Great Power And Not So Great Responsibility — Reviewing ‘Miles Morales: Spider-Man’ #4

The sins of the father should not be the concern of the child, all their classmates, and their entire community. Yet, that seems to be the case for Miles Morales and Jeff Morales, as the mistakes of Jeff’s past continue to threaten everything.

Even a safe haven becomes a dangerous place in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #4 as the axe-wielding villain Revenant goes back to school. Chapter four four of this new series opening arc comes from Bryan Hill, Nico Leon, Bryan Valenza, and Cory Petit.

Comic books have brought me unbridled joy and head slapping sighs of frustration in equal measure over my four decades of life. Sometimes just one issue happens to find a way to tickle both sides of the fancy. This is one of those. It finds itself square in this specific nexus point.

Hill knows how to write a good action beat, but oh brother, does this story have more character and plot holes than a piece of Swiss cheese. This villain Revenant has specifically stated he’s gunning for the Morales family. Yet, in the second issue Rio Morales was going to work and attacked. Now Miles went to school where an attack happened. Essentially, a bunch of people are being put in danger and harmed because this family is playing life as normal while a powerful agent of vengeance keeps coming for them.

Don’t even get me started on everyone that is normally in Miles’ orbit being pretty cardboard thin, while the new shoehorned love interest is given all the focus. Playing at her maybe figuring out or sniffing out his secret while Miles is going through the wringer brings out a sigh.

Everything else about the issue works, if you ignore those massive, glaring issues. Had the Morales family no knowledge of Revenant, the attack on the school would feel more gripping and solid. Instead, it also reads as negligent and ridiculous.

Also, talk about decompression. No way should this villain and this plot be so slowly rolled out like this. Miles, get on the phone with your millions of powerful friends and deal with this. Geez.

At least things are really smooth visually as Leon really leans into the close-up chaotic nature that is Spider-Man action. Panels slip and slide around in size and focus as the character leaps around. This gives us big time focus on the daring or dangerous moments, keeping the audience in the thick of all things.

It feels very slick and energetic at every single conceivable level in the process. Character emotions and their overall demeanor are clear upon their features, bringing a colorful swath of energy to Miles’ world has been Valenza’s focus for years now. This leans into a lighter, more muted stable of colors that match Leon’s art and the overall story tone. This little shift still keeps the bigger bold vibrant accoutrements like costumes and powers in a position of eye-catching radiance.

While some of the words are melodramatic and head-shaking at times, they are delivered with precise punctual power. Petit knows the best ways to make all letters, the foundation of voices and sounds, pop with a story. They flow around like the rest of the artwork in logical and dynamic ways continuously. Providing a good framing device which allows the reader’s eye to naturally roam the pages as they are intended.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #4 is now available from Marvel Comics.