Spider-Man Noir

Spider-Man Noir (Peter Parker) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.

Spider-Man Noir
Textless cover of Spider-Man: Noir #1 (February 2009) by Patrick Zircher.
Publication information
PublisherMarvel Comics
First appearanceSpider-Man: Noir #1 (February 2009)
Created byDavid Hine
Fabrice Sapolsky
Carmine Di Giandomenico
Marko Djurdjevic (costume design)
(Based on a character created by Stan Lee & Steve Ditko)
In-story information
Alter egoPeter Parker
Place of originNew York City, New York, Earth, Earth-90214 (also called "Earth-Noir")
Team affiliationsWeb Warriors
Abilities
Proportionate strength, speed and agility of a spider, spider-sense, organic webbing generation, skilled marksman and expert hand-to-hand combatant

Part of the Marvel Noir universe, this alternate version of Spider-Man is a noir-themed take on the character and emerges in a version of New York during the Great Depression. While investigating a smuggling ring, Peter Parker is bitten by what seems to be a highly-venomous spider housed in a spider-god idol. Parker has a vision of the spider-god promising him power and then emerges from a cocoon, now possessing super-human abilities similar to that of a spider. As the feared vigilante "the Spider-Man," Parker wages a one-man war against the criminal underworld in New York City, partly to avenge the deaths of his uncle Ben Parker and his mentor Ben Urich at the hands of the city's major crime lord, Norman Osborn. After Osborn's defeat, Spider-Man Noir continues his vigilante life for years and opposes the forces of Nazi Germany even before the United States enters World War II.

Since his conception, the character has appeared in numerous media adaptations, including the animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse where he is voiced by Nicolas Cage.

Publication history

The character, created by writers David Hine and Fabrice Sapolsky, and artists Carmine Di Giandomenico (who drew his first stories) and Marko Djurdjevic (who designed his costume). He first appeared in the four-issue mini-series Spider-Man: Noir #1 in 2009).[1] The character became popular enough to quickly earn a sequel mini-series, Spider-Man Noir: Eyes Without a Face, starting at the end of 2009 and produced by the same creative team. Spider-Man Noir then appeared as a playable character in the 2010 video game Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, voiced by former Spider-Man cartoon actor Christopher Daniel Barnes and depicted as able to travel on web-lines for the first time. The character went on to appear in the 2014 storyline Spider-Verse, the main story of which was written by Dan Slott who had also scripted Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions earlier. After this, the hero featured in several multiverse crossover comics such as Secret Wars, the second Spider-Verse series, and Web Warriors. A version of the character wearing a fedora on top of his mask appears in season three of the animated series Ultimate Spider-Man in 2015, voiced by Milo Ventimiglia.

In 2018, Spider-Man Noir was seemingly killed in the Spider-Geddon storyline, then appeared in December of that year in the theatrical movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, voiced by Nicolas Cage, using stereotypical 1930s dialogue and wearing a slightly altered costume. Following the movie, Spider-Man Noir was resurrected in Spider-Verse vol. 3 #5 in 2020, his appearance, personality, and dialogue now similar to his movie counterpart. An ongoing Spider-Man Noir monthly comic book series began months later the same year, written by Margaret Stohl and with interior art by Juan Ferreyra.

Fictional character biography

Spider-Man Noir Volume 1

On Earth-90214 in the winter of 1932, during the Great Depression, New York City is plagued by many criminal gangs.Daily Bugle photojournalist Ben Urich, known to some criminals as "the Spider," attends a public oration on the struggle of the common citizen by May Parker in Central Park and befriends her nephew Peter Parker. Unable to attend university due to lack of money, Peter shares that his Uncle Ben, who fought in World War I as a pilot, was recently murdered by criminals working for Norman Osborn, an industrialist believed to be the crime lord called Goblin.[1] Peter recalls his Uncle Ben's words regarding the futility and unjust nature of World War I: "If those in power can't be trusted, it's the responsibility of the people to remove them." Peter works for Urich and in December 1932, he ventures to a warehouse of stolen antiques. One artifact — a spider idol — breaks open and releases a horde of spiders. One bites Peter, causing him to pass out and dream of a spider-god who claims it will give Peter power. The young man awakes in a black web cocoon and frees himself, discovering he now has spider-like powers.[2]

