Birds In The Hand — Reviewing ‘Miles Morales: Spider-Man’ #34

Ancient god feuds. Powerlifting secret Hulks. Giant birds of Greek legend. Life sure isn’t getting any easier for Miles Morales.

Challenges from beyond this plane of existence continue to test the young web swinger as Miles Morales: Spider-Man #34 begins to unravel Anansi’s tricky webs. Cody Ziglar, Marco Renna, Bryan Valenza, and Cory Petit deliver the third chapter of the “God War” story.

This is a series that continues to delight, surprise, and deliver. Ziglar really gets the characters that are on the page, from the most known to the least known to (of course) the ones he’s introduced in this series. Everything always feels so rich and dense with character development and personality. These standard sized issues always give the impression of being double or giant-sized in how much they pack into one go.

Anansi’s introduction has been really fun, sowing a different level of chaos in Miles life. Having another champion battle be one of learning to work with a foe to achieve something, while presenting mental health or self-confidence help to a demigod is fun stuff.

Of course, before that we do get to see Doctor Kwan, Miles’ therapist in her Hulk-like Powerlift form, piledrive and obliterate the demigod Philomelus. Again, this character has depth and complexity that we haven’t even fully pulled apart quite yet. Having her trigger be adrenaline, as well as the overall appearance, is so intriguing.

That design and all the rest are given great vivid life by Renna, done in a style that remains very lively with such attention to detail. Characters have great presence and poise upon the page as they gracefully move from space to space. Just enough of the expected chaotic energy of Spider-Man is always there, easily captured by this artist.

Tons of details are present as the art comes in with a great slick smoothness and just a sprinkle of rougher tougher textures. It gives everything a lighter and fanciful appeal while still being quite firmly grounded.

Plenty of flashy vibrant colors run rampant here, since there are tons of colorfully glad presences on the page. Valenza balances that out with backdrops that range from the really pulled back to the lush. He uses the more natural and often toned-down setting colors to give that more tangible familiar feeling alongside the fantastical elements.

I’m still digging the energy of the ancient Greek section because the pulled back colors are giving old but grand energy. Again, highlighting how strange it is to see these figures in such a historical feeling location.

So many voices are sounding out on these pages. All of them unique and have their own kick to them, giving Petit plenty to work with. All the varying colors, bubble shapes, and font changes that really make the reading experience even more engaging. Each soulful moment is heard loud and clear as these characters really work their way through the ongoing challenge. Emotional energy cannot be missed nor can the volume and tone of every word uttered on these pages.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #34 is now available from Marvel Comics.