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Spider-Man Noir (Collected Editions)
Spider-Man Noir, Vol. 1
With great power, there must also come great responsibility - and when those in power abuse it, it's the people's responsibility to remove them. The year is 1933, and New York City is not-so-secretly run by corrupt politicians, crooked cops, big businesses... and suave gangland bosses like New York's worst, the Goblin. But when a fateful spider-bite gives the young rabble-rouser Peter Parker the power to fight the mobster who killed his Uncle Ben, will even that be enough? It's a tangled web of Great Depression pulp, with familiar faces like you've never seen them before!
By "Hardboiled" David Hine, Fabrice "The Spider" Sapolsky, and Carmine "Carbine" Di Giandomenico! Collects Spider-Man Noir #1-4.
By "Hardboiled" David Hine, Fabrice "The Spider" Sapolsky, and Carmine "Carbine" Di Giandomenico! Collects Spider-Man Noir #1-4.
96 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 264 reviews
January 30, 2021
Ever since I saw Spider-Man Noir in the Spiderverse movie I was like... OMG I have to read up on ALL of them. It wasn't a hard decision and I certainly don't regret it.
It's the middle of the Great Depression and the ugly streets are just getting uglier. Familiar names have different backstories and it all fits nicely into a gun-toting, corrupt city of nasty sorts and bleeding hearts and you can guess who keeps on bleeding.
I had a big grin on my face the entire time I read this. It's total retro goodness. :)
It's the middle of the Great Depression and the ugly streets are just getting uglier. Familiar names have different backstories and it all fits nicely into a gun-toting, corrupt city of nasty sorts and bleeding hearts and you can guess who keeps on bleeding.
I had a big grin on my face the entire time I read this. It's total retro goodness. :)
January 12, 2015
Spider-Man Noir by David Hine is a very welcome addition to the Spider-man Universe. Part of the Noir line that ran through Marvel in 2009, Spider-Man Noir tells the tale of young Peter Parker and his life in the gritty streets of New York in the 1930s. Streets that controlled by the Goblin and his mob of ex-circus freaks, like Kraven the animal trainer and the cannibal known as the Vulture.
Parker works the streets with his Aunt May, defending and fighting for worker's rights. His Uncle Ben Parker recently murdered, Peter is filled with righteous anger against the criminal element controlling his city. Peter is befriended by the reporter Ben Ulrich and Speakeasy owner, Felicia Hardy. But then Ulrich is also killed and Peter Parker must find a way to stand up against the Goblin and his Gang. He must become the Spider-Man.
Hine does a wonderful job of turning Peter and May into crusading do-gooders. The Spider-man as he is embodied here is a Sam Spade type, dry humor and gun toting as he begins to learn of the powers he has attained. But it is with the Goblin and the Vulture that Hine has done a truly unique and masterful job. They are darker and deadlier then anything they were portrayed as in the regular comic line. The scene of the Vulture eating the body of Ben Parker is gruesome and the comic reader has a definite Dorothy moment. No Toto, you are not in Kansas anymore.
The Spider-Man Noir was a four issue set in 2009, with a sequel set soon after. It could however, have gone on much longer. Peter is different here. The pain and loss he suffers creates in him a much darker and much more bitter Spider-man. It is a character that is worth further life. Hopefully Marvel will figure that out but unless there is a heavy marketing opportunity, they probably won't.
Spider-man fans owe it to themselves to pick this one up, no to complete a collection but for a glimpse at a darker and far more realistic Peter Parker.
Look it up.
Parker works the streets with his Aunt May, defending and fighting for worker's rights. His Uncle Ben Parker recently murdered, Peter is filled with righteous anger against the criminal element controlling his city. Peter is befriended by the reporter Ben Ulrich and Speakeasy owner, Felicia Hardy. But then Ulrich is also killed and Peter Parker must find a way to stand up against the Goblin and his Gang. He must become the Spider-Man.
