Character: Miles Morales / "Spider-Man II"
Series: Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man
Character Age: 13
Canon: The story of Spider-Man is simple. Boy gets bitten by spider, boy gains great power; with great power comes great responsibility; boy becomes a superhero. Peter Parker was the first, and now Miles Morales has been bitten by a spider of his own. Miles originally wants nothing to do with his powers--until Peter is killed. The two had never met but if they had, if he had revealed himself as an ally maybe Spider-Man would still be alive. And so, despite his fears--not least the risk should his mutant-disapproving father discover him--Miles makes the choice to don a suit himself.

At first glance Miles does not appear to be one suited to superheroics. He is a worrier; an anxious, subdued boy who prefers to avoid confrontation whenever possible. He can tend to focus overly on the negative, and is prone to babbling when he's nervous. However, he is also empathetic and fair, able to keep his composure and stand his ground even when surrounded, with a sense of humor and a friendly, curious nature no matter the situation, often asking questions and dodging attacks in the same breath. He has a strong moral code, and is disturbed upon the revelation of his uncle’s (and long ago, father's) history of crime, wondering at the possibility of what that could mean about him, and if the path he has ahead is a positive one. This thought drives him to do good all the more. While proud of his accomplishments he remains humble, treating his acts of heroism as simply something to be done.

Sample Post:
Uh, I--I just--I can explain. Hello. Don't look at me like that, toucan, don't judge me. I can feel you judging me. There is a perfectly reasonable explanation for why I am currently stuck in this tree. Well not really "stuck," I don't think--I don't think that's the right word, less "stuck" and more like the tree just likes me so it wants me to stick around and that's nice in its own freaky way but wow, I've never met a tree so clingy. I didn't even know trees could be clingy. Like, any second now we're gonna start making friendship bracelets. And I didn't even do anything! Didn't ... encourage it, or whatever. All I was doing was exploring this camp like any perfectly normal person would and it would have stayed that way except--there were kittens. Kittens! In a tree! Hanging all dangerous, in a basket. What was I supposed to do?

So no judging. It should have been fine; there's a certain way these things are supposed to go, you know? The only problem was I guess the tree just decided it wanted to keep me in exchange for the kitten hostages or something so now there's this whole stuck-in-a-tree-upside-down-losing-sensation-in-my-foot-help thing but the important part is at least the kittens are safe? The tree put them on the ground and they got to scurry off--and I got to enjoy the feeling of all the blood in my body going straight to my head. Ugh! This is way embarrassing. Why is this happening? Who's ever heard of a spider stuck in a tree? No one, that's who. Spider in a water spout, sure, but not a tree.

What kind of camp is this, anyway? Haven't seen another person this whole time! What kind of camp doesn't have people? Did they all get to be best friends with the trees too, or am I just lucky? There's no one to ask for directions, no one to talk to ... Except you, toucan. I'm monologuing at a toucan. You really should work on your conversation skills, you know that? Why couldn't I be stuck here with a parrot, that would--whoa, no way, laughing--how can a toucan laugh? Uh, wait, your beak isn't even moving and now I really wanna know how you're doing that, it's like--it's like it's in my head? Oh boy. But, big--big deal. Laughed at by some kind of mutant toucan, held captive by a tree. Puh-leeze. I'm a New Yorker, it'll take more than that to freak me out.

Right, let's try a different approach: Uh, hi. Hi tree. It's been fun but this just isn't working out and, the thing is, I have homework that I really should get to so I really really would like you to put me down now. You listening? Come onnn, my stomach hurts and I'm not--I have had enough of this. Serious. This ain't a game, put me down already. Being strung up like a piñata is not exactly my idea of a good time.

... I said is not. I can feel you party planning over there, toucan.


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