Cleveland Heights Native Brian Michael Bendis Brings Miles Morales 'Into the Spider-Verse'

You know Peter Parker, "the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man." 

But there's another Spider-Man swinging into cinemas with the new film "Into the Spider-Verse." 

[image: Sony]

He's Miles Morales, the creation of Cleveland Heights native and former Marvel Comics writer Brian Michael Bendis, who serves as an executive producer on the film.

Like Peter, Miles is a teen from New York City, but he's mixed race, Puerto Rican and African-American. 

[image:Sony]

Bendis and his Marvel colleagues wanted to fill a void in the comic universe.

"If you start breaking down some of the origins of the heroes, them being caucasion seems secondary if not a little confusing.  Like if you heard Spider-Man is this kid in Brooklyn, living with his aunt and he's a science nerd, why is he Caucasian?" Bendis said.

[image:Sony]

Miles is one of the hottest characters for Marvel Comics since his debut in 2011, and now he's taking center stage on the big screen. 

"Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse" is an ambitious animated film for Sony Pictures that draws on comic book illustration.

[image:Sony]

"They were using the mindset of comic books which is: 'Let's push this as far as we can,' in this giant movie that they were building, which ended up becoming a valentine to comics on its own," he said.

Like most of the movies based on Marvel, "Into the Spider-Verse" will include a cameo by the late Marvel legend Stan Lee, who co-created the original Spider-Man.

[image:Sony]

This cameo will be the first since his passing earlier this year.

That means a lot to Bendis, in large part because Lee gave Miles Morales the thumbs up when he took over the Spider-Man role from Peter Parker.

[image:Sony]

"The movie itself [is] a celebration of the entirety of his creation, and to be even a tiny part of that celebration is more than I could have ever hoped for," he said.

"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" is playing now in theaters.