Miles is a 16-year-old student from Brooklyn, New York, who attends the prestigious Brooklyn Visions Academy on scholarship. Operating secretly as the superhero Spider-Man, he experiences immense anxiety balancing his heroic responsibilities with his academic and family obligations. Haunted by the recent death of his uncle and fearful of his family's history with crime, he decides to pause his superhero activities to focus on being a model student.

Ganke is a Korean American teenager and Miles's roommate at Brooklyn Visions Academy. Dealing privately with his parents' difficult divorce, he frequently uses humor, video games, and mischief to cope with stress. He is highly supportive of his best friend's secret identity and consistently pushes Miles to enjoy his youth rather than carrying the weight of the world alone.

Jeff is Miles's hardworking father who left behind a youthful life of crime to build a stable family. He places incredibly high expectations on his son, hoping to steer him completely clear of the mistakes he and his brother made in the past. He is aware of Miles's secret identity and worries intensely about his son's safety.

A history teacher at Brooklyn Visions Academy whose deeply racist lectures continuously cause distress among his students. He specifically targets Black students with humiliating remarks and aggressive discipline. He sports a distinctive tattoo of a cat with several tails on his wrist.

An elderly, mysterious man connected to the local prison system who appears in the disturbing dreams shared by several characters. Associated heavily with the imagery of white cats, he wields a massive, systemic influence over the community and seeks to expand his control through mass incarceration.

Rio is Miles's mother, a Puerto Rican woman who works hard to help provide for her family in Brooklyn. She actively manages the household finances and worries about mounting bills, yet she maintains a warm and loving home environment that provides Miles with necessary comfort.

Alicia is a talented student at BVA and the president of the school's poetry club, the Dream Defenders. As the great-granddaughter of a Harlem Renaissance poet, she commands attention with her words and refuses to remain silent when witnessing injustice. She frequently challenges the school's authority figures when they cross moral lines.

Miles's deceased uncle who lived a life of crime right up until his tragic death. His memory casts a long shadow over the Morales household, serving as a constant warning from Jeff about poor life choices. His dying statement asserting that he and Miles are exactly alike continually torments his nephew.

The 15-year-old son of Aaron Davis who is currently serving time in a local prison. He began stealing cars to help pay for his late mother's cancer treatments before being caught in the justice system. He shares a striking physical and emotional resemblance to his cousin Miles.

An English teacher at Brooklyn Visions Academy who introduces her students to writing Korean sijo poetry. She is highly encouraging of the arts and incentivizes her students to attend the school's open mic poetry events.

A student at BVA who works at the Campus Convenience store. Like Miles, she relies entirely on her scholarship and work-study position to remain at the academy, making her highly vulnerable when things go wrong at the job.

The eccentric but universally liked librarian at Brooklyn Visions Academy. She provides a safe, quiet space for students and happily engages Miles in conversations about folklore, omens, and superstitions.

A local barber who has been cutting hair for the Morales family for years. He stays informed about the comings and goings of the neighborhood and agrees to hire Miles for weekend sweeping jobs.

One of Jeff Davis's long-time friends from the neighborhood. He provides valuable perspective on how the education system fails vulnerable youth, sharing his own experiences of dropping out and making poor decisions when he felt unsupported by his teachers.