Donning a mask, Peter confronts Norman Osborn and is shocked to discover Urich present. The photojournalist has been blackmailing Osborn with his information on the mob boss's activities in exchange for the Goblin fueling his drug habit. Inspired by Peter's determination to fight the Goblin no matter what, Urich decides to expose Osborn's crimes but is murdered. Meanwhile, Peter creates a costume using elements of his uncle's World War I-era airman uniform, becoming "the Spider-Man."[2] Urich's former lover Felicia Hardy, owner of the Black Cat club, aids Peter's war on Osborn's criminal syndicate.[3]

In January of 1933, the Spider-Man kills Vulture to save his Aunt May, but the woman declares him just as bad for shooting an unarmed man he could've overpowered and captured instead. After Osborn's gang is largely defeated, Spider-Man has the opportunity to kill the Goblin but decides true justice means the man must stand trial and the truth become public record. Kraven the Hunter, one of Osborn's other cronies who is dying, then attacks the Goblin, killing him.[4] As winter turns to spring, Franklin D. Roosevelt is now President, Hitler rises in power in Europe, May Parker continues being an activist for the common people, and Spider-Man Noir continues fighting crime and corruption.[4]

Eyes Without a Face

Spider-Man Noir: Eyes Without a Face takes place roughly eight months after Spider-Man Noir. In September 1933, Peter Parker continues to operate as a photojournalist and helps at May Parker's soup kitchen along with his friend Mary Jane Watson. Meanwhile, the masked Crime Master rises as the city's new crime boss. Peter develops a relationship with Felicia Hardy, but she insists she is not his girlfriend. Peter and his friend Joseph "Robbie" Robertson, a struggling reporter, investigate the Ellis Island lab of Doctor Otto Octavius and his assistant Dr. Curt Connors, who are conducting strange experiments in mind control for the US government. That night, several kidnapped black people are delivered to Octavius's lab. Secretly working with The Friends of New Germany (TFONG), Octavius intends to prove that "inferior" people can be controlled with brain surgery.[5]

Discovering she is connected to Spider-Man, the Crime Master attacks and disfigures Felicia Hardy, nearly killing her. Learning that Crime Master is delivering people of color to Octavius, Spider-Man goes to the lab on Ellis Island and finds Robbie, only to find the man has already undergone surgery on the frontal lobe, leaving him without memory or clear free will.[6] Octavius and Crime Master come to blows and the latter is killed. FBI agent Jean de Wolfe (a male version of Jean DeWolff) arrives and Octavius is arrested. Spider-Man is told Felicia, still recovering from serious injuries and her face now scarred, doesn't want to see him again. A month later, the government decides to deport Octavius rather than put him on trial publicly and risk he will reveal state secrets. The scientist arrives in Germany only to be humiliated when he realizes the Nazis believe his congenital disability makes him inferior and his work useless. As time passes, Felicia recovers from her injuries but now wears a mask to cover her scars.[7]

Spider-Verse

The Spider-Verse storyline featured Spider heroes from various alternate realities being hunted by the vampiric Inheritors. The comic tie-in Edge of Spider-Verse #1 returns to Earth-90214 where it is now August, 1939. Peter has been operating as the Spider-Man for six years and finally attended university classes, while his girlfriend Mary Jane spent three years in Spain fighting with the Abraham Lincoln International Brigade. Wilson Fisk is a rising power in crime and sends illusionist Mysterio to kill the Spider-Man. Peter is then recruited by Superior Spider-Man to join a group of Spiders fighting against the Inheritors.[8] Following an adventure in the Secret Wars crossover, Spider-Man Noir joins a team of six Spiders called the Web Warriors that regularly meets to combats threats to other dimensions, particularly those that no longer have a Spider hero of their own.[9]

The inter-dimensional Web of Life and Destiny becomes unstable due to the technology the Web Warriors use to travel between worlds. This causes some realities to bleed into each other and Spider-Man Noir's world to suffer time anomalies. Eventually, the team rights it and new teammate Octavia Otto helps create a better method of traveling between worlds that won't destabilize the Web.[10]

