It’s Farewell, Not Goodbye — Reviewing ‘Miles Morales: Spider-Man’ #42

Superhero comic books are known for how there is never actually an end to adventures or stories of any character, going on and on for decades, shifting with new creators and mindsets of society.

Endings though are very much a thing in comic books, as the end of a run or an era brings with it great emotions. This is the case with Miles Morales: Spider-Man #42, the final issue of the current volume from Cody Ziglar, Marco Renna, Bryan Valenza, and Cory Petit.

Miles Morales is one of my favorite characters.

I’ve loved Spider-Man for the majority of my life, and when Miles entered the picture, I grabbed onto him as tightly as I had to Peter Parker. That love has only grown as Miles’ presence in comics, games, movies, and more has expanded. While the first Spider-Verse film is absolutely my favorite Miles story, this series has reached a comparable point.

No shade against other writers in the past, but Ziglar is the best writer that Miles Morales has ever had. There is something raw, authentic, and classic but with the right modern voice about this series. It honors and respects who the character is within the sphere of being a Spider-Man, while building its very own particular voice and space within that mythos.

Miles feels not only like a hero but like a teenager struggling with the power and responsibility thrust upon him. At the same time, the supporting cast around him was explored and were integral parts of his story. Even when thrown an editorial curveball of Miles as a vampire, Ziglar turned that into a powerful exploration of control and deeper mental health concerns.

Speaking of mental health, having it be not only at the forefront of the series, but such an important component was amazing. Heroes go through so much and dealing with their mental health would be a must. It again makes it clear that seeking help is not a bad thing to do, but is the most heroic thing you can do for yourself. Ziglar also never sugarcoated the journey that mental health healing tends to be.

There is no easy fix and Miles wasn’t ever fixed but just became better. Even here at the end, he’s in a better spot but still seeking his therapist’s help to become even better.

So many artists gave their mark on this series, chief among them being Federico Vicentini, who established a visual energy and language that others picked up on, replicated, and made their own spin on. Renna was one of those who has been on the series quite a few times, including this final go around.

Giving everything such a dense and sharp focus while allowing the figures to be so kinetic, animated, and whimsical in the best ways. Action sparks on the page and wants to burst out of the panels and seams at every turn. All of it brimming with chaotic energy which is a hallmark for Spider-Man as a character, and especially Miles and his boundless energetic presence.

I love how different the faces tend to be when Renna deals with emotional beats. Their feelings are worn clearly on their sleeves and beyond. Faces are so wide and bright when the characters have a light and happy moment. They’re closed and withdrawn or even wider and sharper when the anger, sadness, or other feelings are on tap.

Also responsible for the visual language throughout this run is Valenza and Petit, the colorist and letterer who have been here all along.

Adding to the dense nature is the darker and more neutral or natural color choices Valenza makes. He builds up the foundational set pieces to give them that authentic and familiar feeling at first glance. It allows the foreground to take up more colors as these shiny vibrant characters bounce around before us. Each of those splashier colors though are heavier and mixed with darker palette tones.

This makes sure that they are bold and, in your face, but not so outlandish that they break immersion, always dancing in Marvel’s trademark “the world outside your window” space and shifting the lighting around in organic ways to create unique aesthetics for every single space the characters inhabit.

Speaking of unique, there is a grand amount of varied lettering spread throughout the issue. Creative particular voices are crafted with a little bit of modification to fonts, bubbles, and more. It allows the words to expand or shrink to evoke specific tones or emotional beats, creating vibrant natural sounds that liven up the universe we’re entering as readers.

Each voice sounds distinct as we take in the words and hear them in our minds. It builds up that particular brand that I’ve extolled throughout this entire review about this series run.

This iteration of Miles Morales’ adventures is now over. There is sadness that this isn’t something I can read and write about each month. At the same time, this many issues isn’t anything to discount or shrug about.

In the great words of the twelfth Doctor, “Everything ends. And it’s always sad. But everything begins again too, and that’s always happy. Be happy.”

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #42 is now available from Marvel Comics.