Miles Morales: Spider-Man #30 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Luigi Zagaria

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Neeraj Menon; Taurin Clarke; Nic Klein

Production Designer: Sarah Spadaccini

Editors: Tom Groneman, Mark Basso, Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Cy Pedro Beltran, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: February 19, 2025

 

When Shuri transported them to Bast's domain, neither T’Challa nor Miles realized they opened the door for the goddess' brother. Anansi invited Varnae back into the Black Panther's soul and forced Miles to confront his fears. While the battle freed Miles of his vampirism, it left him with a divine hangover.

 

Wade Wilson has also dwelt with the gods lately. Deadpool killed Death Grip. His nemesis escaped the afterlife to return the favor. Valentine Vuong helped Ellie resurrect her dad. But Wade wants to get off the living and dying merry-go-round. Can Miles help Wade and Ellie consign Death Grip to a forever home? Let's stop posting thirst traps on social media, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #30, and find out!

 

Story

Raneem Rashad attempted to obliterate Miles and his family. Varnae possessed Blade and turned Miles into a vampire. Hanging out with Ganke in his beloved Brooklyn is a welcome relief after all his troubles. But when Shift dials for a dialogue, Miles thwips the skies fantastic for brother duty.

 

Miles has a loving family and a comfortable home. Shift lives in the sewers with vermin for company. When Shift emerges from the underground, New Yorkers hail him a hero. Yet many mistake Shift for his brother. Miles’ family insists that Shift belongs. Although he found impersonating Miles difficult, Shift enjoyed meeting Miles' friends and dining in the school cafeteria. Perhaps Shift seeks Miles' help reassessing where he belongs. Instead, Shift gets a bullet meant for his brother and a casting offer for Deadpoot’s rendition of Weekend At Bernie’s.

 

Cody Ziglar invites us to share Miles' perspective in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #30. Wade and Ellie's scenes remind us that each wants to work together, yet both suffer from similar faults that inhibit teamwork. Miles vows to protect his brother from the lookalike mercenaries. While Wade and Ellie struggle to convince Miles of the worthiness of their cause, Shift’s willingness to meet others halfway reminds us what makes him such a compelling addition to the spider-verse.

 

 

Art

Luigi Zagaria delivers detailed art that conveys the energy surging through Cody Ziglar's story. After Miles' triumph in Bast's realm, Deadpool’s reaction to Miles’ venom sword recalls Anansi’s warning about relying on violence to solve problems. Miles' spider-god perches on his shoulder or hovers nearby. Miles may owe the god for quenching his thirst for blood. But Miles would prefer to thwip across Brooklyn and fight Mercs With Mouths without celestial commentary in his ears.

 

Ganke radiates warmth as he walks alongside Miles, eating his hot dog and gently ribbing his friend for his abrupt absence. Miles' vibranium red and purple suit differentiates him from Shift. The venom sword’s crackling yellow energy brightens Miles like a roaring fire. Bryan Valenza's cosmic double-page spread evokes Bill Mantlo’s series about tiny travelers. Yet the overwhelming color theme of Miles Morales: Spider-Man #30 is that the red family that fights together crashes together.

 

Cory Petit thwips uppercase letters into dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. Miles' thoughts appear as white letters in red narrative boxes. The delicate font (and Deadpool's more robust version) grows bold for intonation, enlarges for volume, and shrinks for lowered voices. Sound effects enhance kicks, hits, thwips, explosions, and clashing energy weapons. Yet the giant white letters grounding a gunshot provide the most heartstopping panel in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #30. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a copy for review. 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Someone paid Agent Gao a barrel of bucks to deliver Spider-Man’s head. While Deadpool and Miles clash over mutual desires to protect their families, Miles Morales: Spider-Man #30 encourages us to seek enlightenment by not shirking life’s challenges.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #24 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artist: Federico Vicentini

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Neeraj Menon; Romy Jones; Nic Klein

Design: Jay Bowen

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

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: September 4, 2024

 

Miles Morales loves patrolling his borough and taking down troublemakers. But suddenly, he's hitting them too hard. Brooklyn’s Spider-Man is ashamed of his actions and frightened by what he’s becoming. Can Tiana Toomes help Miles control his urge to hurt others until Doc Sasquatch finds a cure for his vampirism? Let's grab our venom swords, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #24, and find out!

