Writer: Margaret Stohl

Artist: Juan Ferreyra

Letterer: VC’s Travis Lanham

Covers: Dave Rapoza; Mark Bagley & Richard Isanove; Ron Lim & Israel Silva; Javier Garron & Guru-eFX

Release Date: March 4th, 2020

Price: $3.99

As the threat of another world war looms over 1930s New York City, P.I. Peter Parker investigates a speakeasy waitress’s mysterious murder. Let’s find out what adventures await the web-slinging gumshoe in Margaret Stohl’s SPIDER-MAN NOIR #1!

The book opens in Midtown Manhattan at the office of private eye Peter Parker. Without reading a word you know exactly what to expect from this story thanks to Juan Ferreyra’s style. The washed out colors, grays, shadows— it all screams noir. The whole book feels like you’re watching a 30s gangster movie, and Ferreyra adds bits of color sparingly to accentuate things like police car flashing lights or gun blasts, almost making you “hear” the art, if that makes any sense. Some of the characters’ facial work is a bit inconsistent, and Mary Jane just feels off, but overall the art sets the mood fantastically.

Which is to take nothing away from Margaret Stohl’s writing. Stohl nails the fast-talking and slang-heavy dialogue of pulp detective stories of the time. The issue starts with a quick Spidey action scene, then gets into the mystery of a murdered cocktail waitress “toot sweet.” Dammit, now I’m doing it… There is sufficient building of the mystery and balanced action, and the concluding pages will have Indiana Jones fans smiling. One complaint would be the recurring “With great power…” shtick, but again, it’s a minor gripe in the grand scheme of things.

FINAL THOUGHTS

SPIDER-MAN NOIR #1 is a snazzy start to a juicy mystery. Margaret Stohl’s snappy dialogue and Juan Ferreyra’s moody art put readers in the thick of 1930s Manhattan, and the book’s end promises more intrigue and adventure. So shake a leg and peep this issue or risk looking like a wet sock!