Hine does a wonderful job of turning Peter and May into crusading do-gooders. The Spider-man as he is embodied here is a Sam Spade type, dry humor and gun toting as he begins to learn of the powers he has attained. But it is with the Goblin and the Vulture that Hine has done a truly unique and masterful job. They are darker and deadlier then anything they were portrayed as in the regular comic line. The scene of the Vulture eating the body of Ben Parker is gruesome and the comic reader has a definite Dorothy moment. No Toto, you are not in Kansas anymore.
The Spider-Man Noir was a four issue set in 2009, with a sequel set soon after. It could however, have gone on much longer. Peter is different here. The pain and loss he suffers creates in him a much darker and much more bitter Spider-man. It is a character that is worth further life. Hopefully Marvel will figure that out but unless there is a heavy marketing opportunity, they probably won't.
Spider-man fans owe it to themselves to pick this one up, no to complete a collection but for a glimpse at a darker and far more realistic Peter Parker.
Look it up.
December 15, 2020
**2020 Update**
On December 12th, I sat down with my new tablet to read this through my Marvel Unlimited subscription. It wasn't until I finished it and went to mark it as read on Goodreads that I saw I had read and reviewed this in 2013. I had absolutely no memory of this story and I think I enjoyed it more this time than the last.
**Original 2013 Review**
It’s 1932 and corruption rules the streets of New York City. From the mayor to the police force, everyone’s got their hands deep in the pockets of organized crime. Following the murder of popular socialist Ben Parker, his widow May takes up where he finished off – criticizing those in power and urging the downtrodden to rise against their oppressors. Their adopted nephew Peter, enraged over his Uncle Ben’s murder, looks to photographer Ben Ulrich as a mentor, someone who can potentially bring about real change.
While observing a heist with Ulrich, Peter is bitten by an unknown breed of spider which of course, leads to his acquiring his powers. Rigging up a costume using Ben’s uniform from The Great War, Peter becomes Spider-Man. With a means to fight The Goblin and his cronies, Parker aims to bring balance to a struggling Big Apple.
Earlier this year I had read Neil Gaiman’s Marvel 1602 – a story in which an alternate origin and timeline is presented for the heroes of the Marvel universe. With Spider-Man: Noir, a similar experiment is attempted by placing ol’ Web-Head back in time, all the way back to depression-era New York City. The latter works a lot better, or at least I enjoyed it more.
I enjoyed the visual style of Carmine Di Giandomenico as he crafted the dark and gritty atmosphere that the story required. Throughout the story you've got a speakeasy nightclub filled with city officials and gangsters alike, rampant drug use and brutal violence set against the backdrop of the dead of winter. Can’t get much more bleak than that.
While you've still got J. Jonah Jameson running The Daily Bugle, there are a few spins on classic villains like The Vulture, Kraven and The Green Goblin that keep things interesting.
Overall, I enjoyed it. Despite the fact that it’s presenting itself as noir in the early 1930s rather than the standard of the forties and fifties, it has enough of the classic elements to make use of the genre effectively. While it’s not my favorite spin on a classic character, it’s a quick read that has me interested in grabbing the second volume.
On December 12th, I sat down with my new tablet to read this through my Marvel Unlimited subscription. It wasn't until I finished it and went to mark it as read on Goodreads that I saw I had read and reviewed this in 2013. I had absolutely no memory of this story and I think I enjoyed it more this time than the last.
**Original 2013 Review**
It’s 1932 and corruption rules the streets of New York City. From the mayor to the police force, everyone’s got their hands deep in the pockets of organized crime. Following the murder of popular socialist Ben Parker, his widow May takes up where he finished off – criticizing those in power and urging the downtrodden to rise against their oppressors. Their adopted nephew Peter, enraged over his Uncle Ben’s murder, looks to photographer Ben Ulrich as a mentor, someone who can potentially bring about real change.
While observing a heist with Ulrich, Peter is bitten by an unknown breed of spider which of course, leads to his acquiring his powers. Rigging up a costume using Ben’s uniform from The Great War, Peter becomes Spider-Man. With a means to fight The Goblin and his cronies, Parker aims to bring balance to a struggling Big Apple.
Earlier this year I had read Neil Gaiman’s Marvel 1602 – a story in which an alternate origin and timeline is presented for the heroes of the Marvel universe. With Spider-Man: Noir, a similar experiment is attempted by placing ol’ Web-Head back in time, all the way back to depression-era New York City. The latter works a lot better, or at least I enjoyed it more.