Spider-Geddon and Death

One night in 1940, Spider-Man Noir investigates a weapons sale between Herman Schultz and the Nazis. He fights alongside Felicia Hardy, now on speaking terms with him and operating as the masked vigilante White Widow. Spider-UK arrives and requests Spider-Man Noir on an important mission.[11] The Web Warriors try to stop the Inheritors from using cloning technology to resurrect, but are too late. Spider-Man Noir attempts to kill the Inheritor called Morlun with a grenade, sacrificing himself in the process. The Inheritor survives and drains Spider-Man Noir's remaining life-force, killing him.[12] Later, Spider-Gwen travels to the Marvel Noir Earth to inform May Parker, Mary Jane, and Felicia Hardy how their version of Peter heroically died. May is furious to find out her nephew was a vigilante, "a broken man," but Mary Jane and Felicia thank Gwen for giving them closure.[13]

Resurrection

In Spider-Verse volume 3 #5 (2020), it is revealed that following his death in Spider-Geddon, Spider-Man Noir woke up alive and well in a web-cocoon on his native Earth-90214, having had a vision of the spider-god telling him his "service" was not finished. Now slightly more introspective and glib, this Peter Parker officially starts working as a private investigator, adopting a slightly new look and a more stereotypical 1930s dialect (similar to his film incarnation from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). Miles Morales appears and teams-up with Spider-Man Noir to retrieve the spider-god's idol from the Nazis so it can be used to repair the trans-dimensional Web of Life and Destiny. The two succeed in getting the idol back, but Miles warns that taking it away from the Marvel Noir Earth may also remove the spider-god's protection, meaning Parker's next death is permanent. Spider-Man Noir says he's fine with this, as death is supposed to be permanent for everyone and he neither wants nor deserves special treatment.[14]

Spider-Man Noir Volume 2

In 1939, a month after his team-up with Miles Morales, people are starting to realize the Spider-Man is alive and back in action. Peter has re-established ties with Aunt May and Mary Jane Watson, who are both grateful that "a miracle" brought him back from death. Both support his life as a vigilante, but May advises he act more honorably than his instincts sometimes tell him to. As the new series opens, J. Jonah Jameson helps Peter gain access to police crime scenes so the young private eye can investigate a murder and in exchange provide the Daily Bugle with the exclusive story. Peter's investigation into the murder of Holly Babson, a waitress at the Black Cat club, takes him to Nazi Germany.[15]

Powers and abilities

This incarnation of Spider-Man from Earth-90214 has the same basic powers as his classic counterpart: enhanced strength, speed, reflexes, resiliency, and agility proportionate to that of a spider; the ability to have his body cling to sheer walls or other solid surfaces; and a sixth sense which warns him of incoming danger, also known as "spider-sense." While the mainstream Spider-Man uses mechanical web-shooters, Spider-Man Noir has the power to shoot organic webbing from his wrists. In his original two mini-series, Spider-Man Noir does not create web-lines, his dark webbing always manifesting as a spray or net.[16] After his resurrection, his web control is fine enough that he regularly creates web-lines to swing on and web-based projectiles to stun opponents.[17] Through his association with club owner Felicia Hardy, his vigilante activities, his associates at the Daily Bugle, and his occupation as a private investigator, he has a network of contacts throughout the city and several informants in the gangs.[18]

Equipment

In contrast to the mainstream Peter Parker, this Spider-Man's costume is mainly normal clothing of the era matched with a mask. The outfit includes kevlar armor, making it resistant to bullets and explosions. The "costume" part of his outfit includes a mask made with the headgear and the aviator glasses used by his uncle during the Great War.[2] After Spider-Geddon, Spider-Man Noir adopts a more traditional version of the Spider-Man mask colored black and white, though he keeps the goggles rather than relying on built-in lenses. He also begins wearing a fedora with his mask and a new gun belt decorated by a spider-symbol.

