Breaking Down Every Comic the Film Is Based On
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse features an impressive 280 Spider-People, some of whom are connected to the comics, while others are new creations. However, the story of Miles Morales remains deeply rooted in Spider-Lore. The film draws heavily from various comic book elements to create a fresh narrative. While Marvel Comics’ canon dictates Miles’ fate in the movie, the filmmakers took some liberties in adapting the comic book material.
Upon closer inspection, differences can be seen with Gwen, Miguel O’Hara, and Peter B. Parker. Nonetheless, Across the Spider-Verse still has its roots in the comics. It is a culmination of different parts of Spider-Man lore that have been merged into a single narrative. The movie is not exclusively based on a Spider-Man comic but a combination of recent Spider-Man comics.
Miles Morales made his first appearance in Ultimate Fallout #4 in 2011. He donned the Spider-Man uniform to save the day from the villain Kangaroo but was reprimanded for it. Peter Parker had recently died in this reality, and Miles became his substitute. In the comics, Miles’ origin story was a more localized event. He visited his Uncle Aaron, who had a reputation for criminal activity. Unbeknownst to Miles, the previous night, Aaron had stolen some technology from the abandoned evil OsCorp labs. A genetically enhanced spider snuck into Aaron’s bag, crawled out, and bit Miles, giving him all the powers seen in the movie.
The story takes place on Earth-1610 instead of Earth-616, where Marvel’s main story occurs. However, Miles became popular, and the multiverse was deconstructed, necessitating his move to Marvel Comics’ primary universe. In Across the Spider-Verse, the spider that bit Miles came from Kingpin’s Alchemax operation, allowing the writers to incorporate Miguel O’Hara into the story.
Miguel O’Hara, also known as Spider-Man 2099, was first seen in Amazing Spider-Man #365 in 1992. In his story, he operated as a Spider-Man in the year 2099, where the evil corporation Alchemax had taken over the United States and produced everything, from basic consumer products to facilitating private space travel. Miguel O’Hara worked to undo the evil with which Alchemax was cursing the world. In Across the Spider-Verse, he controls the Spider-Society and the multiversal web called The Web of Life and Destiny.
Gwen Stacy’s story is a bit different in the movie. Her father, George Stacy, becomes the captain of the NYPD, although he doesn’t hunt down his daughter, as he does in the comics. While Gwen and Miles fell in love in the comics, it was only a brief period. Although the two are aware of each other, they usually stay in their own comics. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is in theaters now, offering fans an excellent opportunity to relive the Spider-Man saga.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse had 280 different Spider-People in it. Some of them were connected to the comics, and some of them weren’t. But the story of Miles Morales is one that runs deep in Spider-Lore. Across the Spider-Verse brought plenty of different comic book elements into it to create a new story.
What happens to Miles Morales in Across the Spider-Verse is still Marvel Comics’ canon, but obviously, the filmmakers couldn’t adapt the comic without taking a few liberties. If you look close enough, you’ll see differences with Gwen, Miguel O’Hara, and Peter B. Parker.
But that doesn’t mean Across the Spider-Verse is without grounding in the comics at all. The movie is more closely an amalgamation of different parts of Spider-Man lore merged into a single narrative. Across the Spider-Verse isn’t so much based on a Spider-Man comic as it is made up of parts of several different Spider-Man stories. Writers Phil Lord and Chris Miller may be trying to tell a story starring Miles Morales, but generally, you might be able to look at Across the Spider-Verse as an aggregation of some of the more recent Spider-Man comics.
Miles Morales in the Comics
Miles Morales first appeared as Spider-Man in Ultimate Fallout #4 in 2011. He swung in to save the day from the dangerous villain Kangaroo and was immediately chastised for wearing the Spider-Man uniform. Because in this reality, Peter Parker recently died.
Miles’ origin story is always a substitute for Peter Parker. A terrible mix-up happens with an experimental spider, and he gets his powers. In Across the Spider-Verseit happened across universes, but in the comics, it was a more local event.
One day, Miles went to visit his Uncle Aaron – and we all know who he turns out to be. His parents were against him socializing with his uncle because, even at this point, he had a reputation for criminal activity. What Miles didn’t know is that the night before, Aaron snuck into the abandoned evil OsCorp labs to steal some technology. And what Uncle Aaron didn’t even know is that a genetically enhanced spider hitched a ride home with him the night before. When Miles is at his uncle’s house, the spider crawls out of a bag and bites him. He gets all the powers you see in the movie, including camouflage and a stun-gun-type ability.
In the Marvel Comics canon, this story took place on Earth-1610 instead of Earth-616, where Marvel’s main story happens. Although, after Miles became popular – and the multiverse was deconstructed – he was moved to Marvel Comics’ main universe. Another thing to note is that although this story happens across universes in Across the Spider-Verse, the Spider that bit Miles came from Kingpin’s Alchemax operation. The writers are likely using this lab instead of Norman Osborn’s to more easily attach Miguel O’Hara to the story.
Other Spider-People from the Comics
Quite a few Spider-People in Across the Spider-Verse have entered the story slightly modified or are creating their own narratives. Miguel O’Hara (or Spider-Man 2099) is one of them. Miguel was actually created before Miles Morales. He was first seen in Amazing Spider-Man #365 back in 1992, and he was given his own comic Spider-Man 2099 later that year.
In Miguel O’Hara’s story, he is a Spider-Man operating in the year 2099 with access to all the technology the future brings. There, the evil corporation Alchemax has taken over the United States and produces everything from basic consumer products to facilitating private space travel. Sounds a little familiar, honestly. But in the future, Miguel O’Hara works to undo the evil with which Alchemax is cursing the world.
In Across the Spider-Versehe controls the Spider-Society and the multiversal web called The Web of Life and Destiny. This web is from the comics as well, but it is normally in the hands of the Spider-Man villain Madame Web, who had her own debut in the Spider-Man comics in The Amazing Spider-Man #210 back in 1980. In Across the Spider-Versewe see their roles switched, and Miguel O’Hara becomes the villain.
Gwen Stacy’s story is a bit different as well, but many things are the same. Her father, George Stacy, became captain of the NYPD (which didn’t happen in Across the Spider-Verse) and tried to hunt down his daughter (which did occur). Her origin story is glazed over in the Spider-Verse movies, but what’s really different here is Gwen’s relationship with Miles.
Though they did fall in love in the comics, it was only for a very brief period of time. While the two are aware of each other, they normally stay in their own comics. Gwent Stacy first appeared as Spider-Woman in Edge of the Spider-Verse #2 in 2014, but the ongoing series Spider-Gwen began a year later.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is in theaters now.