I enjoyed the visual style of Carmine Di Giandomenico as he crafted the dark and gritty atmosphere that the story required. Throughout the story you've got a speakeasy nightclub filled with city officials and gangsters alike, rampant drug use and brutal violence set against the backdrop of the dead of winter. Can’t get much more bleak than that.
While you've still got J. Jonah Jameson running The Daily Bugle, there are a few spins on classic villains like The Vulture, Kraven and The Green Goblin that keep things interesting.
Overall, I enjoyed it. Despite the fact that it’s presenting itself as noir in the early 1930s rather than the standard of the forties and fifties, it has enough of the classic elements to make use of the genre effectively. While it’s not my favorite spin on a classic character, it’s a quick read that has me interested in grabbing the second volume.
January 5, 2024
I don’t know what it is but something about Spider-Man Noir is just so incredibly appealing to me and I love him dearly.
February 4, 2012
It's the winter of 1932 and millions across America are without employment and starving in shanty towns in the cities. May and Peter Parker are socialists, trying to energise the people into a revolution until they come across Norman "The Goblin" Osborn's thugs who stomp on Peter. Ben Urich, photographer for the Daily Bugle takes pity on Peter and shows him how the city operates behind the scenes. That's when Peter decides to take things into his own hands and goes down to the docks one night to see Osborn's thugs transporting goods meant for the Metropolitan Museum, one of them a sacred Spider God monument...
The "Noir" series has been pretty average really which was why I was surprised by how good this one was. The story is well written and involves you from the start with the not-so-obvious choice for main character, Ben Urich, as we get introduced to the famous characters in their newly imagined settings. There were a couple of curveballs in the plot, enough to keep me sitting up as I read and which I didn't see coming. I wondered if David Hine would give Peter his spider powers but if he didn't then Peter would just be a hooded vigilante with a gun. The final confrontation between Peter and Norman, while surprising in one sense, wasn't as strong a conclusion as the story itself merited.
Carmine di Giandomenico's artwork is excellent throughout. The action scenes feel very fluid and the character's expressions are subtle but clear. I also really liked his design for Spidey.
Hine takes a few liberties with Spidey, for one he's a killer, and for two he's not the cheery, quipping hero we all know and love, more a sullen, almost miserable, man with a chip on his shoulder and the world on his back. But then I suppose that's why it's called "Noir". Also there's no Mary-Jane or Gwen Stacy so maybe that's why he's so angry, but there's another "Spiderman Noir" book which probably has one or both of those characters in so maybe Peter does cheer up a bit in that.
Overall, the best in the "Noir" series and a pretty good Spiderman book to boot. I enjoyed reading it and loved the artwork, I heartily recommend it to Spiderfans everywhere.
The "Noir" series has been pretty average really which was why I was surprised by how good this one was. The story is well written and involves you from the start with the not-so-obvious choice for main character, Ben Urich, as we get introduced to the famous characters in their newly imagined settings. There were a couple of curveballs in the plot, enough to keep me sitting up as I read and which I didn't see coming. I wondered if David Hine would give Peter his spider powers but if he didn't then Peter would just be a hooded vigilante with a gun. The final confrontation between Peter and Norman, while surprising in one sense, wasn't as strong a conclusion as the story itself merited.
Carmine di Giandomenico's artwork is excellent throughout. The action scenes feel very fluid and the character's expressions are subtle but clear. I also really liked his design for Spidey.
Hine takes a few liberties with Spidey, for one he's a killer, and for two he's not the cheery, quipping hero we all know and love, more a sullen, almost miserable, man with a chip on his shoulder and the world on his back. But then I suppose that's why it's called "Noir". Also there's no Mary-Jane or Gwen Stacy so maybe that's why he's so angry, but there's another "Spiderman Noir" book which probably has one or both of those characters in so maybe Peter does cheer up a bit in that.
Overall, the best in the "Noir" series and a pretty good Spiderman book to boot. I enjoyed reading it and loved the artwork, I heartily recommend it to Spiderfans everywhere.