 

Story

Miles needed a shoulder to lean on. Tiana said come over. Then she hears footsteps on the roof. When she investigates, Vulture says Hi, Granddaughter. He offers no apologies. Vulture doesn't pledge to reform. Still, he wants to reconnect. He blames Miles for their estrangement. Spider-Man leads a glamorous life. He protects the streets, and people cheer. But like Agent Gao, Vulture sees the dark side of being Spider-Man. They interfere in matters that don’t concern them and hurt the ones they love. Vulture knows Tiana is intelligent and resilient. Yet he believes that Spider-Man’s cult of personality has caught her in his web. And there’s only one way Vulture can free Tiana from Spidey’s hypnotic influence.

 

Miles needed to center himself after he hit some back-alley thieves too hard. But he didn't want to keep Tiana waiting. As he rushes to reach his girlfriend, he sees Vulture on the roof. Miles knows she's broken ties with him, and Vulture is an A-list villain. As he's bursting with venom energy, Vulture makes the perfect target. Once again, Miles hits Vulture too hard. He keeps on hitting him. Miles tells himself that this is different than with Rabble. But Rabble kept threatening his loved ones and trying to kill him. Rabble's attacks made his spider-sense wonky and forced Miles to keep digging deeper to maximize his powers. The vampirism infuses Miles with more energy, weakening his self-control. Miles doesn’t want to hold back. He doesn't want to capture villains. Miles wants to punish. Spider-Man wants to destroy.

 

While teaming up with others like Bloodline, Hightail, and Dracula, Miles didn’t have time for Tiana. In Miles Morales: Spider-Man #24, she doesn’t know that Miles is a vampire. But Miles is always in a crisis. Tiana has tried to help. She wants him to get better. But she shut Vulture out because she wanted to be a hero. Cody Ziglar's story puts Starling on a ledge. Tiana's family was a mess, so she found a new one. She loves Miles and wants him in her life. But she can’t carry him through life. If Miles can’t get his act together, Starling must push him away as she once pushed away Vulture.

 

 

 

Art

Federico Vicentini’s shifting camera angles emphasize the drama of this unexpected family reunion. Tiana's defiance makes the Vulture shrink into his feathers. When her grandfather draws near, Tiana shoves him away with her gun. The emotions on their faces transform into shocked expressions when Spider-Man barrels down on them. As Miles thwips a web toward Vulture, the venom energy glowing in his other hand suggests a bat spat out of the sun. Miles doesn’t try to let his webbing subdue his prey. He slams into Vulture. The displaced air and the crackling energy hurl Starling off her feet. Her jaw drops as shock becomes fear when gazing at her beloved.

 

Bryan Valenza fills the sky with colors cast by the setting sun and the lights in nearby high-rises. The bright colors give the comic a painted look. Each brush stroke enhances the depth and realism of the evening encounter. The rich colors obscure Vicentini’s occasional black dot shading and push the characters forward. But the attention grabber in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #24 is Spider-Man's coloring. The surging yellow venom energy eradicates all the red in his suit except his red fingers. Spider-Man becomes a raging fire and leaves a trail of yellow in his wake.

 

Cory Petit thwips black uppercase letters into white dialogue balloons. He shares Miles' thoughts with white letters in red narrative boxes. The delicate font rarely shrinks and emboldens for inflection. Miles slams Vulture to the rooftop with a yellow-red Wham, a yellow crunch emphasizes a hawk-like attack, a red Bring It enhances Miles' gesture, and the transparent Slice and Wham pair with spinning webs in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #24. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

When Starling's grandfather wants to reconnect, Miles' out-of-control venom energy validates Vulture's condemnation. Doc Sasquatch's protégé Dr Kwan has a plan to tamp down Miles' vampirism. But if Miles can't stop hurting people, and Starling gives him the boot, Miles may need more than a journal to prevent him from spiraling out of control in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #24.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

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

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #16 Review

 

Writer: Cody Ziglar

Artists: Federico Vicentini & Federica Mancin

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Cory Petit

Cover Artists: Federico Vicentini & Richard Isanove; David Baldeón & Jesus Aburtov; Taurin Clarke; Nic Klien

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: February 14, 2023

 

Brooklyn’s Team Spidey crashed Rabble and Hobgoblin’s party in the old Beyond building. While Scorpion, Shift, and Starling tackled Hob’s hired hands outside, the Pumpkin-Meister and Techno-master gave Miles Morales, Kamala Khan, and Gust an explosive welcome. Can Miles' clone Shift, his girlfriend Tiana, and reluctant Team Spidey member Mac Gargan take on Ricadonna, Mr. Fish, Man-Bull, Goldbug, and Shocker? Can Brooklyn's Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, and Agent Gao's young wind machine take on Hobgoblin and the Tech Whisperer? Let's ignite our venom-sabers, leap into Miles Morales: Spider-Man #16, and find out!