Spider-Man Noir regularly uses .45 caliber pistols. He is a skilled marksman, adept in the use of various firearms such as revolvers and the tommy gun. He is willing to kill enemies in certain cases, but largely prefers to only injure criminals.[19] Despite his superhuman abilities, Spider-Man Noir still relies on wearing glasses as Peter Parker, indicating his goggles may also involve prescription lenses.[20]

In other media

Television
  • In the Avengers Assemble episode "Planet Doom", Slinger's costume almost flawlessly resembles Spider-Man Noir's costume. This version of Spider-Man is a member of the Defenders, a resistance group of vigilantes fighting Doctor Doom, who has altered history and conquered the world. Slinger works alongside Bullseye (Clint Barton) and Snap (Sam Wilson), who are awaiting the arrival of their foretold savior, the God of Thunder Thor. After Doom's defeat, reality is restored to normal, and Slinger reverts to Spider-Man. In this alternate reality it's shown that Slinger doesn't actually have any superpowers (implying that after Doom changed the past, the Peter Parker of this alternate timeline was never bitten by the spider gave him spider powers) and instead uses training, his instincts and advanced technology to mimic the powers of his main timeline counterpart, such as mechanical spider legs to climb buildings and gauntlets that shoot cables to grapple things to mimic Spider-Man's web shooters. Although one thing in common with Spider-Man Noir and Slinger is that they both carry firearms.
  • Spider-Man Noir appears in Ultimate Spider-Man, voiced by Milo Ventimiglia.[21] He first appears in the third season, titled Ultimate Spider-Man: Web-Warriors. In the episode "The Spider-Verse: Part 2", after Green Goblin appears in the Noir reality to collect the DNA of that universe's Spider-Man, he is confronted by both the "Noir" and the "Ultimate" Spider-Man, who had followed the Goblin to this universe. Noir is shocked to learn Ultimate Spider-Man is a younger version of him while he is a much older version of Peter. He is depicted as brooding and melancholy of his fate as hero, which resulted in him severing ties with his Aunt May and Mary Jane. He is forced to work together with his counterpart after the Green Goblin hijacks an airship, taking a group of civilians hostage, including Mary Jane. While the Ultimate Spider-Man saves the hostages, Spider-Man Noir fights the Goblin on his own, but the Goblin manage to take the DNA of a distracted Spider-Man Noir and then departs. Spider-Man Noir admits to both Ultimate Spider-Man and Mary Jane that he should drop the "lone wolf" act. In the Spider-Verse finale, he teams up with the other alternate versions of Spider-Man to defeat Spider-Goblin and Electro. Afterwards, he returns to his own universe but not before thanking his counterpart for letting him regain his spirit. The character returns for the fourth season, titled Ultimate Spider-Man vs The Sinister 6. In the episode "Return to the Spider-Verse: Part 3", he finds the Ultimate Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid fighting with Mr. Fixit (a Noir version of the Hulk) and his minions, Thunderbolt and A-Bombardier, who are in a gang war with Hammerhead. He reveals that he lost Mary Jane in an accident caused by Hammerhead's gang, for which he blames Mr. Fixit. Spider-Man finds the Siege Perilous fragment in the new machine gun that was provided by Hammerhead's minion, Martin Li. Upon touching the Siege Perilous, Martin Li gains the ability to transmute anything to stone and becomes Mister Negative. Li overthrows Hammerhead to become the new crime lord of the city. After Mister Negative fends off Wolf Spider, Spider-Man and Kid Arachnid persuade Spider-Man Noir and Mr. Fixit to work together to help to stop Mister Negative. During the final fight, Noir Peter sacrifices himself by turning to stone after taking a blast meant for Fixit, but Fixit manages to restore everyone back to normal after taking the shard from Mr. Negative, which also restores the world to color. Noir Peter thanks Ultimate Peter and Miles before they leave and begins a partnership with Fixit. In the "Return to Spider-Verse" finale, Noir is shown captured by Wolf Spider and along with other Spider-Men has his life force drained by him before being saved by Ultimate Peter.

Film
  • Peter Parker / Spider-Man Noir appears in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, voiced by Nicolas Cage.[22] He arrives in Miles Morales' universe along with Spider-Ham and Peni Parker. This version talks in a stereotypical 1930s dialect similar to Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney and Edward G. Robinson (which is what Cage based the character on). Due to his universe being entirely in black, white and grey, he is unfamiliar with colors and is seen playing with a Rubik's Cube which he takes a liking to. He is also a bit insensitive, as he calls Miles' story of a villainous uncle trying to kill him a "hardcore origin story". However, he later shows compassion by relating to Miles after his uncle is killed by describing his own loss. He faces and defeats Tombstone in the final battle before aiding Spider-Ham and Peni in defeating Scorpion. After Miles takes control of the particle accelerator that brought the heroes to his universe, Noir bids farewell to his counterparts and voices his love for them before returning to his dimension; taking the cube home with him and managing to solve it. In the credits, he is shown selling it to the people of his world.
  • The Marvel Cinematic Universe film Spider-Man: Far From Home features a tactical stealth suit given to Peter Parker (played by Tom Holland) by Nick Fury, which is inspired by the Spider-Man Noir suit.[23] After Peter wears the suit in a battle against the Fire Elemental in Prague, he becomes known to the public as "Night Monkey", a name made up by his friend Ned.[24]

