There is no debate about it: Spider-Man is easily one of the most beloved and popular comic book characters of all time, but while everyone loves Peter Parker, there’s another web-slinger that fans love just as much. Since his debut in Ultimate Comics: Fallout #4 in 2011, Miles has been a fan favorite. It’s a popularity that has only grown thanks to his appearance in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its sequel and recently, he got his own all new solo series, Miles Morales: Spider-Man. Written by Bryan Hill, the first issue of the new book saw a return to form for the hero and has won over fans and critics alike — and the adventure is only getting started.
ComicBook spoke with Hill about this new chapter for Miles and for Hill, the hero’s continuity matters but there’s also a real focus on balancing the hero and the person beneath the mask. Hill also teased what fans can expect for Miles’ extended cast and if getting to look behind the curtain a bit about this new series wasn’t enough, we’ve even got an exclusive first look at Miles Morales: Spider-Man #2 which goes on sale September 23rd.
ComicBook: This new status quo for Miles brings him much closer to being a Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, so how much focus do you plan to give to his civilian side alongside his heroics?
Bryan Hill: The continuity is still there, but I wanted to make sure my stories didn’t leave the normal world behind. It’s important to me that super hero comics still touch base with us, the world we live in, and that superheroes protect the innocent. I don’t want to write a story that’s just superpowered people fighting each other with the grounded world absent from the narrative. And I do want to explore Miles as Miles. To me, that’s especially important in a Spider-Man book because that balance between superhero and real person has always been an essential aspect of the Spider-Man experience.
In a lot of ways, the first issue made Miles seem a lot younger than other runs, so where do you see Miles as sitting on the scale of newbie hero to veteran?
I think being a super hero is something you’re always getting used to because the world changes so much as does your place in it. I’m not rolling back the clock, and he’s had all of those experiences, but just like being a creative it’s a constant state of figuring it out. I’ve worked in TV for five years, written and directed a horror film (in post now), I’m putting together my second film, writing comics, and I still have no idea what I’m doing, hahahahahaha. I think that’s a healthy place to be.
The new villain is directly tied to Miles’s family, so how important will Miles’s family be to the story you want to tell?
Family is important to Miles so family needs to be important to his story. That’s a critical aspect of the character. I let the character’s nature guide me where a story needs to go.
How much of Miles extended cast from other runs do you think we’ll be seeing in the coming issues?
Well, that’s what people wanna know right? “Is he going to ignore my favs as he moves forward?” And the answer is no. I’m not. When I do bring people in, I don’t want it to be done in a shallow way, so I have to make sure there’s good story there for everyone and I’m not just walking people through a book to cameo folks. So, readers just need to walk with me a bit and I think they’ll see how I like to address supporting characters and extended cast, and I appreciate the interest people have been showing me so far. It’s been very kind. If you love a character or a relationship and you’re a little concerned I’m just leaving it all behind, I’m not. I’m going to deal with things with depth, but it might take me a beat to get there for the character or the relationship you really love.
Here’s how Marvel describes Miles Morales: Spider-Man #2: Sins of the father! Enter Grendel — a super villain from Jeff Morales’ past who will stop at nothing to have his revenge against the former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent…but their seemingly perfect plan didn’t count on Spider-Man! But how can Miles Morales fight an enemy who has a counter for his every move and power? What tragic events led to Grendel’s fall – and what does Miles’ dad have to do with it? The issue goes on sale September 23rd.
