Warning: Contains Spoilers for Deadpool #12!

A recent development saw Miles Morales the target of a classic god-tier Marvel character. The Olympian Ares has been portrayed as a complicated character in Marvel Comics for decades—even serving as a member of the Mighty Avengers and Dark Avengers in the past. However, Ares’ latest appearance brings him back with an extremely evil new mission: kill Spider-Man.

Spider-Man is the new enemy of an Avengers-level threat who keeps coming back from the dead.

Deadpool #12–written by Cody Ziglar, with art by Andrea Di Vito–is the third part of Miles’ crossover with the Merc with a Mouth. The issue finally reveals that Ares is the mysterious character that’s been pulling the strings all along, helping anti-vigilante Agent Gao arrange the plot against Miles Morales.

Teasing a grudge against Anansi, Ares signals that he wants to assassinate Miles Morales to teach the Spider-God a lesson. Having Anansi by his side seemed like it could potentially be a new superpower for Miles, but he already has a literal Greek god as his new enemy.

Ares Returns: Marvel Resurrects a Dark Avenger to Go to War with Spider-Man

Deadpool #12 - Written by Cody Ziglar; Art by Andrea Di Vito; Colors by Guru-eFX; Lettering by VC’s Joe Sabino

The God of War is one of Marvel’s oldest Avengers in age, and although he’s been solidified as a supervillain since his run on the team, nobody expected him to come back with a mission to kill one of the universe’s teenage heroes. Ares was first recruited to the Mighty Avengers in 2007, before Norman Osborn took over the team to create the Dark Avengers. The Sentry and Ares were the only team to stay on the team during Osborn’s takeover, becoming two of the Dark Avengers’ most powerful , but the god was later killed by his teammate.

Ares has already come back from the dead before, as the Sentry actually wasn’t the last person to kill the ancient god. Ares was most recently killed by the Punisher in 2023 after leading a criminal organization called the Apostles of War. Despite these Marvel heroes wronging the former Avenger, Ares is making his latest return from the dead with a sudden vengeance against Miles Morales’ new godly ally, Anansi. Because Miles has become the trickster god’s herald, Ares has even sent his own new herald named War-Cry after Spider-Man and the two Deadpools in the midst of their crossover.

Ares and His New Herald Could Be Miles Morales’ Biggest Challenge Yet

Just in Time for a Thor & Hercules Team-Up

Miles Morales: Spider-Man has featured many different heroes ing forces with the web-slinger, including Blade and Black Panther, and the series’ solicitations tease that the Weaver of Stories is cooking up a godly storyline in Miles’ future after the Deadpool crossover ends. He may be one of the most powerful threats that Spidey could ever face, but Ares is the perfect enemy to kick off Miles’ team-up with Thor and Hercules. Hercules is one of Marvel’s strongest Avengers, and his ancient rivalry with Ares will be a great help to Miles as they fight the God of War side-by-side.

Ares has had two of the most iconic deaths for an Avenger in Marvel history, being taken down both by one of the universe’s strongest characters, like the Sentry, and a skilled human with no superpowers like Frank Castle’s Punisher. However, the god’s sinister return even has Anansi worried, as Miles must prepare to fight an all-powerful threat that’s “of the old world”. Miles Morales’ connection to one of the Marvel Multiverse’s gods is already more of a curse than a blessing, making Spider-Man the new enemy of an Avengers-level threat who keeps coming back from the dead.

Deadpool #12 is available now from Marvel Comics!