December 27, 2025
7.2/10
Many times when it comes to different versions of a popular character, you feel like more or less you're reading the same thing. Here i have to give them credit for trying to give us something new.
It's a bit more grounded approach, the tone is different and darker, even Peter is not the same Pete we know. The things he went through, shaped him into another person. I'm not saying that's good or that it is bad, but at least the didn't play it safe.
So yeah, the noir in the title isn't just there for no reason, they did deliver what you expect to get when you see it.
I liked this Spider-Man and i will try to learn more about the character and that world.
Many times when it comes to different versions of a popular character, you feel like more or less you're reading the same thing. Here i have to give them credit for trying to give us something new.
It's a bit more grounded approach, the tone is different and darker, even Peter is not the same Pete we know. The things he went through, shaped him into another person. I'm not saying that's good or that it is bad, but at least the didn't play it safe.
So yeah, the noir in the title isn't just there for no reason, they did deliver what you expect to get when you see it.
I liked this Spider-Man and i will try to learn more about the character and that world.
May 7, 2019
First of the Marvel Noir where there were actual superpowers involved. Good integration of the Goblin, the Vulture, Kraven, the Enforcers, and the Black Cat.
May 7, 2020
Coming into this volume my only exposure to the "Noir" incarnation of Spidey was Nic Cage's delightfully over the top portrayal in the Into the Spider-Verse film.
Imagine my surprise and delight, therefore, to discover that, at least in this incarnation, the character plays it very straight and amps up the Depression-Era Angst to the eleventh notch on his RCA Wireless set.
Befitting the "Noir" genre, this is not your adorable "Newsies" 1933 NYC. Instead there are shanty towns, dope pushers, corrupt-as-hell politicians and police and, naturally, Angels with Filthy Souls-style mobsters who aren't at all disinclined from rubbing someone out.
Enter unexpected initial protagonist, Daily Bugle photog and roving reporter...Ben Urich? who proceeds to befriend and mentor a certain youngster by the name of Peter Parker as he navigates the seedy underbelly of New York, including Felicia Hardy's speakeasy.
I won't reveal much more, you will see for yourself just how this one shakes down but don't think for a second it's the story you already knew!
Preach, Comrade Parker!
Imagine my surprise and delight, therefore, to discover that, at least in this incarnation, the character plays it very straight and amps up the Depression-Era Angst to the eleventh notch on his RCA Wireless set.
Befitting the "Noir" genre, this is not your adorable "Newsies" 1933 NYC. Instead there are shanty towns, dope pushers, corrupt-as-hell politicians and police and, naturally, Angels with Filthy Souls-style mobsters who aren't at all disinclined from rubbing someone out.
Enter unexpected initial protagonist, Daily Bugle photog and roving reporter...Ben Urich? who proceeds to befriend and mentor a certain youngster by the name of Peter Parker as he navigates the seedy underbelly of New York, including Felicia Hardy's speakeasy.
I won't reveal much more, you will see for yourself just how this one shakes down but don't think for a second it's the story you already knew!
Preach, Comrade Parker!
April 13, 2010
I've been a Spider-Man fan for most of my life. There's just something about that smart-mouthed Peter Parker and the villains he faces. Spider-man Noir is a familiar story of how Peter Parker becomes Spider-Man, but set in the backdrop of 1933 in struggling America. The Goblin runs the city, holding in his hand corrupt officials and policemen. Parker gets a job at the Daily Bugle to pay for college, and while he's working, he comes across evidence that can put the Goblin away. But, of course, things happen a bit differently than planned.
I really enjoyed this comic series. The collection was short (4 comics) and easy to read. The art was mostly pretty cool, especially the noir styled Spider-Man. The story was familiar, but still entertaining. Overall, if you're a Spider-Man fan, then I easily recommend this brief series to you.
I really enjoyed this comic series. The collection was short (4 comics) and easy to read. The art was mostly pretty cool, especially the noir styled Spider-Man. The story was familiar, but still entertaining. Overall, if you're a Spider-Man fan, then I easily recommend this brief series to you.
