Resistance: Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man
Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man, Volume 1
In 2011, after the death of Peter Parker in the Ultimate universe, a new hero, thirteen-year-old Miles Morales, takes on the mantle. When we first see Miles (just before Peter Parker’s death), he and his parents are on their way to attend a lottery for the limited positions available for a charter school in Brooklyn: the Brooklyn Visions Academy. His mother reassures him that whether or not he is admitted is not a reflection on him; that there are only forty spots and over 700 applicants from their neighborhood. In the sea of hopeful parents and children, Miles is the second to last student selected. While his mother clamors excitedly, overcome that he has a chance, Miles looks around the room at the crying students and thinks that it’s wrong. Miles goes off to tell his uncle of the news, still uncomfortable with how the system works. Technically, Miles isn’t supposed to be visiting his Uncle Aaron. Unbeknownst to Miles, his uncle is a career criminal and his latest heist at Osborn Industry had him return home with an extra passenger: a genetically altered spider with the number 42 scrawled across its back. Sitting on the couch, Miles doesn’t notice the spider crawling on his hand until it had already bit him; he collapses to the ground, foaming at the mouth, and passes out. Worried, his uncle calls his father.
Miles comes to after a few minutes, just in time for his father to arrive. He threatens Aaron, assuming that Aaron gave him drugs, and the two argue. Miles wants them to stop and when they don’t, he runs. He sees his dad and comes out of hiding only to discover that he’s camouflaged to his surroundings. He realizes that the spider bite gave him abilities and confides in his best friend, Ganke. Miles is terrified, thinking he might be a mutant, and knowing how hated mutants are (including by his own father). His father finds him at Ganke’s and they walk to the park to discuss what happened. Miles’ father explains that when he and Aaron
were young, they got into trouble with the law and both spent time in jail.
|
His father realized there were better things in life to strive to, and married his mother and had him; he claims that Aaron didn’t learn any lessons and has only become a greater criminal, that he never got past the time in his life when he thought it was fun or funny to do something wrong. He explains that Miles is the most important thing in his life and that he doesn’t want to risk Miles being hurt by Aaron – or being forced to resist temptation around him. Miles is upset that his dad didn’t tell him, and his father asks, “How do I tell a little boy this?” He tells Miles that Miles shouldn’t be afraid to tell him anything, but as Miles opens his mouth – seemingly to admit to his new powers – some super powered folks zip by and his father makes a comment about how he wishes they would all just leave the city alone.
Ganke sends Miles a text, telling him that Spider-Man was bit by a spider, too, and Miles realizes he can climb walls. Although Ganke thinks the situation is cool, Miles just wants to be normal. He wants to go to school and go to college. Miles finds out that his Uncle has moved out (though only a day as passed since the bite), and on his way home with Ganke, he helps rescue civilians from a burning building. While he’s happy to have saved people, he runs to an alley and freaks out, telling Ganke that he’s not made for the superhero business, arguing that there is already a Spider-Man running around who seems to love it. Miles focuses on integrating into his new school, working on homework and reading. Everything seems to be going well.
Then Spider-Man dies. |
Miles hears Spider-Man was shot and rushes out of his school, arriving on the scene just in time to watch Peter Parker die. Miles feels guilty, believing it’s his fault and that if he’d just embraced his powers he would have been there to make a difference. He goes to Peter Parker’s funeral and speaks with Gwen Stacy about why Peter did it. It inspires him to want to help. Ganke gives him his old Spider-Man Halloween costumes (and Miles asks if it’s in bad taste), but Ganke convinces him that the costume would be honoring Peter Parker. Throughout the night, Miles receives a slew of comments about the costume being in bad taste as he fights crime. Eventually, Spider-Woman finds him, angry that he’s wearing the costume of her dead friend, and knocks him out, bringing him to the Ultimates headquarters. He talks to Nick Fury about why he’s been crime fighting; Fury thinks he’s too young. When the headquarters is attacked, Miles manages to stop the bad guy, saving them all. Fury tells him he’ll think about him. On his way to school with Ganke, a woman (Spider-Woman, as a civilian) hands him a briefcase with a new costume. He is officially Spider-Man.
|
Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man, Volume 2
While Miles gets into the groove of crime fighting, his Uncle Aaron is in Mexico City, attempting to settle a score (and is ultimately arrested by the police). Miles stops a mugging in progress, much to the gratitude of the would-be victim; the police are less thrilled with this development and attempt to arrest him. A civilian (who apparently once worked for the Daily Bugle) captures a picture of the new Spider-Man. Home for the weekend, Miles talks with his mother, airing out his feelings over the revelation that his father was once a criminal. He fears that there is a part of him that has the capability to “act the fool,” too. Ganke interrupts their talk to show him footage of the original Spider-Man so that he can study it and learn from it. The Daily Bugle publishes the footage of the new Spider-Man, and in Mexico City, Uncle Aaron sees the picture on the cover of a newspaper and recognizes his nephew immediately.
