You can tell how good a hero is by the obstacles they’ve overcome. For Miles Morales (Spider-Man), he’s had to see his mother die (Ultimate Comics Spider-Man: Venom War), his father left him for a bit (Cataclysm: Ultimate Spider-Man), and he had to help save the multiverse during the 2015 Secret Invasion. That was only the beginning of his career as an elite teenage superhero because writer Cody Ziglar has been putting Miles through more than ever.
When vigilantes were outlawed in New York, he was constantly being chased by Julia Gao and her team of villains, the Thunderbolts. During that time, Miles helped stop Carnage and a gang war that caused millions of dollars in damage to the city but prevented deaths. Even after the law preventing vigilantes was abolished, Goa kept her vendetta against Spider-Man. And we can’t forget the personal issues Rabble had with Miles and the issues he was having with his Spider-Sense. OH, there was also this little thing of being turned into a vampire and now having Anansi (the god) hitching a ride in his mind.
You’re probably wondering why it seems like Miles has been going through more than usual. Sure, every Spider-Man deals with more than most, but this seems like a lot in a short time. If this writer had to guess, it’s to make Miles a better and more believable hero when things get even worse when he’s forced to join The Maker’s Ultimate Universe during Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion No. 1.
When the new Ultimate Universe was created, the Maker (Ultimate Reed Richards) didn’t change Universe-1610. He made a new timeline for Universe 616 that’s now branded Universe-6160. Before leaving, Maker gave Miles the option of joining him, but he declined. Before leaving, Maker gave Miles a key if he changes his mind, and according to Marvel, Miles uses it.
It makes sense that there were improvements for Miles that include him getting smarter, stronger, and being gifted a more durable suit. He can’t be the same hero he has been and expect to help The Ultimates and the other heroes take their universe away from Maker. This Reed has thousands of years of experience (thanks to time in the City) and is working with the most powerful people in the universe. Plus, the majority of the characters Miles will team with are inexperienced. As comic book fans, we're asked to suspend disbelief, but this would have been a bit much.
Captain America and Wolverine have been fighting for a while, but that’s not enough when Peter Parker, Ant-Man and The Wasp, and others haven’t been fighting for around a year. They’ve improved, but not enough to win an uphill battle like this. Luckily, Miles has gotten better with everything he’s gone through, including his recent bouts against the gods.
Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion No. 1 is scheduled to be published on June 4, 2025. Stay tuned to Bam Smack Pow’s social media sites Bluesky, Instagram, and Twitter for more Marvel Comics news, opinions, and rumors as they come out.