Warning! Spoilers ahead for Spider-Man Noir #4
Thanks to the wonder that is the Spider-Verse, Spider-Man fans have been able to see several different versions of the Webslinger over the years, hailing from a wide range of different Earths. One of the the most popular has been Spider-Man Noir of Earth-90214, where Peter Parker is a gun-toting gumshoe version of Spider-Man, living in a version of New York set in the 1930s. In the latest Spider-Man Noir comic series, Spidey just got a nasty surprise: his own Sinister Six.
In this current run – from writer Margaret Stohl with art by Juan Ferreyra – Spider-Man is traveling the globe, trying to beat the Nazis in a race to find the M’Kraan Crystal, effectively making him Marvel’s own Indiana Jones. Thus far, Spider-Man has teamed up with a few allies, including the Noir versions of Tony Stark (aka Ironsides) and Black Widow (aka Red), as well as a pilot named Harry. He’s also partnered with a museum curator by the name of Huma Bergmann, though she’s just been revealed to be a collaborator with the Nazis.
And things get even worse in Spider-Man Noir #4. Not only is Huma working with the Nazis, but the Nazis themselves have arrived, along with their enforcer Electro. Much to the surprise of Spider-Man himself, Harry is revealed to be Hu-Ri, a Wakandan Dora Milaje tasked with protecting the Crystal. Thanks to Hu-ri, they’re able to evade the Nazis using a secret entrance into the tomb where the Crystal is held. But Huma and Electro aren’t far behind, eventually making their way to the heroes and attacking them. At one point, Spider-Man is thrown into the Crystal, which transforms him into some sort of grotesque spider monster. If that wasn’t bad enough, Huma uses the power of the crystal to resurrect several of Spider-Man’s old and deceased enemies, creating a Noir Sinister Six.
Sure enough, the Noir versions of Green Goblin, Sandman, Chameleon, Kraven, and Vulture all join Electro, having come back from the grave at the command of Huma. This can’t be good for Spider-Man, even if he hadn’t just become a Spider monster thanks to the power of the crystal. Hu-ri was transformed too, becoming reptilian with fangs and claws. Spider-Man is shocked, as he himself was responsible for most of their deaths to begin with.
With only one more issue left for this run of Spider-Man Noir (and so many plot threads to address), it will be interesting to see how this globe-trotting adventure will conclude. Hopefully, Spider-Man and his allies will be able to turn back to their original selves so they can take on this new version of the Sinister Six. Perhaps they’ll even be able to regroup with Ironsides and get some air support? Who knows? But with the Sinister Six involved, Spider-Man has his work cut out for him, no matter which Spider-Man and Earth it is.