February 4, 2019
After seeing Spider-man:into the spider-verse yesterday, I was really hyped up I needed to see those characters within their stories. luckily, I started with Spider-man Noir.
The SAME old story of how Peter Parker became Spider-man, except It isn't. Not the same story in many ways.
We even have to Ben deaths in there.
Everything on 1932's New York is dark and Creepy in it's own way, though, it's a very good take on the old story.
The SAME old story of how Peter Parker became Spider-man, except It isn't. Not the same story in many ways.
We even have to Ben deaths in there.
Everything on 1932's New York is dark and Creepy in it's own way, though, it's a very good take on the old story.
March 27, 2021
Portray a beloved superhero as a red-diaper communist, zero stars should be an option. .
August 11, 2022
I love noir and I live Spider-Man, so if you like either you might enjoy this! Almost a more grounded take on the Spider-Man character, it deals with Peter Parker as a teen whose anger at the injustice he sees in the world fuels him to fight crime. It takes place in the 1930s, so the period builds the world, from the retro Daily Bugle to Goblin's penthouse suite. Certain villains stand out more that usual Spidey comics, especially Adrian Toomes Vulture- who has become less human than beast. Seeing Spidey swinging around with black webbing, guns, and a trenchcoat is amazing.
January 17, 2021
Successfully maintains the core aspects of the character and the setting, while moving it almost a century into the past. We still have skyscrapers to climb and swing by. Pretty dark at places, though.
April 7, 2020
Zajímavý elseworld koncept s dobrou noirovou atmosférou, akorát mi celý děj přišel někdy až moc uspěchaný.
February 11, 2022
Violent, gritty, and as the title suggests, very noir in style and tone. Spider-man dressed in all black, adorning a trenchcoat, wielding a revolver, and all in an Art Deco setting. Love it.
This is rated highest amongst the multiple works in the Noir series Marvel did back in 2009. I will definitely explore the other titles in the future. However, these are becoming hard to find (in good condition) as they've been out of print for a while.
My only complaint wih this graphic novel is that each individual issue could have been longer. It would have helped the story and plot progression feel more complete.
I look forward to reading Volume 2, if I manage to find a copy.
This is rated highest amongst the multiple works in the Noir series Marvel did back in 2009. I will definitely explore the other titles in the future. However, these are becoming hard to find (in good condition) as they've been out of print for a while.
My only complaint wih this graphic novel is that each individual issue could have been longer. It would have helped the story and plot progression feel more complete.
I look forward to reading Volume 2, if I manage to find a copy.
August 21, 2023
I LOVED IT the artstyle?? the plot?? Peter in this version. everything is great
April 27, 2024
L'ambiance glauque est super bien, le style et les compositions sont magnifiques. Juste dommage que la dernière page soit aussi manichéenne/classique super héros alors que le bouquin entier développe un personnage plus complexe, violent et torturé que le spiderman original.
November 19, 2023
“The long cold winter is finally over.”
YO?!?!?!?????? That was incredible! Tonally perfect, intense, compelling, and poignant.
YO?!?!?!?????? That was incredible! Tonally perfect, intense, compelling, and poignant.
February 6, 2019
Definitely a prequel to what we see in Into the Spider-Verse, but it was definitely a solidly written title. Not a huge fan of the art, but it works for the subject matter.
September 20, 2025
Wonderful. really fun take on classic spider villains and spider himself. lovely self contained story. gritty noir 1930s new York looked great. very fluid dynamic art panels. I loved it. great easy read. a must read for spidey fans.
June 9, 2019
It's a nice change to move the classic formula into the 30's when the Prohibition is active and gangs are running the city. The characters' personalities are different enough to warrant a read for Spidey fans. There is also the slightly archaic vocabulary and the architecture and dress of the age, but few other 30's themes are explored. Fans will easily recognize each character's drive, though they lean more of the violent side, so that shouldn't be unfamiliar to them. Non-Spidey-fans may not enjoy it since they lack the frame of reference, but it's still a fun story if you ever want to see how a superhero with a 30's mindset can dismantle a gang.
