Get Started In SPIDER-MAN (MILES MORALES) Comic Books

by snowbi-wan, updated Aug 2019

Miles Morales was the second Spider-Man of Marvel's Ultimate Universe, an alternate universe that Marvel launched in 2000 with re-imagined and updated versions of their main super-hero roster. Miles--who also gained his powers through a spider bite--replaced the original Ultimate Spider-Man--who was the familiar Peter Parker version--after the Ultimate Peter Parker's death. The remnants of the Ultimate Universe merged with the mainstream Marvel Universe after the SECRET WARS major event storyline in late 2015, and Miles Morales is now inhabiting the Marvel Universe proper. Miles Morales is the main character in the 2018 animated film, SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE, in which Peter Parker(s), Spider-Gwen and a few other Spider-Verse heroes also appear. While the film introduces movie-goers to Miles as part of the larger Spider-Verse, the Spider-Verse was not formally introduced in publication until 2014-15 with the EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE [2014] mini-series. Technically, Miles' publication history originated in the Marvel Ultimate Universe. This article focuses only on the Miles Morales version of Spider-Man...whichever universe he happens to be inhabiting.

Compilations

In modern comic publishing, it's common (and expected) for individual comic book issues to be collected into compilations of trade paperbacks and/or hardcovers, as well as other special compilations. Unlike the individual source issues, the collected editions typically stay in print for long periods and are less 'collectible.' If individual issues are out of reach or are not of interest to you or if you just need reading copies, the following collected editions of Spider-Man (Miles Morales) comic books are the most recent in-print editions and are the perfect alternative to get started right away with Spider-Man (Miles Morales). The following compilations are presented in a chronologically-based suggested reading order with softcover editions before any hardcover editions (unless the only in-print editions are hardcover--these are integrated into the softcover list).

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Cover	Release Month	Series / Number / Storyline
Quick View	Jul 2015	MILES MORALES: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN ULTIMATE COLLECTION [2015-TPB] BOOK 01 CURRENT PRINTING			Go to Amazon
Quick View	Sep 2015	MILES MORALES: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN ULTIMATE COLLECTION [2015-TPB] BOOK 02 CURRENT PRINTING			Go to Amazon
Quick View	Nov 2015	MILES MORALES: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN ULTIMATE COLLECTION [2015-TPB] BOOK 03 CURRENT PRINTING			Go to Amazon

Quick View	Nov 2018	SPIDER-MAN: SPIDER-VERSE--MILES MORALES [2019-TPB] CURRENT PRINTING (repackages some select stories and--along with volumes about other spider-family members--released to coincide with the animated SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE film.)			Go to Amazon

Quick View	Jul 2019	MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN [2019-TPB] CURRENT PRINTING			Go to Amazon

Quick View	Aug 2019	MILES MORALES: WITH GREAT POWER [2019-TPB]	UNAVAILABLE	$8.44

Quick View	Sep 2016	SPIDER-MAN: MILES MORALES [2016-TPB] VOL 01 CURRENT PRINTING			Go to Amazon
Quick View	Mar 2017	SPIDER-MAN: MILES MORALES [2016-TPB] VOL 02 CURRENT PRINTING			Go to Amazon

Quick View	May 2017	SPIDER-MAN/SPIDER-GWEN: SITTING IN A TREE [2017-TPB] CURRENT PRINTING			Go to Amazon

Quick View	Nov 2017	SPIDER-MAN: MILES MORALES [2016-TPB] VOL 03 CURRENT PRINTING			Go to Amazon
Quick View	Jul 2018	SPIDER-MAN: MILES MORALES [2016-TPB] VOL 04 CURRENT PRINTING			Go to Amazon

Quick View	Jul 2019	MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN [2019-TPB] VOL 01: STRAIGHT OUT OF BROOKLYN CURRENT PRINTING			Go to Amazon
Quick View	Dec 2019	MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN [2019-TPB] VOL 02: BRING ON BAD GUYS	UNAVAILABLE	$10.39
Quick View	Apr 2020	MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN [2019-TPB] VOL 03: FAMILY BUSINESS	UNAVAILABLE	$10.39

Quick View	Dec 2019	ABSOLUTE CARNAGE: MILES MORALES [2019-TPB]	UNAVAILABLE	$10.39

Quick View	Apr 2020	SPIDER-VERSE: SPIDER-ZERO [2020-TPB]	UNAVAILABLE	$11.69

1st Appearance

The first appearance of a character in comic book form is often the most valuable issue featuring that character. It's a nice place to get started in Spider-Man (Miles Morales), if it's within your budget.

