If you've ever wondered how Miles Morales' Spider-Man would handle growing older during the apocalypse, Marvel Comics' The End will take on that very scenario. And now, fans can get their very first looks at the man Miles becomes.
The End is a special series of one-shot oversized issues telling the "final" stories featuring several of Marvel's top-tier characters, including Captain America, Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, and Miles Morales/Spider-Man. The stories are largely set in the future and explore an ultimate challenge uniquely appropriate to each character's journey. Miles Morales' final tale will be spun by Saladin Ahmed, Damion Scott, and Dono Sanchez-Almara.
The premise of The End series hearkens back to the highly-influential "Old Man Logan" storyline originating in Wolverine #66 (2008). One of Marvel's grimmest alternate futures, the arc followed an aging Wolverine on a bloody quest across a dystopian desert, and served as primary inspiration for the Oscar-nominated film Logan. Similarly, versions of an older, retired Peter Parker were explored in the comics Spider-Man: Reign as well as Earth X, but The End will be the first story to showcase a much-aged Miles Morales. And now CBR is offering the first official preview pages -- along with a set-up from Ahmed himself:
It’s not hard to imagine the Earth as a pretty scary place a few decades from now. And the story definitely has its post-apocalyptic element, set against a ravaged New York City. But more than anything The End for Miles is a story about maintaining a hopeful, helpful energy even when surrounded by darkness and ugliness. As the mayor of Brooklyn, Miles has carved out a space for beauty and fun in the dark world of the future. And this is the story about how they fight to hold on to that... Of course writing is only half the story, but if anything I’m the weak link here. Damion Scott’s art, with its manga and hip-hop influences, is so perfect for the story that I actually yelped when I saw it! You guys are in for a treat.
Take a look at the official preview pages below:
Miles Morales depicted with greying hair and grizzled beard is certainly a big leap from the gangly youth in Into The Spider-Verse. Of course, comics characters are never subject to rules of real-time aging, but up to this point Miles has always been, in one aspect, a youthful reboot of Spider-Man. That is, it'll never be definitive what age any of the Spider-Men are at any given time, but it's settled that Peter Parker has been alive longer than Miles Morales. Generally speaking, Miles' stories have focused on the "kid growing up" element, so it's a more meaningful departure to see him in an older body.
The preview pages indeed offer a good idea of the manga and hip-hop style in Scott's art. Miles looks distinguished with a touch of silver to contrast with his familiar costume, webbing motif, and venom blast. One can only guess at this point who or what he's fighting, but it resembles a zombified Captain America, or possibly a Skrull? Also, there's that enticing detail Ahmed reveals about Miles being the mayor of Brooklyn, overgrown with mutant plants thought it may be. It all points toward an intriguing, possibly even hopeful end for Old Man Miles.
- MILES MORALES: THE END #1
- Writer: SALADIN AHMED
- Artist: DAMION SCOTT
- THE FINAL MILES MORALES STORY!
- Humanity makes its last stand in the only place strong enough to survive: BROOKLYN. Former Spider-Man, Miles Morales, leads the last bastion of civilization into the future! Penned by MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN author SALADIN AHMED!
Marvel's series of The End one-shots will debut in January 2020.
Source: CBR