New York is being run by the Osborn the Goblin's gang. Citizens and officials alike know not to mess with him, but Ben Parker still does it and pays with his life. His nephew Peter wants revenge, but is too young and inexperienced to do anything about it. The journalist Urich takes the boy under his wing to allow him to strike a blow at the Goblin's image. Using the press they try to get the people to rise up against Osborn in a city plagued with poverty, corruption and fear.
New York is being run by the Osborn the Goblin's gang. Citizens and officials alike know not to mess with him, but Ben Parker still does it and pays with his life. His nephew Peter wants revenge, but is too young and inexperienced to do anything about it. The journalist Urich takes the boy under his wing to allow him to strike a blow at the Goblin's image. Using the press they try to get the people to rise up against Osborn in a city plagued with poverty, corruption and fear.
December 28, 2018
I loved Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It introduced me to some Spider-People I never knew before and I wanted to get to know them better immediately. So, when I saw Noir at the library, I yanked that thing off the shelf and took it home.
Yeahhhh this isn't what I was hoping it would be. In the Spider-Verse film, Spider-Man Noir is a lovingly crafted caricature of the hard-boiled detective, complete with a desire to let a match burn his fingers just so he can feel something. The character found in this comic is... well there's some grit to the story, but it's off base. Either Spider-Man Noir evolved and was perfected in later comics or the filmmakers of Spider-Verse came up with a better interpretation of the character and his world.
Black Cat, Felicia Hardy, is the only thing in the comic which feels genuine. The rest is old-timey and period relevant, but not in touch with the best of what makes noir tick. Sure, there's the reporter with a needle in his arm, the hoodlums beating up the innocent, and the corrupt newspaperman, but these feel like attempts to match the mold. It's gritty and mean but it's doesn't play as genuine or entertaining. There's something missing. The black & white art of the alternate covers, shown at the TPB's back, suggest something closer to what I was hoping the comic would be. Oh well.
I hope we see more of Spider-Man Noir on the silver screen but I'm not sure I'm gonna be back for more comics if this is what they're like.
Yeahhhh this isn't what I was hoping it would be. In the Spider-Verse film, Spider-Man Noir is a lovingly crafted caricature of the hard-boiled detective, complete with a desire to let a match burn his fingers just so he can feel something. The character found in this comic is... well there's some grit to the story, but it's off base. Either Spider-Man Noir evolved and was perfected in later comics or the filmmakers of Spider-Verse came up with a better interpretation of the character and his world.
Black Cat, Felicia Hardy, is the only thing in the comic which feels genuine. The rest is old-timey and period relevant, but not in touch with the best of what makes noir tick. Sure, there's the reporter with a needle in his arm, the hoodlums beating up the innocent, and the corrupt newspaperman, but these feel like attempts to match the mold. It's gritty and mean but it's doesn't play as genuine or entertaining. There's something missing. The black & white art of the alternate covers, shown at the TPB's back, suggest something closer to what I was hoping the comic would be. Oh well.
I hope we see more of Spider-Man Noir on the silver screen but I'm not sure I'm gonna be back for more comics if this is what they're like.
August 13, 2015
a well thought out and well executed graphic novel from start to finish. I will admit I am not a huge spiderman fan but I am a crime noir fan so I gave it a shot. I loved the darker 1930s take on Parker. It was actually more dark and disturbing then I initially hoped for. The writing is gritty and unapologetic. I like that Hine didn't hold back and we see Peter evolve into spider man but in a very dark way challenging him with life vs death punishment. The art was graphic and also didnt hold back. some of the death panel with Kraven and vulture are pretty gruesome but I loved it. I thought all the characters played a crucial part including black cat and Osborn even Aunt May had a pivotal part with peter that was really well done. I had a hard time finding fault here, really enjoyed it.
March 9, 2018
I like remakes of something into different setting. Wild west, sci-fi, historical, and so... And I like noir in general. So I really like the noir remakes. This one is good. Good enough. The drawing and colouring is fine, half line between "usual" and "noiry". The story is taking it from very beginning - Peter becoming Spider-man, so there is no need to push forward a super-powers too much. There are better Spideys, there are better noir-remakes, but altogether this is good. I would recommend especially to the Spidey & noir fans.
