Someone has figured out Spider-Man’s secret identity and Miles Morales is worried that his family and friends are next to be targeted! Your Major Spoilers review of Miles Morales: Spider-Man #2 from Marvel Comics awaits!

MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN #2

Writer: Cody Ziglar
Artist: Federico Vicentini
Colorist: Bryan Valenza
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Editor: Tom Groneman
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 11, 2023

Previously in Miles Morales: Spider-Man: A mysterious new threat is rising and coming at Spider-Man hard, and if Spidey doesn’t fight back with everything he’s got-he could LOSE everything. What does this new villain have to do with the slew of upgraded foes, like The Scorpion, terrorizing NYC?

This battle is going to change Spidey’s life forever…

ENTER MISTY KNIGHT!

It’s been a rough patch for Miles Morales, as his relationship with his would-be paramour Starling is on the rocks, his schoolwork is suffering, leading to a suspension, and he nearly lost a fight to a villain called The Bumbler, thanks to some tech upgrades. As Miles Morales: Spider-Man #2 opens, he’s on laundry duty for the whole family for a month, but a sudden epiphany sends him out into the streets again in search of answers. While investigating the source of Bumbler’s enhanced suit, he bumps into super-detective Misty Knight, who agrees to teach him a little bit about following leads (against her better judgment). The duo bumps into The Scorpion, who cleaned Spider-Man’s clock last issue… and he’s also gotten some upgrades!

As for Starling, Miles’ not-exactly-a-girlfriend, she finds herself targeted by the villainous source of said technology, who also has the ability to turn off Starling’s wings!

WHO IS RABBLE?

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #2 builds on the mystery from the debut, giving the mysterious Raneem her own costume and gimmick, one that reminds me a lot of The Tinkerer from the PS4 Miles Morales: Spider-Man game. On the one hand, it’s a cool take on the character, but on the other, it’s been something like two years since that game debuted. This issue gives us some nice character moments between Misty and Miles, who has things to tell him about being a Black person in a high-profile role. The breakdown in communication between Miles and his sweetheart is also well-handled, especially the surprise realization that she is also a target of Rabble’s vendetta against Miles. Vicentini’s art has its moments, but there is an angularity to the faces and expressions that makes certain sequences harder to read. The upgraded Scorpion, for instance, looks really cool, but also doesn’t seem quite human, and Misty (who is canonically a cute woman) looks scary in more than one panel.

BOTTOM LINE: CALLING IT NOW, SHE’S A NEW TINKERER!

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #2 keeps up the momentum from the big relaunch, deepening the mysteries and making Spidey’s life worse in interesting ways, making good use of the supporting cast and establishing elements of the Marvel Universe, with art that has some issues but delivers on the action sequences, earning 3.5 out of 5 stars overall. I’m actually excited at the parts of the story that emulate the video game, which makes the story feel almost dated already, but the story ends on a strong enough note to make it worth readers’ while.

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