Marvel Snapshot: Character Spotlight: Miguel O’Hara (Spider-Man 2099)

It was the 90s! A time of hologram, foil embossed, die-cut, and other types of wacky covers to get you to pick up a particular issue and spend that hard earned $1.75! On top of all this, Marvel had decided to give us new versions of classic characters all living in the future of 2099! One of those characters would be Spider-Man. However, this would be no distant relative of Peter Parker but someone entirely new with no previous ties to the mythos. Created by Peter David and Rick Leonardi, Spider-Man 2099 made his first appearance in a preview story in Amazing Spider-Man #365 before appearing in his own title soon after.

Enter Miguel O’Hara, a character who is going to assume the mantle of arguably one of Marvel’s greatest characters but he’s somewhat of a jerk. He cheats on his girlfriend with his brother’s girlfriend. He’s not really liked by his own mother, a bit absorbed in his own brilliance, and quite the arrogant employee of Alchemax. Who, because of an act of jealousy by a coworker would end up with 50% of his DNA transformed to that of a spider.

The transformation takes a physical toll on Miguel as he has now grown claws on his fingertips and feet along with fangs which make talking a bit difficult at times. His first few moments as a super powered being aren’t all that glamorous as he fails attempting to save the man that tried to kill him, Aaron Delgato. While holding onto his arm Miguel was unaware of his new talons and that they were ripping into Aaron’s flesh. This caused him to struggle more and eventually fall from the building. From here, he was soon in the sights of Alchemax CEO Tyler Stone who sent a cyborg to destroy the new Spider-Man. This is just one of many adversaries he’d come across in his new life as 2099’s Spider-Man. But it was a meeting with the original Webslinger himself that would kickstart a change in Miguel to think beyond himself and start being the hero he was meant to be.

Miguel is now living on the 616 Earth due several time anomalies in 2099 that led him there. After a confrontation with Superior Spider-Man (who he mistook for his friend, Peter Parker) and several other adventures it looks like he’s sticking around for a while. He’s currently fighting for his life alongside Peter and many other spider powered beings from across various universes and timelines in Spider-Verse against the Inheritors. Lets hope he’s one of the ones who makes it out alive!

Recommended Reading
Spider-Man 2099 TPB Vol 1 (2009)
Spider-Man 2099 TPB Vol 2 (2013)
Spider-Man 2099 #15-46 (1993-1996)
Superior Spider-Man #17-19 (2013) #27-33 (2014)
Spider-Man 2099 Vol 2 (2014)
Spider-Verse #1-current (2014)