January 13, 2020
Noir Spideyho jsem četl X let zpátky a byl jsem z něj nadšený. Teď mi přišel "jen" jako dobrý komiks s uspěchaným finále. Parkerova morálka by chtěla víc rozpracovat.
January 19, 2020
It was the spider-verse film that introduced me to this version of Spiderman. That was an unexpectedly great film which I went to see with my 2 boys, a wonderful piece of animation. One of the better films of the year when compared with all the films I saw. It has real heart, if you have not tried it, you should.
I have not kept up with Spiderman over the years so have no idea about the Multiverse and all of the ins and outs of this very old character but I am now catching up a little bit digitally. I have no idea how this fits into cannon, I have no idea about the inception of this story so I approached it as a stand alone.
[Spiderman was my entry point to American Comics and comics generally as a young child. We did not have much when I was little but on one of our rare holidays my Dad bought me about 6 collected issues of the classics and for about 6 months and read and re-read them. They were a joy to me and while it is now passe it was really true that the ordinariness of Peter Parker was a wonder to the 7 year old me. I also forever remember certain iconic images within the panels to this day. Never underestimate the power of a well written or well drawn comic.]
I liked it. I liked it a lot.
The setting worked, the way they framed Aunt May as an idealistic communist agitator was a brilliantly utilised plot devise without is going on too long. There are twists and turns in the tale. Betrayals and double takes that you do not expect. The Origin story works as well, it may still be a little silly but they changed it enough to mean that within its own terms it does still stand up.
The design and art of the period feels spot on. It was a joy to read. Again the digital format was an ideal way of reading this.
I have said this before but digital comics has been a revelation. There are deals and offers out there that mean I am able to catch up on all sorts of stuff I never would have thought of reading. It is an unexpected pleasure to once again read graphic novels among the books I am reading and varying the style and types of reading I undertake keeps it all fresh for me.
Back to Spiderman Noir though. It was a great introduction. Who knows, I may pick some more of them up in due course.
I have not kept up with Spiderman over the years so have no idea about the Multiverse and all of the ins and outs of this very old character but I am now catching up a little bit digitally. I have no idea how this fits into cannon, I have no idea about the inception of this story so I approached it as a stand alone.
[Spiderman was my entry point to American Comics and comics generally as a young child. We did not have much when I was little but on one of our rare holidays my Dad bought me about 6 collected issues of the classics and for about 6 months and read and re-read them. They were a joy to me and while it is now passe it was really true that the ordinariness of Peter Parker was a wonder to the 7 year old me. I also forever remember certain iconic images within the panels to this day. Never underestimate the power of a well written or well drawn comic.]
I liked it. I liked it a lot.
The setting worked, the way they framed Aunt May as an idealistic communist agitator was a brilliantly utilised plot devise without is going on too long. There are twists and turns in the tale. Betrayals and double takes that you do not expect. The Origin story works as well, it may still be a little silly but they changed it enough to mean that within its own terms it does still stand up.
The design and art of the period feels spot on. It was a joy to read. Again the digital format was an ideal way of reading this.
I have said this before but digital comics has been a revelation. There are deals and offers out there that mean I am able to catch up on all sorts of stuff I never would have thought of reading. It is an unexpected pleasure to once again read graphic novels among the books I am reading and varying the style and types of reading I undertake keeps it all fresh for me.
Back to Spiderman Noir though. It was a great introduction. Who knows, I may pick some more of them up in due course.
April 11, 2022
Well, no one can say they didn't know what they were getting int0o. Spider-Man Noir is exactly what it says on the tin -- a dark, moody story set in a dark, depraved world where cruelty runs unchecked and the poor have no way to even pretend they aren't the playthings of the rich. If they decide you're dead, you're dead.
In the middle of it all, Peter Parker is struggling to figure out who he is in a world that's trying to tear every inch of innocence out of his outlook.
The art in this book is appropriately dark and sometimes really atmospheric, painting everything (even the scenery) with appropriate menace. Everyone in the story is tied to one another and the tensions between them make every single act any character undertakes a balancing act. And it's against all this that the story of Peter Parker's morphing into Spider-Man takes place. It's familiar, but just different enough to be fresh.
