Marvel Expands Its Gods As Miles Morales Meets a Deity at Last, Leaving Him With a New Mission
Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Miles Morales: Spider-Man #28
As Spider-Man continues to fight off the corruptive nature of Varnae’s curse, Black Panther and Shuri have brought him to a sacred realm only a few get to see. However, in the face of the great panther god Bast, Miles learns that his soul is already spoken for. As Miles meets his patron deity, Earth-616 is introduced to a new god.
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #28 - by Cody Ziglar and Daniele Di Nicuolo - continues Miles’s journey to rid himself of the vampire’s curse. After gaining permission from the King of Wakanda to travel to the Sacred Realm, both Miles and T’Challa are met by a spiteful goddess.
Bast appears, infuriated with T’Challa for bringing Miles to her realm. However, while the duo believes she is enraged for having brought a vampire, she instead reveals that another of her pantheon has already claimed Miles as his herald. With a devious smile, the story-telling spider god Kwaku Anansi appears.
The Great Kwaku Anansi Claims His Champion
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #28 - Written by Cody Ziglar; Art by Daniel Di Nicuolo; Color by Bryan Valenza; Lettering by VC’s Cory Petit; Cover Art by Federico Vicentini and Ceci de la Cruz
Like many of Marvel’s other gods, Anansi is a real-world theological figure found in Akan folklore. Anansi is a trickster god who teaches his followers morals and ethics through challenges they must overcome. He weaves his web of stories, taking great pleasure in the intricate twists and webbings of “fate.” As a Spider-Totem, Anansi has direct oversight of the Web of Life and Destiny as well as the comparatively tiny spiders that walk along its web. While the Ghanaian god has appeared to aid the Spider-Army in their war against the Inheritors, this is his first appearance in Earth-616.
Unlike Bast, who is reserved and regal, Anansi leads with a vibrant personality, dancing around with no short supply of quips. Despite his seemingly carefree attitude, Anansi immediately rushes to his herald’s aid. Kneeling to look Miles in the eyes, Anansi promises to cure Miles for one condition. To be free of his vampirism, Miles must weave a good story worth being told until the end of all time. Despite her frustration with her brother, Bast and Anansi stand together as both Miles and T’Challa are woven into a trial of combat for their gods’ aid.
Miles Faces a Trial by Combat to Cure His Sickness
The King of Wakanda Stands as His Opponent
While Anansi’s actions may seem tricksterous and uncaring, he proudly stands up for Miles in the face of Bast’s disapproval. As a god who can access the Web of Life and Destiny, Anansi can feel the reverberations of the ebbs and flows of time and action. He can feel the movements of the Great Web and can expect what happens after. Anansi has faith his champion will pull through, so might as well put on a show. Champions do not stay champions without proving their skill, something Black Panther has learned many times in the judgment of Bast.
Miles may have finally gotten his grasp on the Multiverse, but now he’s fighting in an entirely different realm. Hopefully, he will continue his tutelage under Black Panther and embrace Anansi as reverently as T’Challa does Bast. Spider-people are just as much products of theological design as they are science and fate. Peter Parker was a great mentor at being Spider-Man, but T’Challa can guide Miles through connecting with his spiritual roots. Once Varnae’s curse is removed for good, Spider-Man would serve as the perfect champion for Kwaku Anansi in the mortal realm.
- Alias
- Peter Parker, Ben Reilly, Otto Octavius, Yu Komori, Kaine Parker, Pavitr Prabhakar, William Braddock, Miles Morales, Kurt Wagner
- Created By
- Stan Lee, Steve Ditko
- Franchise
- Marvel, Spider-Man
- Race
- Human
- First Appearance
- Amazing Fantasy
- Alliance
- Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Secret Defenders, Future Foundation, Heroes for Hire, Mighty Avengers, New Avengers, Web-Warriors
Spider-Man is the name given to several individuals who have employed a spider-moniker throughout Marvel Comics. Typically gaining their powers through a bite from a radioactive spider, the different Spider-Man heroes employ super-strength, agility, and intellect while utilizing webbing to swing and tangle up their foes. The most notable of these Spider-Men is Peter Parker, who remains one of the most popular superheroes throughout the world.
