So Peter Parker of the Ultimate universe was prominently featured recently in the Death of Spider-Man storyline, and – here’s a shocker – bit the bullet in the end. Nobody saw that coming, really. Anyway, Marvel just recently debuted the brand-new Spider-Man for the alternate Ultimate Universe, and I’m really loving this little development.

Welcome, Miles Morales. Hope Marvel doesn't shit on your life... much.

Here’s an except from Marvel’s announcement in USA Today:

Revealed in Marvel Comics’ Ultimate Fallout Issue 4, out Wednesday, the new Spider-Man in the Ultimate universe is a half-black, half-Hispanic teen named Miles Morales. He takes over the gig held by Peter Parker, who was killed in Ultimate Spider-Man Issue 160 in June.

In his first appearance, he simply breaks up a fight. But readers will learn the true origin of Morales and how he became the new Spider-Man when Ultimate Spider-Man relaunches in September with a new No. 1 issue [...] In addition to an alliterative name, Miles has a connection to his predecessor in how he received his powers. But he will have different abilities, too. Supporting characters such as Peter’s Aunt May and Gwen Stacy also will give Miles nuggets of wisdom to help his transition from young kid to New York City superhero.

I’m just afraid that with Brian Michael Bendis writing a half-black, half-hispanic Spider-Man, his signature heavy-handedness might get too unbearable. Let’s just see, alright?

Welcome to the (Ultimate) Marvel Universe, Miles Morales. Hope you become popular enough to not get killed and be replaced by your (non-minority) predecessor.

A moment of silence please.

I don’t find either issue as awesome as the previous ones and some of the prelude issues, but I do have this to say:

DEATH, DEATH, DEATH EVERYWHERE!!!

Comics is generally known to kill some of its characters. But Blackest Night REALLY takes it to the nth level by:

1. Killing more and more characters

2. Turning them into zombies.

3. A supposed “War of Light” of rainbow colored beings is supposed to save the universe. (THINK Power Rangers.)

Sounds like a lame concept? It sure as hell is!

But the awesome Geoff Johns MAKES. IT. WORK.

To be honest, I don’t even know where to start. I’ll start with this advice: read BACK. (No I mean REALLY read back.) Blackest Night is such a vast arc that everyone is practically tied in! To be able to connect with the various characters in their experience of death requires that the reader knows what they have been through.

This is their way of making one-series readers like me read everything else.

Which leads me to my second advice: READ WIDE. Read Batman, Superman, Titans, Red Robin, Justice League, Justice Society: EVERYTHING.

If there is one thing we know about superheroes, it is that they have an unending list of dead relatives and friends. And oh yeah, THEY DIE. There are a lot of Black Rings to go around – so I repeat: READ EVERYTHING.

As for my review I guess that is pretty much it! – There is NO WAY I see that I can make a review without spoiling anything except by saying DEATH IS EVERYWHERE.

One last thing: if you think the ending of Blackest Night #1 was awesome? Check out Blackest Night #2‘s ending. (Super Scary) 4.5/5 stars.

One uber last thing: Green Lantern Corps #39 was well written, but 70% of the important details in it are things that have either been revealed or are assumed. 3.5/5 stars.