I May Be the Only One Who Thinks Making Miles Morales a Vampire Was a Good Idea: Here's Why

Warning: Contains spoilers for Miles Morales: Spider-Man #29!

Some people had issues with Miles Morales getting turned into a vampire during Marvel’s horror-inspired summer event Blood Hunt, but now that this part of his story is over, I totally think that Spider-Man's bloodthirsty era was a success. While a number of outspoken fans complained about Miles’ monstrous transformation sticking around, I was seriously invested in how the character evolved over the months that he dealt with his vampirism.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #29 – written by Cody Ziglar, with art by Daniele Di Nicuolo – is the exciting conclusion to the character's vampire arc. Though Miles’ status as a vampire was almost permanent in the aftermath of Blood Hunt, he finally kicked the creature’s curse in, and in the aftermath, I realize just how impactful this period was for Miles Morales’ character and his growth in the Marvel Universe.

Ziglar’s time writing Miles’ series has ushered in a new golden era for the character, and I can’t wait to see what exciting moves are made next after his vampiric plot line.

Though It Was Somewhat Short-Lived, I Loved Miles Morales’ Character Development During His Vampire Era

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #29 – Written By Cody Ziglar; Art By Daniele Di Nicuolo; Color By Bryan Valenza; Lettering By VC’s Cory Petit

Miles Morales’ status as a vampire didn’t even last a whole year in Marvel Comics, but the transformation still left a real impact that I think should help define his version of Spider-Man for years to come. Even before he officially turned in Blood Hunt #2 – written by Jed MacKay, with art by Pepe Larraz – Miles teamed up with Blade and Bloodline in his own series, setting the stage for his vampire journey. As a fan of the supernatural side of the Marvel Universe, it was great to see Miles’ character immersed alongside more horror-tinged characters and exploring those themes.

In the fallout of being bitten by a possessed Blade and cursed by the vampire Varnae, a lot of Miles’ story had to do with controlling his unfortunate desire for blood, regulating his emotions, and keeping his newfound power in check. Basically, to keep from turning into a blood-sucking supervillain, Miles had to totally re-learn his lesson about great power and great responsibility with frightening new stakes. Not only did this allow Miles to undergo some significant personal growth and become an even stronger hero in the process, but I think it ultimately proved to be a quintessential Spider-Man story.

After “Blood Hunt”, Miles Established New Connections That Have Me Even More Excited About His Marvel Comics Future

Vampire Miles Strengthened Bonds With Many Powerful Allies

Instead of hiding in the shadows or engaging in other brooding vampire behavior, Miles actually made a lot of friends in the time between Blood Hunt and his curse being cured in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #29. I think the strongest aspect of Miles’ character is his likability in the universe, and being able to gain various allies during his time as a bloodthirsty monster emphasizes that even further. Miles gained new connections with characters like Yelena Belova and Elsa Bloodstone in Blood Hunters, but I found Miles’ developing relationship with Black Panther and Wakanda to be the most intriguing.

Black Panther was turned into a vampire during the events of Blood Hunt, but was cured with the help of Bast, which fueled his team-up appearances starting in Miles Morales: Spider-Man #24 - by Ziglar and Federico Vicentini. I thought it was quite an honor that T’Challa gave him a special vibranium suit, and he and Shuri deemed Miles worthy of the Heart-Shaped Herb. The new bond with T’Challa was also the reason Miles’ vampirism was finally cured, allowing Spider-Man to communicate with the gods Bast and Anansi, and I love that Miles was even able to impress these iconic deities.

I’m Always Game for More Bold Takes On Classic Heroes, Like Miles’ Vampire Spider-Man

This Kind of Fun Detour Is What I Love About Comic Books

Miles’ transformation into a vampire isn't totally innovative, and has previously been done for various other heroes, but I think the way it was handled in Miles Morales: Spider-Man made for an interesting new piece of Spider-Man’s comics lore that propelled Miles into his Marvel Comics future. However, even if it didn’t end up being as important as it was, I believe superhero stories should be free to explore these fantastical concepts solely for the fun factor. Marvel’s multiverse is pretty much unlimited in its scope, and I enjoy seeing my favorite characters interact with all the universe can offer.

I know I can’t be the only one on board for Miles Morales’ vampire transformation, but I was surprised to see a number of negative reactions from fans surrounding his months-long status quo shift. Not only do I think that Marvel and particularly Ziglar totally made the best out of the vampire storyline, but ultimately, I think comics should be able to take some outlandish or out-of-left-field creative swings without fear of potential fan uproar. Not everyone was into Spider-Man’s vampire adventures, but it really turned out to be an exciting and important era for Miles Morales in Marvel Comics.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #29 is available now from Marvel Comics.