ULTIMATE FALLOUT [2011] #4 (1st appearance of Spider-Man (Miles Morales))

Origin Story

The original presentation of an origin story or a retelling/recounting of it can be a good place to get started with a character or subject. Spider-Man (Miles Morales) existed in an alternate universe until that universe merged with the mainstream Marvel Universe. Miles' first appearance in ULTIMATE FALLOUT [2014] #4 was followed with a solo series that told his origin in the first story arc.

ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN [2011] #1-5 (a chronological flashback set before Miles' first appearance in ULTIMATE FALLOUT [2014] #4 details Miles' origin)
SPIDER-MAN [2018] #234 (contains 3-page MARVEL PRIMER PAGES summarizing the character's world)

Main Publication History

Series beginnings are always great places to get started in comic books. Here is the Main Publication History for Spider-Man (Miles Morales) comic books. Miles Morales became the second Spider-Man of the Ultimate Universe, after the Ultimate Peter Parker's death. Then after the Ultimate Universe merged with the mainstream Marvel Universe during the SECRET WARS major event storyline, Miles became the stree-level Spider-Man of the mainstream Marvel Universe New York City and currently stars in his own self-titled series. Another relaunch occurred after Miles' appearance in the 2018 animated film SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE.

ULTIMATE FALLOUT [2011] #1-6 (#4 contains Miles Morales' first appearance)
ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN [2011] #1-28, 200 (first solo series with Miles as the Spider-Man of the Ultimate Universe)
SPIDER-MEN [2012] #1-5 (first crossover of the Marvel and Ultimate Universes)
CATACLYSM: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN [2014] #1-3 (part of the CATACLYSM event storyline where Galactus invades Ultimate Universe)
ALL-NEW ULTIMATES [2014] #1-12 (ULTIMATE MARVEL NOW! relaunch series with Miles is a team member)
MILES MORALES: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN [2014] #1-12 (ULTIMATE MARVEL NOW! relaunch series focused on Miles)
SECRET WARS [2015] #1-9 (main series in the SECRET WARS major event storyline where various alternate universes merge with the mainstream Marvel Universe, including the Ultimate Universe)
ULTIMATE END [2015] #1-5 (auxiliary series in the SECRET WARS major event storyline ending the Ultimate Universe as it merges with the mainstream Marvel Universe)
ALL-NEW, ALL-DIFFERENT AVENGERS [2016] #1-15 (team series with Miles in the mainstream Marvel Universe and with Miles as a core team member)
SPIDER-MAN [2016] #1-21 (solo series with Miles in the mainstream Marvel Universe focused on Miles)
CIVIL WAR II [2016] #0-8 (Miles is a key figure in the plot of the CIVIL WAR II major event storyline)
SPIDER-GWEN [2015B] #16-17 (SITTING IN A TREE; crossover story arc with SPIDER-MAN [2016] #12-14)
SPIDER-MEN II [2017] #1-5 (a further exploration of the relationship between Spider-Man (Miles Morales) and Spider-Man (Peter Parker))
SPIDER-MAN [2018] #234-240 (return to legacy numbering, but the numbering is for the SPIDER-MAN title, of which Peter Parker was actually the star of the earliest series)
SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL [2018] #1
MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN [2019] #1- (ongoing solo series)
SPIDER-VERSE [2019] #1-6 (Miles falls through a portal)
MILES MORALES: THE END [2020] #1

Secondary Publication History

If you've already enjoyed some of the series listed in the Main Publication History above, series from this secondary publication list are very good places to further your exploration. With this list, we gather Miles' all-ages one-shots.

SPIDER-MAN: ENTER THE SPIDER-VERSE [2019] #1 (animated movie tie-in)
MARVEL SUPER HERO ADVENTURES: SPIDER-MAN--ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE [2019] #1
MARVEL SUPER HERO ADVENTURES: SPIDER-MAN--WEB OF INTRIGUE [2019] #1

Media Source Material

If you've enjoyed non-comic media for Spider-Man (Mile Morales), this section describes the comic book source material for some of the most popular non-comic media. WARNING: This section may contain spoilers! Unfortunately, Miles has not had any *live-action* feature film appearances. While there was some short-lived speculation that Miles Morales would be the Spider-Man replacing Peter Parker in the Sony/Marvel brokered film deal announced in 2015, it was ultimately revealed that Peter Parker would be the Spider-Man in the MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE. However, that film, SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING, may have indirectly incorporated Miles Morales. In the film, the Vulture's gang's first buyer was a man named Aaron Davis with some interesting related source material. In the Ultimate Marvel Universe, Davis is the 'Prowler' and the uncle of the teenage Miles Morales. And in the movie, Davis mentions 'his nephew,' although not by name.

