With Spider-Noir released to the public, I figured I celebrate the show by reviewing the comic that gave us such a beloved alternate verison of the classic Webhead.
Spider-Man Noir is a 2008 miniseries published by Marvel Comics and can be found in the 2008 edition simply titled Spider-Man Noir. It was written by David Hine and Fabrice Sapolsky and drawn by Carmine Di Giandomenico.
The story is, in an alternate universe of 1933 New York. The crime boss Norman "The Goblin" Osborn has corrupted everything. But when a spider bites young Peter Parker, he becomes The Spider-Man. Now, Peter will do whatever he has to take down The Goblin and avenge the brutal murder of his Uncle Ben.
- Negatives
I've got nothing. So just move on to the next part.
- Mix
It all comes down to the story. We get to see a new version of Peter/Spider-Man who has no problem using lethal force when needed. We also see Norman/Goblin be more of a crime boss and a other Spidey rogues as circus talents and freaks. While also having the story touch upon things like power abuse during the New Deal era. However because of the miniseries format a lot of the story elements are rushed. One moment Noir Peter's just a regular guy but the moment after the spider bites him, he's swinging around New York and fighting villains with the amount of easy the main continuity Spider-Man has despite the fact we never see do any sort of training.
- Positives
One bit of praise to give is the world-building. Now there are other Marvel Noir comics out there, but I'm strictly writing about the world in this one, and I gotta say it's some good stuff. This is a very lived-in setting. Filled with corrupted politicians, mob bosses, and economic despair. The writers also did a fantastic job at the previously mentioned way they reimagined Spider-Man's usual villains. This 1930s setting feels very much liked a grounded crime thriller you'd expect to see in old 1930s noir films.
The last thing I'll touch upon is the art. While Di Giandomenico isn't on my list of my top favorite comic book artists, I can't deny he did a good job. The design for Noir Spider-Man is perfect, but most importantly Di Giandomenico has some very strong backgrounds. He also conveyed proverty in the tragic manner it is, and his moody shadows deserves two thumbs up.
While I did mention some slight issues with the story, Spider-Man Noir is still a good read. So if you're a fan of Noir Spidey because of the Spider-Verse animated movies, you definitely need to get this. Especially since this is where it all became for this version of Spider-Man.
My final rating is, Good.
That's all for now. I apologize for uploading this so late, but I was celebrating Memorial Day with my family. Anyways, come back on Thursday, May 28th, for part five of Looking Back at the Films of 2025. Until then, I hope you all have a very Happy Memorial Day. Especially for the ones who served and are serving. 🇺🇲
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