Miles Morales: Shock Waves (Original Spider-Man Graphic Novel)

by Justin A. Reynolds, Pablo Leon (Illustrator)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

This action-packed, full-color graphic novel, starring Brooklyn’s own Miles Morales, is a heartwarming and hilarious new tale in the Marvel Universe. With witty banter and nonstop action throughout, readers will be immersed in Spider-Man’s latest adventure as he juggles school, friends and saving the world.

An original middle-grade graphic novel from Graphix starring Brooklyn's Spider-Man, Miles Morales, by bestselling author Justin A. Reynolds and Eisner nominee Pablo Leon!

Miles Morales is a normal kid who happens to juggle school at Brooklyn Visions Academy while swinging through the streets of Brooklyn as Spider-Man. After a disastrous earthquake strikes his mother's birthplace of Puerto Rico, Miles springs into action to help set up a fundraiser for the devastated island. But when a new student's father goes missing, Miles begins to make connections between the disappearance and a giant corporation sponsoring Miles' fundraiser. Who is behind the disappearance, and how does that relate to Spider-Man? A true middle grade graphic novel starring one of Marvel's most popular characters, bestselling author Justin A. Reynolds (Opposite of Always) and Eisner award-nominated artist Pablo Leon (Refugees) create a riveting story that will connect with new and well-versed comics readers alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338648041
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	06/01/2021
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	428,410
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

JUSTIN A. REYNOLDS has always wanted to be a writer. Opposite of Always, his debut novel, was an Indies Introduce selection, a School Library Journal Best Book, has been translated in 17 languages, and is being developed for film with Paramount Players. He hangs out in northeast Ohio with his family and likes it, and is probably somewhere, right now, dancing terribly.
PABLO LEON is an artist and designer whose clients include Warner Brothers Animation, OddBot Inc, Puny Entertainment, Bento Box Entertainment, and more. His original comic story The Journey, about the true accounts of people migrating from Latin America to the US, was a 2019 Eisner Award nominee. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

Editorial Reviews

"Rising star Reynolds draws on devastating real-life experiences to relate how the teenage Afro-Latinx superhero must discover a renewed balance of self even as he negotiates his immense responsibilities… At its heart, the story lifts up the real-world consequences of a series of natural disasters to the proud people of Puerto Rico, challenging us all to recognize our shared responsibility. Big heart and enduring life lessons make this a cherished addition to a viral character’s legacy. — Kirkus, starred review

From the Publisher

★ 2021-04-14
Rising star Reynolds draws on devastating real-life experiences to relate how the teenage Afro-Latinx superhero must discover a renewed balance of self even as he negotiates his immense responsibilities.

Puerto Rico, where Miles’ mother grew up, has experienced a very intense earthquake. Just as the family launches a community fundraiser to help, Spider-Man must attend to a mischievous new superpowered duo who elude his capture. Simultaneously, Miles and his best friend, Ganke, who’s Korean American, welcome a new friend when new female classmate and techie Kyle, who’s Black, joins the scene at Brooklyn Visions Academy, as her father has come to town to work for the mega-rich, ultrapowerful Harrison Snow. Yet just a few days later, Kyle’s father seems to have gone missing. Might there be a connection among it all: the mysterious disappearance of Kyle’s father, the new superpowered duo shaking things up, and the earthquakes threatening his mother’s beloved island? And will Miles ever be able to get a good night’s sleep? The graphic novel sensitively grants agency to those who can’t shoot webs from their wrists, as Miles’ friends’ skills, wisdom, and cunning all contribute to finding a solution. Leon’s panels equally deftly juggle humor, action, and emotional truth. At its heart, the story lifts up the real-world consequences of a series of natural disasters to the proud people of Puerto Rico, challenging us all to recognize our shared responsibility.

Big heart and enduring life lessons make this a cherished addition to a viral character’s legacy. (Graphic adventure. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews

07/01/2021

Gr 6 Up—Miles Morales, a scholarship student at Brooklyn Visions Academy (and, oh yeah, Spider-Man) struggles to balance his schoolwork, family obligations, and superhero activities. When a pair of criminals with surprising superpowers of their own elude him, he is left with a mysterious glowing blue rock, which his new classmate Kyle recognizes because her dad, an employee of Serval Industries, has one as well. But now her dad is missing, and Kyle will stop at nothing to find him—and Miles realizes that the glowing blue rock has something to do with the recent earthquakes in Puerto Rico. Miles is pulled in many directions but has a supportive community, including his parents, his roommate Ganke, Ms. Marvel, Squirrel Girl, and the other Spider-Man, Peter Parker. Panels use the full color spectrum and often take interesting perspectives, especially as Spider-Man crouches atop buildings and swings through the city; Leon renders cell phone and computer screens realistically and accurately captures facial expressions and body language. Miles is Black and Puerto Rican, Kyle is Black, and Ganke is Korean American. VERDICT Reynolds delivers a well-balanced story with action, relationships, and humor. Those who enjoyed Jerry Craft's New Kid or Jason Reynolds's Miles Morales: Spider-Man will devour this graphic novel addition to the Spiderverse in one sitting; it also works as a stand-alone.—Jenny Arch, Lilly Lib., Florence, MA

School Library Journal