Video games
  • Spider-Man Noir appears as a playable character in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions, voiced by Christopher Daniel Barnes. His reality is one of four alternate dimensions that is seeded by pieces of the Tablet of Order and Chaos.[25] Spider-Man Noir can blend into the shadows to perform sneak attacks on enemies. After defeating his versions of Hammerhead, Vulture and Green Goblin, and claiming the tablet fragments in his world, he, together with the other three Spider-Men, are teleported to the 616 universe by Madame Web to fight Mysterio, who had absorbed the Tablet and effectively became a god. After defeating Mysterio, Noir and the other Spider-Men return to their own realities.
  • Spider-Man Noir appeared as an unlockable playable character in Marvel Super Hero Squad Online, voiced by Yuri Lowenthal.
  • Spider-Man Noir's suit was available as a Gamestop pre-order bonus alternate costume for Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.[26]
  • Spider-Man Noir suit was available as an alternate costume for Spider-Man in Marvel Heroes.
  • Spider-Man Noir appears as an unlockable playable character in Spider-Man Unlimited. Doctor Octopus Noir and Sandman Noir appears as boss villains.
  • Spider-Man Noir appeared as an unlockable playable character in Marvel: Avengers Alliance.
  • Spider-Man Noir appears as an unlockable playable character in Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2.
  • Spider-Man Noir suit is available as an alternate costume for Spider-Man in Spider-Man.

References
  1. Spider-Man Noir 1 ()
  2. Spider-Man Noir 2 ()
  3. Spider-Man Noir 3 ()
  4. Spider-Man Noir #4
  5. Spider-Man Noir: Eyes Without a Face #1-2 (2010)
  6. Spider-Man Noir: Eyes Without a Face #2-3 (2010)
  7. Spider-Man Noir: Eyes Without a Face #4 (2010)
  8. Edge of Spider-Verse vol. 1 #1 (2014)
  9. "Spider-Gwen Stars In Web Warriors Launched By Mike Costa And David Baldeon #MarvelOctober (UPDATE)". www.bleedingcool.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  10. Web Warriors #1-11, 2016
  11. "Spider-Geddon: Spider-Man Noir #1". YouTube. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  12. Spider-Geddon #1 (2018)
  13. Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider #4 (2019)
  14. Spider-Verse vol. 3 #5 (2020)
  15. Spider-Man Noir Vol. 2 (2020)
  16. Spider-Man Noir vol. 1 (2009)
  17. Spider-Verse vol. 3 #5, 2020. Spider-Man Noir vol. 2 (2020).
  18. Spider-Man Noir: Eyes Without a Face (2009-2010)
  19. Spider-Man Noir vol. 2 #1, 2020
  20. Spider-Man Noir vol. 2 #1, 2020
  21. Cavanaugh, Patrick. "Check out these Guest Voices from Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man: Web Warriors". marvel.com. Marvel.com. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  22. Goldberg, Matt (July 5, 2018). "'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse': Nicolas Cage Confirmed to Play Another Spider-Man". Collider. Archived from the original on July 5, 2018. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  23. Aliaga, Victor; Vejvoda, Jim (December 8, 2018). "Spider-Man: Far From Home Trailer Description". IGN. Archived from the original on December 9, 2018. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  24. Lussier, Germain (September 17, 2019). "Spider-Man's Alter Ego, the Night Monkey, Gets the Official Trailer He Damn Well Deserves". Gizmodo. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  25. Meghan Morgan (March 29, 2010). "Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions Interview". GameSpot.com. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
  26. "Costumes - The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Wiki Guide". IGN. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
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