Even Heroes Need Vacations — Reviewing ‘Miles Morales: Spider-Man Annual’ #1

Keeping a foot between two worlds isn’t always easy, which is a feeling that Miles Morales knows all too well. While New York City is home, a trip to Puerto Rico helps the young Spider-Man understand more about the other world he has ties with.

Leaving all the vampire stuff behind (for the most part), Miles Morales: Spider-Man Annual #1 presents a handful of fun stories focused on the heritage of our biracial hero. It includes the talents of Cody Ziglar, David Baldeón, Dono Sánchez-Almara, Curtis Baxter, Alitha Martinez, Ceci De La Cruz, Danny Lore, Elena Casagrande, Dee Cunniffe, and Cory Petit.

Annuals are such an interesting concept in comics at this point. Often they used to just be full stories that needed more room or helped expand things from the main series. In recent times, they have become mini-events (see the recent Infinity Watch annuals) with a connective theme or outcome. Bucking the trend, Miles Morales’ book takes an older school and welcome approach.

Three stories, one long and two short, that just allow us time to sit with Miles and see him interact with parts of the world is nice. That’s what Spider-Man books are at their best, superhero action stories that are wrapped up in the life-sim soap opera dynamics.

Being biracial myself, I’ve always loved that aspect about Miles and the fact that some creators make sure to address that. While there aren’t the same levels of cultural things that Miles deals with, I know the straddling two worlds situation all too well. Seeing Miles going to Puerto Rico and getting to understand his Abuela Gloria far more hits that story sweet spot. Far more Miles than Spider-Man, which is always great to see.

Ziglar has been hitting the ball out of the park consistently with this series. Really doing the balancing act with the heroics and people part of things so smoothly. Here we get a Miles with less burdens on his shoulders, because this is clearly pre-vampire and gives him a reprieve from the lingering feelings about the Rabble and Agent Gao situations. Within a handful of pages Ziglar took Gloria from feeling like an overbearing too hard grandmother, to a relatable very warm character.

All it takes sometimes is giving context and that splash of sympathetic to really turn things around.

I just love Baldeón’s artwork. It’s always so fluid, lively, and whimsical but also very solidly heavy. Character expressions are on point, really conveying the level of emotions that are covered in the story.

Even the action sequences, the few that we get, are so lively and powerful. We get a sequence of invisible Miles bouncing all over the page saving people from a speeding vehicle, and it feels so lively. Chock full of really fun energy, even with the dire angle of what is occurring.

It pairs well with Sánchez-Almara’s color palette choices. Plenty of light vibrant colors that give all the people and places unique liveliness. Using softer tones for much of the surroundings to create a baser neutral type of layer. Certain elements are given a burst of more color to really make them pop even more.

Our second story features Storm (as stated by the cover) and a hurricane hitting the island. This one feels very different, because of how quick it goes down and some of the angles it tries to hit. Baxter throws the two heroes into a good old fashioned confused situation where they momentarily fight, before realizing they are on the same side. It feels a bit odd at this point that Storm isn’t that familiar with the second Spider-Man (I feel like they’ve had to have met before now), but it works.

Martinez also has such a lively art style, and draws a fantastic Storm and Spider-Man. The sequencing of the hurricane and uses of Storm’s abilities, as well as Spider-Man’s erratic movements, is well done. It all feels accurately chaotic both for the literal storm and the situation the characters find themselves in.

De La Cruz brings a heavier color palette to play, befitting the darker stormier setting. Certain elements of the costumes and setting get more stand out colors, but the shadows and dark lighting really take over. Not in a bad or oppressive way, but in a very accurate and powerful way.

Lastly, we get a story featuring Bloodline, the daughter of Blade, in the aftermath of the Blood Hunt event. That’s what I meant about the vampire stuff being left behind only for the most part. Having handled their story in the Dracula: Blood Hunt miniseries, Lore gets a bit of an epilogue situation here.

Brielle and Miles dynamic is so good, and their back and forth here works. I’d read a whole book about them teaming up, especially since we have no clue how long Miles is going to be a vampire. Hopefully it’s less than Jubilee got back in the day, in case you forgot about that.

Lore is one of those writers I will always follow, and they really understand the characters and the assignment, as the kids say (they do still say that…right?). Diving into Miles mindset, doing a little back and forth fight with Bloodline, while working out their stuff, and setting up potential for the future. All within a small number of pages, with really deep feeling stuff around it. That’s the good stuff.

Casagrande has a very solid and smooth style of art. Giving things a sense of lighter levity but also really hefty foundation. Much like the other pieces, the paneling choices really let the character feel as chaotically fluid as he’s meant to be. Because the Spider-heroes tend to bounce and float around a lot.

Cunniffe’s colors give it all an extra dose of weight and depth, pulling in a lot of shadows alongside the poppier colors. Giving a more than correct feeling nighttime lighting situation to surround the characters. Certain elements are allowed to stand out above everything, but most of it wisely is mired in the darkness. Really hitting that realistic world type of feeling.

Through the whole issue Petit works his magic with the words. Hitting all the volume, tone, and emotional resonance every story requires. Finding ways to work within each art style to let the words breathe and have unique energies. From the standard bubbles to the written journal style caption boxes of the first story and beyond.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man Annual #1 is now available from Marvel Comics.