Miles Morales, the half-black half-Hispanic Spider-Man was supposed to replace Peter Parker in the "Spider-Man" movies, but Marvel Cinematic Universe decided against it in the end. He might not have been given his time in the big screen spotlight just yet, but it looks like he will be starring in the comic book series.
According to the New York Daily News, the first issue of the re-launched "Spider-Man" comic book series will be released in comic stores, tablets and smart phones this Fall with Morales as the new star. He is a teenage boy born of an African-American father and Puerto Rican mother who bears many similarities to Parker, so creators have no doubt that he will be well-received by readers.
"Many kids of color who when they were playing superheroes with their friends, their friends wouldn't let them be Batman or Superman because they don't look like those heroes but they could be Spider-Man because anyone could be under that mask," said writer and co-creator Brian Bendis. "But now it's true. It's meant a great deal to a great many people."
Morales has actually been been around since 2011, after he replaced the murdered Peter Parker in Marvel's offshoot "Ultimate" line. The character gained quite a following, but the "real" Spider-Man refused to quit headlining the company's main titles.
"Our message has to be it's not Spider-Man with an asterisk, it's the real Spider-Man for kids of color, for adults of color and everybody else," said Bendis.
The new series is drawn by artist Sarah Pichelli, and is part of a movement to add more color and diversity into the superhero realm. Marvel did so by introducing a female Thor and an African-American hero, The Falcon, who took over as Captain America. At the same time, they also introduced a Muslim teenage girl as Ms. Marvel.
Bendis revealed that it was his four year old adopted African-American daughter who actually inspired Morales' place in the "Spider-Man" series. While they were out shopping at the toy section of a department store, his daughter put on a Spider-Man mask and said, "Look daddy, I'm Spider-Man!"
"I started crying in the middle of the aisle," Bendis shared, saying how thrilled he is that the world has become more accepting of different cultures and nationalities. "I realized my kids are going to grow up in a world that has a multi-racial Spider-Man, and an African American Captain America and a female Thor."
