Today, we’re cracking open the case file on the brand-new Spider-Man Noir #1, released in 2025. This issue takes us back to the gritty, sepia-toned streets of 1939, where Peter Parker is part gumshoe, part vigilante, and completely down on his luck. Here is the detailed, page-by-page breakdown of the story.
The Waterfront Brawl
The Scene: The issue opens with a bang—literally. We find ourselves at the foggy New York City docks at night.
- The Scorpion Gang: A group of masked thugs known as the “Scorpion Gang” is in the middle of a jewel heist, smuggling goods off a boat.
- Enter the Spider: Spider-Man Noir crashes the party. Unlike his 616 counterpart, this Peter Parker wields twin pistols. He dives into the fray, bullets flying—though the narration clarifies he aims to wound, not kill, using the guns as equalizers against overwhelming odds.
- The Fight: It’s a messy, violent brawl. Spidey gets tossed around, taking heavy hits, proving he isn’t invulnerable. He eventually disarms the thugs and uses his webs to tie them up, leaving them for the authorities.
- The Audience: A group of neighborhood kids watches from the sidelines, cheering for the “Spider-Man,” establishing his status as a local folk hero despite the police’s distrust.
The Hard-Luck Private Eye
The Scene: The next morning at Peter Parker’s shabby office/apartment.
- Rent Blues: Peter is out of costume, nursing his bruises. He is immediately confronted by his landlady, Mrs. Wong. She demands the overdue rent.
- The Hustle: Peter uses his “fast-talking detective” charm to secure a brief extension, but the reality is grim: he’s broke, his business is failing, and he’s one step away from eviction. It’s the classic “Parker Luck” filtered through a Great Depression lens.
The Dame in the Doorway
The Scene: Peter’s office, moments later.
- The Client: The door opens, and in walks Gwen Stacy. In this universe, she is a polite, well-dressed “dame” who immediately captures Peter’s attention.
- The Job: Gwen hires Peter for a specific and dangerous job: to solve the murder of her father, Captain George Stacy.
- The Details: George Stacy was found shot and his body dumped in the East River. The police are calling it a random act of violence, but Gwen suspects something deeper. She offers a retainer that solves Peter’s immediate money problems, and he takes the case.
Family & The Morgue
The Scene: A phone booth/Peter’s apartment and the City Morgue.
- Aunt May’s Check-In: Peter speaks with Aunt May. In a refreshing twist for this universe, May knows Peter is Spider-Man. She is a vocal activist and hates his use of guns, giving him a “tough love” speech about keeping his humanity intact while fighting the darkness.
- The Investigation: Peter heads to the morgue to examine George Stacy’s body. He tries to get info from the Medical Examiner but is aggressively blocked and ejected by a uniformed police officer. The police are unusually defensive about this case, raising Peter’s suspicions of a cover-up.
The Web Tightens
The Scene: The rooftops of NYC at night.
- Police Heat: Following the morgue incident, Spider-Man tries to investigate the crime scene or follow leads related to Stacy. He is ambushed by the police.
- The Chase: It’s not just a “halt!” situation; the cops open fire with lethal intent. Peter realizes that the order to take him down is coming from high up. He barely escapes, realizing that investigating George Stacy’s death has put a target on his back.
Terror at the World’s Fair
The Scene: The World’s Fair (The Flushing Meadows).
- The Subplot: The investigation is interrupted by a public attack. A Nazi-affiliated villain, a giant Man-Bat creature known as Fliegende Fledermaus, attacks the World’s Fair to steal technology/funds for the Bund (Hitler’s supporters).
- Spider-Man swings into action. Tearing up his mechanical wings and crashing him to the ground.
- Although he stops the villain, the crowd scrambles for the loose cash. The police arrest the Nazi, but Peter ends up with nothing—no reward money, just a “good deed” done.
The Twist
Defeated by his own bad luck, Peter retreats to a diner. He orders a real meal for once (eggs, corned beef hash, and wheatcakes) and chats with Elsie, the waitress. He’s tired, battered, and broke, but his mind is still on the case.
He spreads the case files out on the counter and reviews the evidence one last time. As he pieces together the timeline, the ballistics, and the secret life of the Captain, he comes to a shocking realization.
The evidence suggests that Captain George Stacy wasn’t just a victim; he was a member of the Scorpion Gang. The Cliffhanger: Peter connects the final dot—the evidence points to the killer being none other than Spider-Man himself!
Whether Peter is being framed or if there is a darker twist at play remains to be seen. The issue ends with Peter staring at this impossible conclusion.
To Be Continued.
