Miles Morales: Spider-Man #28 takes things to the next level with the second part of the “Wakanda’s Web” storyline. Or rather, it takes a few notches as Black Panther and his sister Shuri continue their quest to cure Miles’ vampirism. Part of that quest involves taking Miles before Bast, the panther goddess who gives power to the Black Panther lineage. But in true Spider-Man fashion, that’s easier said than done.
I have to give credit to Cody Ziggler and Daniele Di Nicuolo for tapping into the balance of mysticism and science cultivated in J. Michael Straczynski’s The Amazing Spider-Man. That’s true. While many Spider-Man fans scoffed when the possibility of mysticism was brought up, I saw it as a deepening of the Spider-Man mythos. Nothing had changed – Peter Parker was still bitten by a radioactive spider – but now he was part of something bigger, like Miles and the rest of the Spider-People in the Marvel Universe.
Ziglar’s script touches on that and how it interferes with busts. Like other gods, the Leopard Goddess fiercely defends her territory and shows no mercy to those who invade it. Even before Miles confronts Bast, Shuri warns Miles that he is at a disadvantage as an outsider. Ziggler knows how to build conflict while respecting the character’s roots. This is revealed when Shuri offers Miles a heart-shaped herb that gives her brother’s powers. He also continues to highlight the dynamic between Ganke and Shift. This is no mean feat considering this issue is home to a literal god.
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Di Nicolo brings all of this to life with surprising ease. When Bast first appears, he’s given all the gravitas you’d expect when a mortal and a god meet for the first time. She towers over Miles, her entire body a canvas for the night sky and African costume. It’s an image that’s as impressive as it is terrifying, and it continues throughout the issue. What really makes this feel great is Brian Valenza’s richness of color in the night sky and the overwhelming feeling of coming face-to-face with God.
The cartoonish feel of Di Nicuolo’s work continues to shine through, especially in a sequence where Shift has to transform into Miles to save a baby in danger. That transformation creates a lot of smoke, much like in Naruto, but it’s not just the action sequences that receive similar treatment. Most facial expressions have an animated tinge to them. Miles in particular has a look on his face that can only be read as “star-struck” when he meets Bast.
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #28 brings the young webslinger face-to-face with God and is one of the few comics that truly explores the connection between superheroes and mythology. Miles and his readers would do well to remember that gods can be just as capricious as the mortals they observe, especially if the ending suggests so.
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #28 is a case of divine intervention
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #28
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #28 brings the young webslinger face-to-face with God and is one of the few comics that truly explores the connection between superheroes and mythology. Miles and his readers would do well to remember that gods can be just as capricious as the mortals they observe, especially if the ending suggests so.
Ziglar creates great dynamics between Black Panther and Miles, and Shift and Ganke.
A story that touches on and builds on one of the best Spider-Mans.
Di Nicuolo perfectly captures the awe that comes with witnessing God in action.
The ending takes things up a notch…or a few notches, depending on your interpretation.
