Marvel Comics is returning to a classic Spider-Man story in April, teasing a new version of the infamous 'Clone Saga' in a brief teaser video on Twitter. But the teaser doesn't stop there, bringing in a new twist on the old idea – this time, it appears the new 'Clone Saga' will revolve around Miles Morales, Peter Parker's protégé.
Seeing double. April 2021. 🕷🕷 #MarvelComics pic.twitter.com/VkUNfS97ESJanuary 11, 2021
Though Marvel has yet to release many details, a subsequent press release from the publisher confirms that Miles' 'Clone Saga' will kick off in April's Miles Morales: Spider-Man #25. The release includes a promise of more information to come on Tuesday, January 12. Series writer Saladin Ahmed confirmed on Twitter that he is writing the arc, though it has not been confirmed whether regular artist Carmen Carnero will be on board for the new 'Clone Saga.'
The original 'Clone Saga' was a long-term story that ran across multiple Spider-Man titles from 1994-1996. Though the plot became a tangled web as the story went on, the crux of the 'Clone Saga' centered on the return of a clone of Peter Parker created by the villainous Jackal. Long thought dead, the returned clone claimed to be the original Peter Parker, with the Peter readers had known since that story took place in the '70s having unknowingly been the clone the whole time.
The returned clone took the name Ben Reilly and replaced Peter Parker as Spider-Man while Peter went into semi-retirement. Though the story lasted almost two years, by the end Reilly was seemingly killed and proven to have been the clone all along, restoring Peter to his role as Spider-Man.
Ben Reilly subsequently returned as part of writer Dan Slott's 'Clone Conspiracy' storyline, in which Reilly misguidedly tried to clone everyone in Peter's life who had ever died.
How or if the Jackal, who was a key part of both the 'Clone Saga' and 'Clone Conspiracy' might factor into Miles's 'Clone Saga' remains to be seen – perhaps on Tuesday, January 12.
Look for Marvel's full April 2021 solicitations later this month on Newsarama.
Read about how Miles Morales became a surprise cornerstone of the Marvel Universe.
