REVIEW: ‘Miles Morales: Spider-Man,’ Issue #5

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #5 is published by Marvel, written by Cody Ziglar, art by Federico Vicentini, colours by Bryan Valenza, and letters by Cory Petit. In the last issue, Miles’ news villain, Ramble, burned down his house with his parents inside. Now, Miles needs to end the fight before anyone else in his life gets hurt.

This is an issue with intensity—something that has been present throughout the whole run so far. Opening with the shot of Miles’ home being burned to a crisp is dramatic enough without the rest of the issue that follows. The brawl that comes next is violent, fast-paced, and unrelenting. There is a constant nervousness after Ramble already demonstrated what she is willing to do against Miles, and so many others could still be at risk. The issue takes a brief rest to move to a fight that’s just as chaotic, as Misty Knights works to free Starling and Ganke. It’s one of the most intoxicating and important in Miles’ life so far and it is not disappointing at all. There is a gorgeous emotional core to the issue that gets really powerful towards the conclusion. How the fight ends is given many red herrings but the ultimate finishing blow was a jaw-dropping surprise.

The dialogue and characters in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #5 are superb. Even with the ultra-fast action, Ziglar finds time to lace in amazing conversation between Miles and Raneem. What is clear is both of these young people are incredibly intelligent, but with vastly different mindsets and personalities. Miles is truly pure at heart and never wants anyone to be hurt. His courage and willingness to sacrifice himself are clear numerous times in one issue. It is quite rare to see a superhero whose parents are still alive, and that dynamic is fascinating to explore. But on the other side, you have a young human so infuriated by what happened to her own parents that she would murder others in revenge. Her blind rage is terrifying and so is her genius. The conversation they have shows both Miles’ desperation to stop her in a way that doesn’t end in blood, and the impossibility of Ramble ever doing so. Misty and Starling get moments of their own, facing a Scorpion drone, but it would have been nice to see Starling get more retaliation against her captor. 

The art is fantastic again. Nearly always chaotic and moving, Vicenti keeps the comic exhilarating at all times. Characters like Miles and Misty are lithe and athletic, their speed is demonstrated beautifully. There is a classic Spider-Man design choice in this issue too, as Miles’ mask is badly torn. There is an homage to perhaps the most famous Spider-Man cover of all time hidden in the comic too. Each swing has power to it. The facial expressions are simply incredible, with so much specificity to the emotions. Ramble’s outbursts are scary, but it is the aftermath of the fight that features the most haunting part of the comic.

The colors are phenomenal. The pouring rain that covers the whole issue adds so much atmosphere to the scenes. Then there is the energy crackling from both characters, with a new power surfacing for Miles.  It’s something not completely noticeable at first, but awesome when you realise it. His orange and Ramble’s purple clash and ripple from every panel in a dazzling display. Ramble’s eyes glowing for almost the whole issue amplifies her supremely imposing presence on the page. The lettering is so easy to read and the placement is brilliant within the panels. The SFX is often the same color as the energy emitted which fits easily.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #5 concludes an all-time great arc. This is one of the best Spider-Man comics I have read in a long time. It is filled with so much gravitas and emotion that it is impossible to not fall in love with Miles or the book itself. This issue contains love and fear and rage and each of those is so palpable. The battle is almost like a manga at points, and the energy within is intoxicating. The exhaustion at the end of the issue can be felt by characters and readers alike combined due to the emotional power it contains. This creative team has smashed the challenge of a new creative team on an existing character. 

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #5 is available where comics are sold.