Miles practices some of the moves from the footage in his bedroom, and his mother finds his behavior weird. At dinner, the three of them talk about the new Spider-Man; while his father finds the whole thing ridiculous (and detests that there are people with powers running around), his mother thinks it’s cool and noble, citing Peter Parker’s sacrifice as “pretty powerful stuff.” Out patrolling, Miles laments in his head about how his father hates him and wishes he could talk to Peter Parker about how he got by as a hero. Miles continues practicing and fights some criminals. Uncle Aaron, having gotten out of prison, goes to interrogate an inventor called the Tinkerer about the new Spider-Man, killing him after he gets the information he needs. He goes to find Miles at his school.
In Paris, Gwen Stacy and Peter’s aunt, May Parker, see a newspaper article about the new Spider-Man. Miles talks to Uncle Aaron, who tells him he knows his secret, explaining that they will be working together. Before Miles can reply, one of the teachers at his school comes over, telling Aaron he isn’t on the approved visitor’s list, asking him to leave. He subtly threatens her but agrees to leave, watching Miles through the gates of the school.
The antagonist from Mexico City that Aaron had an altercation with comes to Brooklyn looking for Aaron and planning to become the new kingpin of New York; he calls himself the Scorpion. Miles is deep in thought about Uncle Aaron and sneaks out at night to patrol as Spider-Man, agonizing over what he should do and fearing that he will no longer get to be Spider-Man. As Spider-Man, he takes down The Ringer (but ends up trapped in the Ringer’s rings); the police arrive, but the Captain decides to only talk with him, mocking his age (because it’s clear Miles is far from the “30” he claims to be), and asks if these interactions are going to become a “thing.” He lets Miles get away and arrests the Ringer. Aaron goes up against the Scorpion, but is easily outmatched and flees.
|
Uncle Aaron texts Miles to come and meet him and Miles grudgingly goes. Aaron attacks him to test his skills, and tries to convince him to help take down the Scorpion, explaining that the Scorpion is a really bad guy. Miles thinks on it throughout the night and all through school the next day. At dinner, his mother notices something is wrong, but his father just mocks, “Congratulations, it’s a teenager.” Miles researches the Scorpion and finds that he really is a dangerous guy. He texts Uncle Aaron and tells him he’s in.
|
Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man, Volume 3
Miles (as Spider-Man) helps Uncle Aaron take down the Scorpion. Miles leaves once Scorpion is taken care of; Uncle Aaron bombards Miles’ phone with messages. When Miles refuses to help him again, Aaron blackmails him, threatening (again) to tell his father, (which Miles thinks will make his father hate him). Back in America with Gwen Stacy, May Parker calls Tony Stark, telling him she wants to meet the new Spider-Man. Uncle Aaron waits for Miles at the would-be meeting location, but Miles refuses to meet with him and watches from a distance. Uncle Aaron threatens him via text, telling him he’s playing with fire. At school, Miles tells Ganke that he’s planning on telling his parents; that he’s trying to be a good person and that he shouldn’t be letting his uncle blackmail and bully him. Ganke worries about how Miles’ dad will react, but Miles says no matter how bad it is, it would still be better than being used by his uncle as a mob enforcer. As they talk, a nameless (but clearly significant) female classmate overhears them and watches from a few lockers away.
Miles gets home to talk to his parents and Uncle Aaron is outside, waiting; Miles bluffs with him that he’ll help him if he leaves. He finds his mom in the living room and gives her a big hug. That night, he meets up with Uncle Aaron, telling him to leave town, and that he won’t let him threaten him or his parents. The two fight and one of Aaron’s devices gets damaged. Aaron goes in to hit him harder, telling him he’ll kill him, when the device explodes. Miles is hurt, but Aaron is charred and dying. In his final breathes, he tells Miles that Miles is just like him. Miles is horrified.
