You’ve probably seen the memes. Maybe a stray panel popped up on your feed featuring a version of Thor that looks suspiciously like a teenager from Brooklyn, wielding a hammer covered in graffiti.
Honestly, if you weren’t following Marvel’s What If...? series back in 2022, you might think it was a fever dream or a high-effort parody. But it’s real. We’re talking about Miles Morales by Odin's Fade, a phrase that has since become shorthand for one of the most polarizing moments in modern comic book history.
It was supposed to be a celebration. Instead, it became a cautionary tale about cultural representation and the thin line between "hip" and "caricature."
What Really Happened with Miles Morales as Thor?
In June 2022, Marvel released What If... Miles Morales #4. The conceit of the series was simple: explore alternate realities where Miles took on the mantle of different Avengers. We saw him as Captain America, Wolverine, and even the Hulk. Those were mostly fine. Cool, even.
Then came the Thor issue.
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Written by Yehudi Mercado with art by Luigi Zagaria, the story reimagines Asgard not as a gleaming celestial city, but as "the hood." The narration literally says, "Of all the five realms, Asgard is his hood."
The comic opens with Miles—now a god of thunder—walking through a version of Asgard where shoes hang from power lines and the buildings are covered in street art. His version of Mjölnir isn’t just an ancient Uru hammer; it’s tagged with graffiti. When he calls the lightning, he doesn't shout "For Asgard!" He yells, "It’s hammer time!"
But the line that broke the internet? "By Odin's fade!"
It was meant to be a play on the classic "By Odin’s Beard!" catchphrase. The problem? In the actual comic, the version of Odin shown is completely bald. He doesn’t even have a fade. He’s just... bald.
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The Backlash: Why Fans Weren't Feeling It
The reaction was swift. It wasn't just "cringe"—it felt out of touch. Fans on Twitter (now X) and Reddit quickly pointed out that the dialogue felt like a checklist of "urban" stereotypes written by someone who had never actually stepped foot in Brooklyn.
Specifically, the criticism centered on a few key things:
- The Dialogue: Using AAVE (African American Vernacular English) as a punchline or a gimmick rarely goes well. Lines like "by Odin's fade" felt like they were trying too hard to be "down with the kids."
- The Setting: Turning Asgard into a stereotypical "ghetto" felt regressive. Why couldn't a Black Thor live in a majestic, high-tech, or traditional Asgard? Why did his version of divinity have to be defined by graffiti and Timbs?
- The Creative Team: People noticed that while previous issues in the series were written by Black authors like Cody Ziglar and Anthony Piper, the Thor issue was not.
Mercado eventually issued a public apology. He admitted he "missed the mark" and acknowledged that his attempts at representation fell into harmful tropes. He even offered to donate his earnings from the book to the Brooklyn Community Foundation.
Beyond the Meme: Miles Morales by Odin's Fade as a Turning Point
Look, Miles Morales is one of the best characters Marvel has ever created. Period.
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Between the Spider-Verse movies and the Insomniac games, we’ve seen how to do Miles right. He’s a kid who loves his culture, but he isn't defined only by stereotypes. He's a scientist. He's an artist. He's a son.
The "Odin's Fade" controversy matters because it highlighted a massive disconnect in the comic industry. It showed that you can't just "palette swap" a character and sprinkle in some slang to make it inclusive. True representation requires an understanding of the character's soul, not just their haircut.
Ironically, the backlash actually paved the way for better storytelling. Shortly after this, Cody Ziglar took over the main Miles Morales: Spider-Man run, and it was widely praised for its authenticity and heart. It felt real. It didn't need to shout "By Odin's fade" to prove Miles was from Brooklyn.
What We Can Learn From the "Dope-Verse"
If you’re a creator or just a fan, there are a few takeaways here:
- Authenticity is un-faked. If the dialogue feels like it was written by a marketing committee trying to sound "cool," the audience will smell it a mile away.
- Context is king. Moving Miles into a Thor role could have been incredible—imagine a version where the "worthiness" of Mjölnir is tied to Miles’ sense of community and responsibility.
- Research your own gags. Seriously, if you're going to make a joke about a character's "fade," maybe make sure the character actually has hair.
Actionable Insights for Comic Fans
If you want to see Miles Morales written with the depth he deserves, skip the "What If" Thor issue and check out these instead:
- Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2022) by Cody Ziglar: This is the gold standard for Miles’ voice. It’s vibrant, energetic, and avoids the "fellow kids" traps.
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: Watch it again. Notice how Miles’ Afro-Latino heritage is woven into the world-building (the food, the music, the family dynamics) without being the only thing he talks about.
- The 2017 Jason Reynolds Novel: If you like prose, this book gets deep into Miles’ head regarding race and responsibility in a way that feels incredibly grounded.
The "Odin's Fade" era is mostly over now, existing primarily as a "did that really happen?" footnote. But it serves as a reminder: Miles Morales doesn't need gimmicks to be a god-tier hero. He already is one.