Miles Morales: Spider-Man #4 // Review
After a three-issue arc serving as a sort of mission statement for a new creative team, the fourth issue of Miles Morales: Spider-Man serves as a bit of a palate cleanser. The previous arc had the task of introducing a new supporting cast, teaming Miles up with both the Rhino and Captain America, and a politically and emotionally heavy dilemma. This issue, on the other hand, is a comedic romp through Brooklyn.
The issue sees Miles, his roomie Judge, and his sort-of girlfriend Barbara skipping school to go to the museum, while a sick Ganke tries to keep the principal off their trail. As Miles, Judge, and Barbara travel the city, Miles continuously has to sneak away to become Spider-Man to quickly save the day.
In 1966, when John Romita replaced creator Steve Ditko as penciler on The Amazing Spider-Man, it refreshed the title and ushered in an era that surpassed the original Lee/Ditko run. After three great issues, this stunning fourth may cement writer Saladin Ahmed as the Romita to Miles Morales’ creator Brian Michael Bendis’ Ditko. Ahmed’s Miles is a little more adult, a little more sure of himself, and his interactions with his supporting cast are stellar.
Artist Javier Garrón really cuts loose this issue. His facial expressions are positively Maguireian, and his costume design is fantastic. A two-page spread with chibi versions of the main characters riding bikes across a map of Brooklyn is a highlight of the issue. Colorist David Curiel does stunning work keeping locations distinct and playing with light and texture. The comic moments give the letterer, VC’s Corey Petit, many opportunities to shine.
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #4 might be the platonic ideal of the perfect Spider-Man comic. It features a charismatic villain who has set his sights on our hero, a crew of compelling supporting characters for Spidey to bounce off of in his secret identity, a love interest, New York City as a backdrop, comedy galore, and lots of web-slinging action. Best of all, it’s a done in one story, rather than the continuation of an arc.