Civil War Journal – Week Twenty-Seven: What Happened To Miles?

Miles Morales returns from the climactic punch of Civil War II #7 to decompress with his loved ones and give them a tease about the end of the War.

Welcome back to Civil War Journal, Bam Smack Pow’s weekly recap column of all things Civil War II. The War finishes in two weeks, but before it does, Miles Morales comes back home to tell us what he saw when Captain Marvel threw that unforgettable punch.

What happened? Miles returns from Washington, DC, and tells his friends about the vision of him killing Captain America. He relates the major scenes from Civil War II #7, including the police standoff, talking to Captain America, and watching Iron Man and Captain Marvel fight over him. Then he teases a scene of him holding Tony Stark, and Tony sure looks dead…

Was it good? Yes! Up until now, Bendis’s tie-in has been fine but added little to the overall story. This week, Miles talks about what it means to be Black during a police standoff. This is an overt link from sci-fi premonition stories to the lethal consequences of profiling. Nick Spencer has done this well in Sam Wilson, and this works just as well. We also get Miles’s inner monologue – he’s on the Capitol steps to prove he’s not the killer his dad and uncle were. The fight against his inheritance sets this apart from any other tie-in book. It may even be the best Miles Morales story Bendis has so far.

Yes. Miles, the SUPER-HERO, is justifiably afraid of profiling.

Recommendation: Most of the issues, you don’t need. This one? I think you need this one. I mean, take the teaser image of dead Tony to pieces, that’s fun, but also appreciate the complexity of Spider-Man’s actions you didn’t get from the main series.

Miles’s motivation coming into focus while the terrible prophecy does, too – gorgeous storytelling you can only get in comics.

Tie-In Round-Up:

Recommended: The main series, of course, with preludes from the zero issue and the Free Comic Book Day pages. Also The Accused, All-New Wolverine, Captain America: Sam Wilson, Captain America: Steve Rogers, Captain Marvel, Civil War II: Ulysses, Guardians Of The Galaxy, Invincible Iron Man #14, Ms. Marvel, Spider-Man #10, and Uncanny Inhumans.

Good but not top tier: A-Force, All-New All-Different Avengers, Civil War II: Amazing Spider-Man, Civil War II: Choosing Sides (but only the Damage Control story and the Whitley/Sauvage eulogy for War Machine), Civil War II: Gods Of War, Civil War II: X-Men, Deadpool until issue 15, The Fallen, International Iron Man, Invincible Iron Man until #13, Mockingbird, Nova, New Avengers, Patsy Walker AKA: Hellcat, Power Man And Iron Fist, Rocket Raccoon And Groot, Scarlet Witch, Spider-Man before #10, Spider-Man 2099, Spider-Woman, Squadron Supreme, Totally Awesome Hulk, The Ultimates, Thunderbolts, Uncanny Avengers, Venom

Not good: Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D., the bulk of Civil War II: Choosing Sides, Civil War II: Kingpin, Deadpool after issue 15

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