Conskipper’s interview series with the writers of Bloomsbury Academic’s second wave of Marvel of Age of Comics books concludes with Ytasha Womack’s analysis of the evolution of the ultra-popular Miles Morales.
Womack, author of Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-fi & Fantasy Culture and Black Panther: A Cultural Exploration, applies her focus to the first fifteen issues of Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli’s Miles Morales: Spider-Man series through an academic, cultural, and literary lens.
We spoke to Womack about her exploration of Miles Morales this exclusive interview.
How did you become involved in the Marvel Age of Comics series and how did you pick Miles Morales as a topic?
Ytasha Womack: Bloomsbury reached out to me and asked if I would like to write about a character in the Marvel Universe for Marvel Age in Comics series. Miles is one of my favorite characters. I suggested writing about him and the publisher was open to it.
You mention in your introduction that you initially learned about Miles through your twin brothers, who are huge comic book fans. What was your initial experience with comics as a young person?
Womack: Actually, the guys I mentioned, Cory and Craig are twins but they aren’t my twin brothers. We’re all good friends, though. We used to debate about comics shortly after we came out of college. However, as a kid, I used to draw comics and make flip books. I would read my godbrother’s X-Men Comics. Later, when I started writing about Afrofuturism I found my way back to comics, hanging out in indie creator scenes in Chicago and New York. As a kid, I wanted to draw the superheroes, dress like superheroes, and be the superhero.
You have written extensively about Afrofuturism, as well as Marvel’s Black Panther. While it is easy to see how T’Challa and his world perfectly fits the concepts and traits of Afrofuturism, how do you place Miles’ story in this context?
Womack: Afrofuturism is a perspective on our relationship to space and time. Who are we in space and time? What traditions are we pulling from? What futures do we find ourselves in relationship with? Miles is a kid who has very in your face confrontations with the nature of power. His spider abilities make him a shapeshifter and put him in conversation with Anansi, the fabled Akan spider deity. He hops universes. Yet, he’s also a teen trying to figure out life. Miles deals with shifting realms and has to know who he is through the change as he is simultaneously changing.
How does Miles embody many of the classic Peter Parker tropes and also forge his way as a 21st century hero?
Womack: Miles, much like Peter, is generally smaller than his opponents. Both are witty. Both have to reconcile with the death of a loved one but for somewhat different reasons. Both are stepping into arachnid powers that are not natural for them. They are highly visible yet invisible at the same time, always wrestling with their mantra, with great power comes great responsibility. That mantra is timeless.
You primarily focus on the first fifteen issues of Miles Morales comics. Have you followed his trajectory and stories since and if so, what aspects of his transformation stand out to you?
Womack: It’s fun to see Miles interact with the spider god Anansi. Honestly, I’m intrigued by all the directions that writers are taking the character in. Miles is a fun read and a great character to build upon.
You pair Miles’ story with connections to Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man and the work of Richard Wright. Why was it important to you to make these literary connections in your book?
Womack: I’m fascinated by the fact that Miles wears a mask that completely covers his face and he can also go invisible. It’s double invisibility. A fellow Marvel writer, John Jennings and I were discussing Miles’ powers one day and John commented that Miles is literally the Invisible Man that Ralph Ellison wrote about. I thought about all the writers like Wright and Ellison who wrote about feeling invisible in society.
I thought it was important to show that Miles’ power of invisibility was in relationship to other writings by Black and Brown men. There are moments when being invisible is advantageous and serves as protection. There are moments when being regarded as invisible is really isolating. Having that experience changes how you navigate the world. Although the dynamics are different, Miles’ character is a part of that lineage of writing.
If you were to write another entry in the Marvel Age of Comics series, what would you choose?
Womack: I would write about Storm. I love Storm, too.
We would love to see that! Upcoming work?
Womack: I currently have a comic out called Black Moon Ritual which is part of the Protopias Collection, a collaboration with AWA Studios and Futurific.
Marvel Age of Comics: Spider-Man: Miles Morales-An Exploration is currently available at finer comic book shops and bookstores everywhere.