That all being said, though, the pacing in this feels a little too fast, it's sometimes a little hard to make out what's going on the first time through a scene, and there are a lot of little things that kept me from rating this higher. 3.5, but I rounded down because it's a story that we have seen a whole bunch of times already.
In the middle of it all, Peter Parker is struggling to figure out who he is in a world that's trying to tear every inch of innocence out of his outlook.
The art in this book is appropriately dark and sometimes really atmospheric, painting everything (even the scenery) with appropriate menace. Everyone in the story is tied to one another and the tensions between them make every single act any character undertakes a balancing act. And it's against all this that the story of Peter Parker's morphing into Spider-Man takes place. It's familiar, but just different enough to be fresh.
That all being said, though, the pacing in this feels a little too fast, it's sometimes a little hard to make out what's going on the first time through a scene, and there are a lot of little things that kept me from rating this higher. 3.5, but I rounded down because it's a story that we have seen a whole bunch of times already.
August 11, 2019
A pretty cool interpretation of Spider-Man, now with pretty ugly drawings (sorry, Carmine Di Giandomenico, I just hate the style).
It's the 1930's and the city is an almost Gotham-like mess of criminals and corrupt politicians working together against the interest of the common man, with the Goblin in charge. Young Peter lives with his aunt May, who is a socialist demanding more for people, which lands her on the wrong side of the city's 'finest'. His uncle Ben died in a horrendous murder not long before the comic started.
Peter's taken through town by Ben Urich, a journalist who shows him the underbelly of the world they live in and teaches him a thing or two about photography, so Peter can pay for college. During a bit of personal investigating, though, Peter comes into contact with a supernatural spider which transforms him in a pretty horrifying sequence.
This Spider-Man feels like someone older than the usual Peter Parker, and he doesn't hold back from using a gun (although he seems to give that up by the end). The story is dark and gritty, and I think it could have used a couple of extra issues and more development, but it works and, for once, I don't feel like I've accidentally started in the middle of a series again.
It's the 1930's and the city is an almost Gotham-like mess of criminals and corrupt politicians working together against the interest of the common man, with the Goblin in charge. Young Peter lives with his aunt May, who is a socialist demanding more for people, which lands her on the wrong side of the city's 'finest'. His uncle Ben died in a horrendous murder not long before the comic started.
Peter's taken through town by Ben Urich, a journalist who shows him the underbelly of the world they live in and teaches him a thing or two about photography, so Peter can pay for college. During a bit of personal investigating, though, Peter comes into contact with a supernatural spider which transforms him in a pretty horrifying sequence.
This Spider-Man feels like someone older than the usual Peter Parker, and he doesn't hold back from using a gun (although he seems to give that up by the end). The story is dark and gritty, and I think it could have used a couple of extra issues and more development, but it works and, for once, I don't feel like I've accidentally started in the middle of a series again.
June 12, 2020
A great dive into a pulp Spidey adventure involving some creative reimagined versions of the Spidey cast. The Goblin runs a New York City empire that seems nigh on impossible to topple with no one dare trying. Enter Peter Parker. A young political activist fighting for the rights of the common people. With Aunt May’s Soapbox and Uncle Ben’s moralistic teachings being a propellant for our new gunslinging hero: Spider-Man Noir.
The story contains some interesting beats, some grizzly turns for a Spider-Man comic and is not shy of verging on to the dark side which I found fresh. Some moments genuinely come as a surprise either due to twists or the sheer brutal nature showcased.
For mature readers and long time fans of Spider-Man or first time readers looking for an alternative version of the webhead that releases some of the constraints of superhero tropes. Pick it up. Would not recommend for kids.
The story contains some interesting beats, some grizzly turns for a Spider-Man comic and is not shy of verging on to the dark side which I found fresh. Some moments genuinely come as a surprise either due to twists or the sheer brutal nature showcased.
For mature readers and long time fans of Spider-Man or first time readers looking for an alternative version of the webhead that releases some of the constraints of superhero tropes. Pick it up. Would not recommend for kids.
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