Miles Morales had actual cartoon series appearances in the ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN television series, season three, WEB WARRIORS, and season four, ...VS THE SINISTER SIX before his big-screen animated debut as the star of the 2018 Sony Animation film SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE. This is the first full-length animated Spider-Man film in the Sony franchise. A host of other spider family characters from the spider family Multi-Verse, including Peter Parker and Spider-Gwen also appear in the movie. The overall plot of the movie is the Spider-Verse members teaming up (with a heavy reliance on Miles Morales) to defeat Kingpin and his dangerous multi-verse spanning machine. The opening sequences give us Miles Morales' Spider-Man origin. Miles' origin was told in comic books in ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN [2011] #1-5. Just like in the movie, he was bitten by a spider and gained spider-man-like superpowers. Miles stumbles upon the Kingpin's underground machine, where the Peter Parker Spider-Man is battling Kingpin and his henchmen to stop it. Peter is exposed to the multi-verse ray and Miles witnesses the Kingpin killing Peter Parker. Miles replaced the original Peter Parker Spider-Man in the Marvel Ultimate Universe, but did not witness his emotional death in ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN [2009] #160. Miles Morales' first comic book appearance followed shortly in ULTIMATE FALLOUT [2011] #4, and his origin story was published in his own ongoing series right on the heels of the ULTIMATE FALLOUT mini-series. It's highly likely that the movie universe is not 'our' universe--what fans consider the Marvel Universe proper (i.e. E-616), but it's not definitive whether this is the 'Ultimate' Universe. It could easily be some version of it, since the circumstances of Spider-Man's death and replacement line up so well. It could also easily be Sony's Raimi/Maguire live-action film universe, since there are so, so many scenes establishing Peter Parker's career that are ripped right out of that trilogy. When Peter Parker was exposed to the machine's beam, several other Spider-Verse characters were drawn into Miles' universe, including Spider-Gwen, the reality where Gwen Stacy was bitten by the radioactive spider. Spider-Gwen's first comic book appearance is EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE [2014] #2. Spider-Man Noir is the black and white character. His first comic book appearance is SPIDER-MAN NOIR [2009] #1. Marvel has a whole Noir universe with noir versions of their characters. The hilarious Spider-Ham's first comic book appearance is MARVEL TAILS STARRING PETER PORKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-HAM [1983] #1. The first comic book appearance of the super-cool anime Peni Parker and SP//dr is EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE [2014] #5. Oh, another version of Peter Parker comes through to Miles' universe as well and becomes Miles' reluctant teacher and mentor. This Peter Parker had divorced Mary Jane. In the Marvel Universe proper, Peter and Mary Jane's marriage was dissolved not by divorce but by a deal with the devil, Mephisto. This took place in part 4 of the 2007-08 ONE MORE DAY story arc, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN [2003] #545. There are so many other awesome Spider-Man Easter eggs in this movie, this article could go on for days. Luckily, Sony is already planning a sequel and a spin-off to SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE.

Key Issues

A key issue can be an acceptable place to get started with Spider-Man (Miles Morales), but they are more of a collector's checklist, as they can carry high price tags. We include in this list the first appearances of the key Spider-Verse characters from the SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE film, since the movie has done so much to popularize Miles Morales.

Key Issue cover 1 for SPIDER-MAN (MILES MORALES)

Key Issue cover 2 for SPIDER-MAN (MILES MORALES)

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MARVEL TAILS STARRING PETER PORKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-HAM [1983] #1 (1st appearance of Spider-Ham)
SPIDER-MAN NOIR [2009] #1 (1st appearance of Spider-Man Noir)
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN [2009] #160 (death of Ultimate Spider-Man (Peter Parker))
ULTIMATE FALLOUT [2011] #4 (1st appearance of Spider-Man (Miles Morales))
ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN [2011] #1 (1st issue of this series (originally issued in a white polybag))
EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE [2014] #2 (1st appearance of Spider-Gwen)
EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE [2014] #5 (1st appearance of Peni Parker and SP//dr)