Miles Morales: More Than Just A “Black” Spider-Man | Jaila Conway Patterson

Did you know Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) has a rating of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes? Let’s dive into what makes this film highly liked by individuals. I believe it represents the Black community well, and I aim to evaluate why it is a good source of representation. The Spider-Verse series utilizes visual presentation, themes of identity, and emotional impact to enhance a story of Black representation.

The film’s directors Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson, and Joaquim Dos Santos use their individual experiences of expertise to enhance the film. Powers collaborates closely with the vocal director aspect of the film. Thompson has a background in production and visual design, and Santos has renowned expertise in story art. These three film directors came together in meetings, shared their ideas, and set off into their respective roles. Powers, known for his play “One Night” and its film adaptation, has also made a name for himself in the Disney franchise with his film “Soul.” Thompson is known for his work in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, The Powerpuff Girls, and Samurai Jack. Santos is known for Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Legend of Korra, Justice League Unlimited, and Teen Titans. In the video titled, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Directors Talk Film’s Insane Process”, a narrative discussed is the parental perspective on witnessing their child grow up. This physical experience in their lives was embedded into Miles’s storyline (Collider Interviews, 2023, 4:27). Following this perspective, here is how they portrayed Miles’s character. 

Miles Morales is an Afro-Latino teenager who lives in Brooklyn, New York. While navigating the pressure of both school and family, Miles is bitten by a radioactive spider from another dimension. While realizing his powers, Miles is somehow caught in an inter-dimensional conflict. With the growing threat of the multiverse, Miles is left with an unquestionable decision of whether he can be the Spider-Man he needs to be. The question is: Will Miles take that leap of faith? The film centers around the idea of identity as Miles evolves into what he believes to be his version of Spider-Man. 

Back in 2011, an article by Daniel Bates from The Daily Mail titled “Marvel Comics reveals the new Spider-Man is black–and he could be gay in the future” showcased the public’s first interaction with Miles as a character. The article details a response to the question of a Black character in the Marvel universe as being a “publicity stunt” by Marvel. Marvel rebuked this notion and said that its comics reflect the diverse real world. 

Being released at the end of December 2018, the fans did not know what to expect from this new addition to Spider-Man’s legacy. With the suspicion of Miles back in 2011, it was hard to place where it would land with fans of the comics and, ultimately, those who had rejected the notion of a Black teenager being Spider-Man. I had not had a lot of contact with Spider-Man’s Miles Morales outside the animated series “Ultimate Spider-Man” in 2012. With this introduction, it was still clear that Miles was just the Black Spider-Man and not any different from the originals I’d seen before. While the representation was great, it still was a lackluster version of a canonically white character. While the Miles in the TV show is underwhelming, the cinematic version redeems his character. 

The film raises questions about who can or can’t be Spider-Man. The impact on society was that Black people felt represented. In this video, the user describes it perfectly by saying that “Miles inhabits his Blackness, it does not have to be declared.” I believe this could explain the narrative of the media consistently mentioning the trauma of the Black race. In this film, Miles’s racial identity does not take away from the focus of the film; instead, it remains in the Spider-Man storyline. A contrast is C.W’s TV show titled “All-American,” which depicts a story loosely based on ex NFL star, Spencer Paysinger. In the show, Spence is a Black teen in a white Beverly Hills School. He grew up in the “hood” but transferred because of his all-star football skills. While the show sports a majority black cast it still reinforces the “thug” and “gangsta” stereotype associated with Black individuals. J Lisle Writes asks, “What is it to be Black if I’m only Black in appearance?” This quote illustrates that while race and gender matter, so does the actual personality of the marginalized group being represented. This is relevant to society because we need media that amplifies marginalized voices. 

Another one of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’s strengths is its ability to tell a story through animation. The animation has a mix of realism and comic aspects. The colorful speech bubbles, action words, and split-panel transitions evoke nostalgia for those who grew up loving comics. In various moments on screen, the visuals help transition the storyline without using dialogue.  

Additionally, the film effectively explores the theme of identity. As Miles grapples with this challenge through his family members—his dad representing a sense of duty and his uncle representing freedom—he faces internal pressure to define his identity. Now that he is Spider-Man, his journey towards self-discovery concludes with him realizing that it is not who we are born as, but who we choose to be that truly matters. 

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse stands out for its creativity, with a beautiful blend of realistic animation and comic book aspects. These visuals create an outstanding character with the depth of his familial ties, the implication of expectations on someone, and figuring out your identity, Miles is extraordinary. While I would’ve liked a more in-depth perspective of Miles’s mom, I still believe the film is fantastic. The emotional impact the film had on me was one of relief. I felt relieved that I finally saw someone who looked like my brother in the film. Miles reminds me of my brother a lot. Miles is a Black, nerdy teenager trying to find his way in the world. His race is not used in relation to trauma and is valued by the filmmakers. This film effectively portrays Black people holding positions of power in jobs. I appreciated the perspective of showcasing an important Black family instead of the typical portrayal. The narrative often depicts the family in poverty, and in this case, it’s likely to be a story about struggle. I also liked the boundary-breaking narrative of a young Black boy in this film. The representation of Black people in this film is of high quality, and we desperately needed a piece of media that would highlight the experiences of underrepresented communities.