ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Miles Morales: The Black Spider-Man's Origin and Cultural Impact

publication · 2026-04-26

In 2012, Miles Morales was introduced as the first Black Spider-Man by creators Sara Pichelli and Brian Michael Bendis within Marvel's Ultimate universe (Earth-1610) following the demise of Peter Parker. His character was influenced by Barack Obama's election in 2008. Unlike Peter, Miles exhibits insecurities and has a more youthful appearance. He has starred in two animated features: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), which secured the Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2019, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), which received acclaim from Andrew Garfield. The release of a third installment, Beyond the Spider-Verse, has been postponed to 2027 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, with a spin-off featuring Spider-Woman/Gwen Stacy also under consideration.

Key facts

  • Miles Morales was created in 2012 by Sara Pichelli and Brian Michael Bendis.
  • The character debuted following Peter Parker's death in the Ultimate universe.
  • The idea was inspired by Barack Obama's 2008 election.
  • Sara Pichelli won the 2024 Premio Bonelli.
  • Miles Morales is the first Black Spider-Man.
  • Into the Spider-Verse won the 2019 Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
  • Across the Spider-Verse was praised by Andrew Garfield.
  • Beyond the Spider-Verse is scheduled for 2027 with no generative AI use.

Entities

Artists

  • Sara Pichelli
  • Brian Michael Bendis
  • Bob Persichetti
  • Peter Ramsey
  • Rodney Rothman
  • Joaquim Dos Santos
  • Kemp Powers
  • Justin K. Thompson
  • Andrew Garfield
  • Christopher Miller
  • Phil Lord
  • Alex Maleev
  • Gabriele Dell'Otto
  • Axel Alonso
  • Sam Raimi

Institutions

  • Marvel
  • Sony
  • Disney+
  • SAG-AFTRA
  • Premio Bonelli
  • Premio Eisner

Locations

  • Porto Sant'Elpidio
  • Fermo
  • Italy
  • United States
  • Illinois

Sources