The media paints Spider-Man as a murderer. Captain America (already unhappy with there being a new, even younger Spider-Man), upon hearing this goes to meet him. Meanwhile, Miles’ father comes to his bedroom and tells him that Uncle Aaron is dead. Miles has flashbacks of it and is haunted by the memory of Uncle Aaron telling him he’s just like him. He cries as he falls alseep. At school, Ganke asks him if he wants to talk about it and Miles spots the newspaper articles proclaiming Spider-Man a murderer. When they get to the cafeteria, Miles admits that he doesn’t know what happened during the fight. [He didn’t see the device get damaged and feels guilty, not sure if his actions were what killed his uncle]. As they talk, Miles receives a mysterious phone call from someone he recognizes, asking to meet him. On his way to the meeting, Miles fights a petty criminal and is almost arrested. Captain America watches from the distance. When he arrives, we see that his mystery caller was May Parker, who waits for him with Gwen Stacy. May wants to give him something, but she is interrupted by the arrival of Captain America, who claims Miles shouldn’t be Spider-Man anymore.
|
Gwen Stacy calls out Captain America, arguing in Miles’ favor. This does not change the Captain’s opinion. Mary Jane arrives, telling Captain America that he’s merely projecting because he didn’t train Peter and feels guilty. Their argument is interrupted by a call to Captain America. He leaves, telling Miles that if he disobeys the Captain’s orders to stop, he’ll put Miles in jail and call his parents. After he leaves, May gives Miles Peter’s old web shooters (and the formula to make the webs when he runs out). May tells him not to do what Peter would do, but to do what Miles would do. Miles arrives and manages to take down the big bad with some quick thinking, and the Captain tells him he needs training.
At school, Miles shows Ganke his new web-slingers. But when he goes home, he finds the police waiting for him, wanting to question him about his Uncle. The detective admits that his Uncle’s own weaponry backfired and killed him, and Miles is relieved (though he still has flashbacks about his uncle’s death). The detective doesn’t seem to trust his story, but eventually leaves. |
When Miles tells Ganke, Ganke hugs him, thrilled. They find out, however, that the school is closing due to the uproar in the country. Ganke tells him to join the Ultimates, and that Captain America will respect him for it. When he arrives at the Ultimates Headquarters, that is not the case. The Captain tells him to go home. The Headquarters is attacked and Miles proves that he’s ready. Miles calls his mom to tell her he’s okay.
During an intense battle, Miles ends up alone and stranded. Meanwhile, his father, back in the city, is arrested for causing a ruckus trying to get back to his house [the street is blocked off]; a squadron of Hydra insurgents (who are trying to take over the country) release him. They hand him a gun, telling him to join their cause, but when he sees them killing innocent citizens, he kills them, and is horrified by his actions. Miles’ mom hugs him when she finds him, and tells him they have to find Miles. Spider-Woman finds Miles and helps him get home. Miles’ parents look for him at Ganke’s and he gets there just in time. His mother hugs him, telling him that his father fought terrorists that night. The book ends with his father looking uncomfortable.
Course Connections
Croteau can be applied through the idea of dominant ideology. Like with Static Shock, Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man defies the dominant ideology of Whiteness. The protagonist is a teen of color, and many of the background characters in images are also characters of color.
Just as we discussed in class under the topic of “Teens Talk Back,” Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man offers a critique of the school system, as Miles’ mom believes that unless he gains admittance to the charter school, he won’t have any real opportunities. It’s clear that Miles doesn’t believe the lottery for entrance is right, as he gazes at the crying students who weren’t lucky enough to be selected. The issue implies that all students should have the same opportunities for learning. Although in class we discussed the problems of the institutionalization of schools, this text merely offers criticism of the system itself.
Further, this series plays on Raby’s discourse of At-Risk, in this case in terms of criminal activity (or perceived criminal activity). In Miles’ civilian identity, he is at risk because of his race, his class, his age, and his familial ties to his uncle (and father). When Miles is chosen for the charter school, his mother claims that he has a chance, implying that otherwise he would succumb to the fates of many in their community. After his reaction to the spider bite in his Uncle’s apartment, his father’s first assumption was that Uncle Aaron gave him drugs. Further, when Miles finds out his father spent time in jail (and that his uncle is a career criminal), he fears that there’s a part of him more apt to commit crime. As the hero Spider-Man, these fears nearly come to fruition when he is blackmailed by his uncle. Under his Uncle’s control, he would undoubtedly be forced into criminal activity. He rejects this. When his Uncle is killed during their fight, he fears that it was his fault – which is preyed on by his Uncle’s last words.
Ultimately, Miles is his own character. He is depicted as having his own agency. When his parents (not knowing the difficulties he’s going though) notice his glumness, his father comments to his mother, “Congratulations, it’s a teenager.” His father is stereotyping his behavior as typical teen attitude, but the audience knows that Miles is really going through intensely emotional issues. As such, his father’s comment is a criticism of the opinions teenagers are subjected to. Within the chapters currently published, Spider-Man succeeds in presenting teenagers positively, as dynamic characters, rather than as Alien Life Forms.