Marvel's Spider-Man has a symbol that stands for the complete opposite of Superman's own, as the image of Miles Morales has been corrupted and twisted in a dark, dystopian future. The symbol has come to mean many different things in Marvel's New York: triumph for citizens and arrogance for the press, namely J Jonah Jameson. Now in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #39, the spider symbol stands for fear and oppression - for some very tragic reasons.
In previous issues, Miles Morales successfully defeated his doppelgängers in a Clone Saga of his very own. Unlike Peter Parker's infamous Clone Saga in the 90s, Miles was forced to contend with three: leader Selim, psychic Mindspinner and the impossibly-strong Shift. Miles eventually swayed Shift to his side and subsequently dispatched Mindspinner and Selim - or so he thought. Traveling to a dark future timeline, Miles and Shift were shocked to see Selim as the new ruler of Brooklyn, known now as the Empire of the Spider.
In Miles Morales: Spider-Man #39, written by Saladin Ahmed with art by Alberto Foche, Miles and Shift link up with the small resistance movement that fights back against Selim and his troops. Ganke, now a much older resistance leader, tells Miles about his younger sister Billie, now a fighter herself. "All that evil crap Selim did...he did it under that spider symbol" says Ganke. Billie grew up around the oppression of the Empire of the Spider - and learned to hate the symbol, along with everyone else.
This is in sharp contrast to the emblem of Superman, which stands as a symbol for hope in the DC Universe (in some continuities, the symbol is the Kryptonian symbol for hope as well as the House of El family crest). Miles Morales has always been a hopeful character, and despite his age, often makes more mature decisions than Peter Parker. Unfortunately Selim has accomplished what no other clone has before: drag Spider-Man's name through the mud and teach citizens to fear even the possibility of his presence.
This could very well be a deceitful tactic on Selim's part. If Miles were ever to threaten the Empire, Selim has made absolutely sure that Miles' costume and powers would fail utterly to inspire the people. Miles, who has a generally good relationship with the people of New York, would fall into despair. But giving up in the face of overwhelming odds is not Miles Morales' style, nor is it Superman's - and thus despite his symbol being used against him, this Spider-Man is still as much of a hero as the Man of Steel.
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