“I want to meet this Miles Morales,” twelve-year-old Miriro murmured spontaneously as he and his eleven-year-old sister Anesu did their maths homework at the kitchen table, warm afternoon sunlight streaming in the western window.
“What are you talking about,” she replied in irritation. “He doesn’t even exist. He’s a cartoon.”
“Uncle Tongai took me and my mates to see Spider-Verse over the weekend. The movie said anyone could wear the mask and be Spider-Man.” He was grinning, his mind completely diverted from his textbook.
“You’re daft. This isn’t Brooklyn, America. It’s Harare, Zimbabwe. Just because black Americans look like us doesn’t mean we’re all the same. Our lives are different.”
“Anybody can be a hero, Anesu.”
“Be a hero and finish your studies before Mama comes back from the market and we both get in trouble.”
But it was too late. Miriro was already thinking about his new costume.
I wrote this for the What Pegman Saw flash fiction challenge. The idea is to use a Google Maps location/image as the prompt for crafting a piece of flash fiction no more than 150 words long. My word count is 149.
Today, the Pegman takes us to Harare, Zimbabwe.
Yesterday, I saw the film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) with my son and my nine-year-old grandson. I subsequently published my review online and obviously still have the movie on my mind.
One of the things I’ve been considering, both with this movie, and especially with the Marvel Studios film Black Panther (2018) is that in the African nations, culturally, black people have widely varying cultures compared to African-American audiences, so the differing populations may not have as much in common with each other as people in the U.S. might imagine.
Having said that, the central message of “Spider-Verse” is that anybody can wear the mask. It was meant as a commentary about how historically, superheroes have been white, but it doesn’t automatically have to be that way. Any kid, no matter who they are, can be a hero.
I decided to put a spin on the message and say that any kid anywhere in the world also can aspire to be more than who they are, mask or no mask, even a twelve-year-old boy living in Harare.
To read other stories based on the prompt, visit InLinkz.com.
Great story. I haven’t read Spiderman since the Ditko era, but I was really pleased with that movie. I think it hit just the right note between nostalgia and looking ahead. My family really enjoyed it too.
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When Johnny Romita Sr. took over the pencils on Spider-Man, he did great things with the character, although I agree that Steve Ditko’s Spider-Man was definitive.
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Dear James,
I really enjoyed this story and the message. Heroes come in all sizes, shapes and colors, don’t they? Good job of creating the characters through dialogue.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks, Rochelle.
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Miriro needs to be looking for a radioactive spider before he worries about a mask! I like the message of your story. We enjoyed the film recently too. As a member of a racially diverse family, I appreciated the natural way Miles and his family were portrayed. Enjoyed your review, too.
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Thanks, Karen. I don’t think Miriro is going to be encountering any radioactive spiders soon, but in the film, a lot of people wore some version of the costume as a symbol of not only Peter Parker’s heroism but their own. That might be more what my young hero has in mind.
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What a wonderful message in your story! Dream big. Always.
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Thanks, Alicia.
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As others have said, there’s a great message in your story, and the theme about heroes sets me thinking. Happy new Year.
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Happy New Year to you and yours. Thanks.
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Loved the kids and their wonderful message. 😀
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Thank you.
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I enjoyed your story, and especially the message. We all need to hear that message from time to time!
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I agree, Debra. Thanks.
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Haha – great stuff, James. All boys dream of being a hero, and what costume they might wear. Well told story.
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Thanks, Kelvin. I imagine a few girls have a similar dream. I’ve noticed that “Spider-Gwen’s” costume is being sold as a hoodie.
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