Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man Appreciation 2023

[Dron]

MM:SM #4 preview:
https://comicbook.com/comics/news/mi...cret-identity/

Thanks. Rabble is really after him. Looks like some good action.

[Frontier]

MM:SM #4 preview:
https://comicbook.com/comics/news/mi...cret-identity/

This girl is going wayyyy too hard considering what her issue is.

I like to think Miles is more "decent" than mediocre though I wonder how much he would excel without Spider-Man.

[Kurolegacy]

I find villains that only really think about themselves rather more realistic than well-intentioned sympathetic villains. Also, they're less problematic: well-intentioned sympathetic villains tend to result in the hero defending the status quo and whatever abuses the villain is up in arms about.

Problem is that she views herself as being a well-intended villain because she claims to be against the system that basically resulted in her problems but rather than going after the system, she’s attacking Miles who has nothing to do with it. It just raises the question of if it had been some other kid, would she be punching down that much as to go after a target who couldn’t protect themselves?

[CrimsonEchidna]

I find villains that only really think about themselves rather more realistic than well-intentioned sympathetic villains. Also, they're less problematic: well-intentioned sympathetic villains tend to result in the hero defending the status quo and whatever abuses the villain is up in arms about.

There's been such a big push for "moral grey" antagonists that yeah, sometimes it is ironically refreshing that you get an antagonist with completely self-serving motives. She's mad and she's misdirecting that anger at Miles and honestly I'm fine with it. It'd be one thing if Ziglar was trying to play it both ways with trying to give her the moral high ground, but he's avoided that pratfall.

And again, maybe because I'm still recovering from the Kindred let down lol

[Huntsman Spider]

Still don’t find this villain all that compelling. While it’s sad the hand that life gave her, taking it out on Miles just because he won a lottery is just petty especially when, at that point, she’s only thinking about herself and how her situation turned out. What about the other kids who also didn’t get in? What is trying to kill Miles going to change about her situation? She claims that Miles squandered the opportunity but he’s someone who also has to balance his school life with putting his life on the line protecting the people of the city and sometimes the world. And mind you, he’s been doing it since he was just 13. That’s a lot more than she can say she’s done with her life considering how bitter she is.

I think that's kind of the point, that whatever she's suffered in the past, the reason she's (still) the villain and not the hero of the story is that she's petty and self-entitled, unlike people like Miles who ultimately, pun fully intended, put other people above and ahead of themselves and their own desires.

I find villains that only really think about themselves rather more realistic than well-intentioned sympathetic villains. Also, they're less problematic: well-intentioned sympathetic villains tend to result in the hero defending the status quo and whatever abuses the villain is up in arms about.

There is room for nuance in that, but you're right; too often, the well-intentioned villain gets twisted into someone more villainous than well-intentioned to retroactively excuse or justify the hero defending a status quo that may still be objectively unjust or unfair, but the villain no longer has any sort of moral high ground to criticize or condemn it. That said, I did like the Black Panther film's approach, where the hero essentially conceded that the villain wasn't entirely wrong about the wrongs that had been committed in the past but went for constructive as opposed to destructive solutions to those wrongs. That's definitely something we should see more of, acknowledging that injustices have been committed and need to be redressed in some way, but seeking constructive solutions that minimize the possibility of death and destruction and collateral damage to innocent or uninvolved parties.

Problem is that she views herself as being a well-intended villain because she claims to be against the system that basically resulted in her problems but rather than going after the system, she’s attacking Miles who has nothing to do with it. It just raises the question of if it had been some other kid, would she be punching down that much as to go after a target who couldn’t protect themselves?

I believe TV Tropes also has a name for that --- "Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist," which is exactly as you outlined, in that they claim to be acting out of good intentions, but are really just out for themselves, no matter who gets hurt or worse.

There's been such a big push for "moral grey" antagonists that yeah, sometimes it is ironically refreshing that you get an antagonist with completely self-serving motives. She's mad and she's misdirecting that anger at Miles and honestly I'm fine with it. It'd be one thing if Ziglar was trying to play it both ways with trying to give her the moral high ground, but he's avoided that pratfall.

And again, maybe because I'm still recovering from the Kindred let down lol

Fair enough, and yeah, sometimes, you just need a villain who doesn't give a f***, a s***, or a damn about helping other people, even if in a misguided or deluded way, and is just out for spite and blood because, "I didn't get what I wanted or needed, so I'm taking it out on you, world! Or you, random bystander! Or you, random superhero who tries to stop me!"

[JustLuke]

I've been enjoying this book a lot. Far more than ASM.

Also saw that Miles' new suit is getting a Marvel Legends and ngl I've warmed up to that one over time.

https://www.amazon.com/Marvel-SPD-Le...f_=as_li_ss_tl

[Huntsman Spider]

I've been enjoying this book a lot. Far more than ASM.

Also saw that Miles' new suit is getting a Marvel Legends and ngl I've warmed up to that one over time.

https://www.amazon.com/Marvel-SPD-Le...f_=as_li_ss_tl

I hear you there. I still say it wouldn't have been too bad if it had stuck with the under-suit design in the concept art for it.

[Kurolegacy]

I hear you there. I still say it wouldn't have been too bad if it had stuck with the under-suit design in the concept art for it.

Still don’t get what the point was in them giving the undersuit such an elaborate design when they never had him remove the jacket.

[Huntsman Spider]

Still don’t get what the point was in them giving the undersuit such an elaborate design when they never had him remove the jacket.

Concept art is funny like that, I suppose.

[Dragonick]

Still don’t get what the point was in them giving the undersuit such an elaborate design when they never had him remove the jacket.

The suit really was a disaster all things considered. It was meant to be something special for the ten year anniversary, but not only was it mostly unpopular it didn't even get a full showcase of its design while it lasted.

[Kurolegacy]

The suit really was a disaster all things considered. It was meant to be something special for the ten year anniversary, but not only was it mostly unpopular it didn't even get a full showcase of its design while it lasted.

I swear the only reason it lasted as long as it did was due to sunk cost fallacy. They had made such a big deal out of the suit change for his 10th anniversary and designed a suit so they had to use it for a while. At very least it didn’t last as long as Jessica’s new costume from Hopeless’ run because that would’ve been a crime. Though funny how with both, they were ditched with no one even commenting on them changing back.

[Dron]

I've been enjoying this book a lot. Far more than ASM.

Also saw that Miles' new suit is getting a Marvel Legends and ngl I've warmed up to that one over time.

https://www.amazon.com/Marvel-SPD-Le...f_=as_li_ss_tl

It's the ankles for me. When they aren't showing I don't mind the suit at all. maybe would get rid of those two tassel strings? It makes it too loose in my opinion.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

https://twitter.com/Yotakuboi/status...584589313?s=20

Someone did a Prowler-esque redesign for Miles. The similarities to Chasm are unintentional by the artist.

[Dron]

https://twitter.com/Yotakuboi/status...584589313?s=20

Someone did a Prowler-esque redesign for Miles. The similarities to Chasm are unintentional.

Pretty neat. I could see it happening in a scenario where Peter didn't die in the fight with Green Goblin.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Pretty neat. I could see it happening in a scenario where Peter didn't die in the fight with Green Goblin.

I don't mind tieing it to Chasm as Ben does his memory wipe thing on Miles. So Aaron pretends that Miles is his sidekick "Prowler III".

One of his alternate selves should be Miles as his uncle's apprentice.