REVIEW: Miles Morales: Spider-Man #13 Gang War

Miles Morales is taking it to the streets of Brooklyn in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #13 Gang War. Can the other friendly neighborhood Spider-Man break out on his own and become his own hero?

All of New York City is at war with everyone from high-level villains to low level wannabees fighting for their own slices of power and control. Miles is fresh off assisting Peter Parker and his elite squad in saving Manhattan and this issue sees Miles’ home turf under attack. But before that, Miles is talking with his therapist about his mixed feeling towards Peter Parker. This moment of reflection is well written by Cody Ziglar and captures the teenaged angst and “with great power comes great responsibility” vibe both versions of Spidey struggle with. Then what follows, is an action-packed rollercoaster ride which is the other staple of any good Spider-Man comic. Miles trains and joins forces with the Daughters of the Dragon to take on bee inspired B-List villains and an ice-powered Pharaoh with a giant mech. All the while cracking a barrage of jokes that (mostly) hit their mark. Again, Spider-Man comics at their finest.

The art is absolutely amazing (no pun intended). The art team of Federico Vicentini (art) and Bryan Valenza (colors) get to have so fun creating page after page and panel after panel of over-the-top web slinging action. The character designs are stylized, slightly exaggerated which adds a bit of flavor to the non-action scenes. With Miles fighting two different enemies and a quick training montage thrown in for good measure, the action art is a real highlight. Miles is whipping through the city in a snow storm, wielding an electric sword in a dojo, and scaling a mummy-themed Gundam, all within pages of one another. At times the action can be a bit hard to follow but that is because the art team is going all-out and no panels are waisted. Overall, the varied environments and situations keep things fresh stylistically and are all treats to behold visually.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #13 Gang War is truly a classic Spider-Man comic book issue with everything you’d expect from the character. It’s funny, it’s fun, and it has heart. Writers want to write and artists want to draw, and finding that balance in any single comic book issue can be rather difficult. But that is the beauty of this character and why he is one of the most popular superheroes of all-time. The action doesn’t have to stop for him to be a funny and engaging character readers can gravitate and relate to. This is the most action-packed issue of a comic I believe I have read all year and one of the funniest as well. This is a must-read issue for all Spider-Man fans.

Writing – 4 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Coloring – 4.5 Stars

Overall
4.5 Stars

Written by; Cody Ziglar
Art by; Federico Vicentini
Colors by; Bryan Valenza
Letters by; Corey Petit
Published by; Marvel Comics

Author Profile

Christopher R. Ford

Writer, author, and blogger. Published author of three children's books and also writes for the boy Creators For The Culture. Part-time sneaker head, full time nerd.