 

Story

Miles had a mini meltdown when he realized Rabble had teamed with Hobgoblin. But Kamala and Tiana helped him reclaim his mojo. Rabble still blames Miles for not getting into Brooklyn Visions Academy. In Miles Morales: Spider-Man #16, he uses Rabble’s grudge to bait her, hoping to distract her battle-focus. After all, Rabble's also prone to meltdowns, but hers are more maxi than mini.

 

Kamala Khan bolsters Miles by reminding him that she died. Now, she has returned to life and fights by his side. Despite his wavering spider sense, this bolsters Miles' mojo too. After all, she gave her life fighting beside the other Spider-Man. He doesn't want to make it two for two with the latest X-Men recruit.

 

Spider-Man weakened Rabble’s ability to talk to technology. Hobgoblin helped Rabble recapture some of what she lost. In return, she helped Hobgoblin track Queen Goblin's movements. She wants a rematch with the young punk who stole her future. Hobgoblin tried to use Aaron Davis to rub out Spider-Man. Miles’ uncle may have flaked out on him, but Rabble helped upgrade Hobgoblin’s tech. Hobgoblin's ultimate prize may be Queen Goblin. Still, he's ready for another battle with Brooklyn's Spider-Man. 

 

 

 

Cody Ziglar’s story features a no-holds-barred battle between Miles, Ms. Marvel, and Gust versus Hobgoblin and Rabble. Outside the abandoned Beyond building, Starling, Scorpion, and Miles' clone Shift take on Ricadonna, Mr. Fish, Man-Bull, Goldbug, and Shocker. Scorpion denigrated Hobgoblin’s security staff by claiming they were Z-Listers. Yet Team Spidey Outdoors struggles to put down these Killer Zs.

 

Like his outdoor squad, Miles' indoor team faces stiff competition. Something's needed to break the stalemate. That's bad for the other Spider-Man, as Peter Parker is counting on Miles’ help at the Battle Of Central Park in Amazing Spider-Man #43. Even if Peter lets Miles down, Miles doesn't want to repay the favor. More importantly, he can't let Hobgoblin and Rabble use what they've built here to aid Madame Masque. Someone needs to think outside the box in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #16. Who do you think it'll be?

 

 

 

Art

As the smoke clears, Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, and Gust behold Hobgoblin and Rabble hovering on their gliders. Close-ups of Rabble and Spider-Man reveal their hunger for a rematch. Gust’s swirling air currents knock Rabble off her perch while Ms. Marvel's arm stretches and her hand enlarges to grasp the Tech Whisperer. Miles emulates the Cape Killer's latest recruit by thwipping a swirling web at Hobgoblin. Rabble shows she prepped for Miles' venom saber by summoning an energy blade in each hand.

 

Federico Vicentini & Federica Mancin keep everything in constant movement outside. Scorpion lashes his tail, Shocker's vibro-smashers arc and stream, and Lady Stilt-Man crashes the party to flail her long limbs in a panel or two. Ricadonna’s foot blurs as she kicks away Shift. But then, Ricadonna’s got an axe to grind in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #16. Who dares call her a Z-Lister?

 

Bryan Valenza lavishes a loaded palette on Vicentini and Mancin’s dynamic art. Colors vary from subdued to bold, while costume color fades with movement and distance. Background colors often change panel by panel and portray energy and lighting sources. Highlights and shadows ground the characters, while translucent smoke keeps characters visible.

 

 

 

Cory Petit thwips uppercase black letters into white dialogue balloons in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #16. The large, thin font grows bold for inflection and shrinks for lowered voices. Rabble's dialogue fades to lavender when she does one of her Tech Talks, and Hobgoblin's dialogue occasionally turns the same color, indicating he's learned from her example. Miles' thoughts stand out as white letters in red narrative boxes. Sound effects enhance the fighting inside and out. Occasionally, they release so much energy that they shove all art from a panel, at least the art not showcased within the giant letters.

 

Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy of this Gang War chapter for review.

 

Final Thoughts

While Rabble and Hobgoblin use the Beyond Corporation’s tech to upgrade their powers, Brooklyn’s Team Spidey fights to prevent them from enhancing Madame Masque’s forces with a fleet of killer drones. Yet hovering over Miles Morales: Spider-Man #16 on an invisible glider is the fate of Miles’ uncle Aaron Davis. What happened to the Prowler? Was the Hornet’s faith in him misplaced?

 

Rating 9/10

 

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