Stillanerd Reviews: Spider-Men II #2 review
By Mike McNulty
An unsolved mystery from the first Spider-Men miniseries is finally revealed. It turns out it wasn’t a mystery worth solving.
Spider-Men II #2
“Spider-Men II, Part Two”
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Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Sara Pichelli
Inking Assistant: Elisabetta D’Amico
Color Artist: Justin Ponsor
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Covers: Sara Pichelli and Jason Keith; Gabriele Dell’Otto; and Jesús Saiz (connecting variant)
A mystery cannot be just a matter of solving a puzzle. There must be a pressing need to solve it. If figuring out the answer is for personal reasons, so much the better—just so long as it’s compelling for the readers. The mystery of “Who is the other Miles Morales?” asked at the end of Spider-Men fit those requirements perfectly. After all, it’s dealing with a potentially different version of a character we’ve already come to know.
It’s certainly a mystery which becomes personal for Miles during Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli’s Spider-Men II #2. Picking up from last issue, both Spider-Men find themselves confronted by the Taskmaster while investigating energy fluctuations from Mysterio’s dimensional transporter from the first Spider-Men. As the super villain makes his getaway, Miles overhears him make mention of a “Miles Morales” as his employer.
Credit: Sara Pichelli, Elisabetta D’Amico, and Justin Ponsor (Marvel Comics); from Spider-Men II #2
For [Spider-Men II #2] to…say Peter found nothing [when looking up Miles Morales] is ridiculous and the worst kind of cop-out.
This, of course, leads him to ask Peter the very questions readers of Spider-Men have asked for the past five years: What did Peter learn about the other Miles Morales? It turns out he didn’t learn anything. Yes, when Peter did his Google search of “Miles Morales,” what apparently shocked him to his very core (enough for him to proclaim “Oh my God” as his eyes bulged out of their sockets) was reading the words “Your search did not match any documents” on his computer screen. To describe this as being a massive let down doesn’t even begin to cover it.
If Miles still belonged to the Ultimate Universe, then this might be somewhat tolerable. It isn’t unheard of in stories involving other dimensions where character doesn’t have a counterpart in another universe. But the ending of Spider-Men gave the very strong impression that Peter did see something about a “Miles Morales” on his computer. It’s the very reason why Spider-Men II even exists. For this comic to then say Peter found nothing is ridiculous and the worst kind of cop-out.
Nor does it help when Bendis tries creating tension between Peter and Miles over this. Miles, naturally, becomes unnerved over someone with his name hiring someone like Taskmaster. Peter, however, keeps downplaying it constantly, even though he’s the one who originally freaked out about “Miles Morales” not popping up on search engines. At one point, after hiring Jessica Jones to look into the matter as a favor for Miles, he tosses out the ridiculous idea that Taskmaster, somehow, used psychic powers to make him think he heard the name.
Credit: Sara Pichelli, Elisabetta D’Amico, and Justin Ponsor (Marvel Comics); from Spider-Men II #2
Two issues in, and it’s all too obvious this other Miles is some high-class criminal with enough resources to hide all traces of his existence. For all we know, “Miles Morales” may not even be his real name.
As if this couldn’t get any worse, this reveal sows the seeds of an additional mystery of why there are no records of a “Miles Morales.” The problem is this development isn’t nearly as compelling as Bendis seems to think it is. Two issues in, and it’s all too obvious this other Miles is some high-class criminal with enough resources to hide all traces of his existence. For all we know, “Miles Morales” may not even be his real name. As it now stands, he’s just some generic, well-connected bad guy and that’s it.
Even an interlude involving the budding relationship between Miles and Barbara Rodriguez feels like a waste of time. Perhaps it’s because Barbara’s characterization feels very similar to the likes of Ultimate Gwen Stacy and Kate Bishop. I suppose Bendis wanted to create a “Mary Jane” for Miles, only it’s all but a given that his being Spider-Man will get in the way of his new romance.
There is some decent art by Sara Pichelli at least. There’s a nice, fluid action sequence involving Miles trying (and failing) to stop Taskmaster from escaping. Another highlight is a zany montage showing Jessica Jones’ attempting at tracking down the other Miles Morales. This, along with Miles and Barbara’s scene in the school courtyard, highlight Pichelli’s skill in creating distinctive body language and posture as a means of conveying character. Also, now that we see Taskmaster in full, I like Pichelli’s redesign of his costume, particularly how it incorporates more medieval elements.
Credit: Sara Pichelli, Elisabetta D’Amico, and Justin Ponsor (Marvel Comics); from Spider-Men II #2
If merging the Ultimate Universe with the Marvel Universe made a sequel Spider-Men seem unnecessary, then Spider-Men II #2 most definitely has.
Justin Ponsor’s use of color is also terrific, and are also reflective of setting. So while both Spider-Men and Taskmaster are done in bright, primary hues, the scenes set in Jessica Jones’ office are given more naturalistic textures, with the art almost looking like watercolor. The extra inks from Elisabetta D’Amico, however, do make some panels appear scratchy. It has the effect of making parts of the comic seem more like a sketchbook, and a well-rendered one at that, than something resembling a finished product.
Unfortunately, I’m not sure if even good art can now save this miniseries. If merging the Ultimate Universe with the Marvel Universe made a sequel to Spider-Men seem unnecessary, then Spider-Men II #2 most definitely has. The only reason for Bendis to keep perpetuating the “Who is the other Miles Morales?” mystery is if turns out to be a character we already know. Wouldn’t surprise me if it just ends up being Mysterio in disguise. Even then, Bendis has ended up giving readers a mystery in which the answer amounts to “who cares?”
Stillanerd’s Score: 1.5 out of 5
Next: Stillanerd Reviews: Spider-Men II #1 review
Stillanerd’s Nerdy Nitpicks (possible spoilers)
Credit: Sara Pichelli, Elisabetta D’Amico, and Justin Ponsor (Marvel Comics); from Spider-Men II #2
- “Fifth place at the crappy Doctor Doom cosplay contest.” Better work on your pop culture references, Spidey. Because Taskmaster looks a lot more like Skeletor from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe than Doctor Doom.
- “I’m three years older than him. Kind of.” Wouldn’t that put you at eighteen or nineteen years old, Spidey? Because all the other comics place you being in your mid to late twenties. Guess Marvel really does want readers thinking you’re still a teenager.
- What’s this? Miles Morales’ venom blast, a.k.a. deus ex machina lighting, didn’t work on a bad guy? It’s about dang time!
- Wait? How did Taskmaster free himself from being webbed to the door of his van? Did Miles’ venom blast fry off the webbing? Did Taskmaster just cut himself loose with his giant sword? Or is Taskmaster just that good of an escape artist?
- Why did Peter and Miles lift the bottom of their masks over their nose after Taskmaster left … only to cover their faces again a minute or so later?
- “Starkle” Oh brother! Tony Stark invented the Marvel Universe’s version of Google. Something tells me with a name like “Starkle” it wouldn’t have nearly been as successful.
- Word to the wise, Miles. Going to the movies is a bad idea for a first date.
- Peter … just how old do you think Miles is for him to stop wearing a backpack? He is still in high school, after all. Oh, I forgot, you still think you’re only “three years older” than he is.
- Rock concerts, ninjas, team-ups, dinosaurs and face-licking. Those are the things which make Jessica Jones’ investigation into the other Miles Morales more interesting than finding out about the other Miles Morales.
- Nice, convenient, and thorough of the other Miles Morales placing cameras in just the right place for him to see everything we saw in last issue’s cold opening.