fogg to shame. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

 

Final Thoughts

His active lifestyle and battle with stress blind Miles to others' struggles. Like Peter Parker, his friends must spell out their difficulties for him. But when circumstances force him to endanger the people in his life, Miles discovers that someone whose life seems perfect also faces daily struggles in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #33.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.