Spider-Man Noir #3 (Marvel comics)
Hello there! Padawan J here, the resident Star Wars expert from the ODPH! This week I’m going to be reviewing the latest issue of Spider-Man Noir from Marvel Comics!
Set in a universe separate from the Peter Parker & Marvel Universe we all know and love, this universe has a familiar feel to things but is putting a very interesting spin on things! Peter is a Private Eye & has been tasked with finding just who exactly is responsible for the death of Gwen Stacy’s father. The only problem? Spider-Man is inadvertently responsible! Just how will Peter explain it to Gwen? Let’s jump into it!
Credit: Marvel Comics// Spider-Man #3 by Erik Larsen (Writer), Marika Cresta (Artist), Rachelle Rosenberg (Color Artist), VC’s Travis Lanham (Letterer) & Simone Di Meo (Cover) is another great entry in the series that is slowly building a lot of mystery & intrigue.
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
The Story
Things pick up right where they left off in the previous issue, with Peter hot on the trail of a criminal network he’s tracking down. It’s a great issue that is action packed from start to finish & adds some real intrigue to the story and mythos.
We’re also introduced to a new rogue, known as Plasma Man. It’s a unique character with a crazy looking design, and we also learn a little bit of their history. Sturmbannfuhrer Karl Hunefeld, aka Plasma Man, is a member of an elite force of Germany in the 1930’s. A formidable foe that gives Peter some trouble, I really like the fact that Erik isn’t sticking with the usual rogue’s we’re used to seeing in a Spider-Man comic.
Of course the main focus is what’s going on in the personal life of Peter Parker, and that’s his ongoing investigation into the murder of Gwen Stacy’s father. Gwen contracted him to look into things, and Peter ended up solving the case. However now his dilemma is how to exactly tell Gwen the truth, especially now that they’re romantically involved with one another?
As if that wasn’t bad enough, he’s also dealing with an icy relationship with Mary Jane. I would expect them to work things out before long, but for right now it’s looking like it might take moving a mountain to repair that relationship. It all makes for some fascinating reading that is only getting better!
The Artwork
Marika Cresta & Rachelle Rosenberg are on the artwork for the issue and they continue their stellar run. The look of Plasma man is particularly noteworthy just for how creepy it looks. It made my skin crawl slightly just because it’s so different from what you might expect from the general look & feel of a comic set during this time period. Speaking of this time period, Marika & Rachelle continue to really do a great job capturing that old school noir feel you might see on a Saturday afternoon/evening on Turner Classic Movies. It really helps with the immersion & setting the tone for the issue overall.
FINAL POINT: Erik Larsen continues to pen a fantastic story that is a nice change of pace from the usual Spider-Man comics on the stands these days. Together with artwork that really helps set the tone, this issue is one that should be at the top of your list this week!
FINAL GRADE: 8.0
Thank you for taking the time to check out my review, be sure to check out more of my reviews. Be sure to reach out to me on Twitter, and let me know what you thought of the issue!
