In this review of Spider-Man Noir #3, Peter Parker romances Gwen Stacy while dancing around the truth about her father’s criminal past, Aunt May returns, and Spidey tangles with a dangerous new bad guy (who is definitely more than just an angry, racist brain in a jar).
Spider-Man Noir #3
Writer: ERIK LARSEN
Artist: MARIKA CRESTA
Main Cover: SIMONE DI MEO
Variant Covers: ERIK LARSEN, NOGI SAN
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: December 4, 2025
This review contains spoilers
Spider-Man Noir #3 kicks off with a bang as Spidey and the Back Alley Boys bust up the lair of mad scientist Doctor Helga Haag to rescue their friend Chalky. Spidey’s rough entrance knocks free what appears to be just a floating brain in a jar, but is in fact an aspiring fascist blob of plasma in the shape of a man. Spidey tangles with Plasm-Man as the boys rescue Chalky. The scuffle starts a fire and awakens a previously dormant stranger wearing an old style diving helmet.
As Spidey tries to show Plasma-Man the error of his ways, the mystery helmet guy escapes, leaving it to Spidey to rescue the misanthropic mad scientist from a fiery demise. A grateful Chalky informs Spidey that Haag wanted the large gem that he found during the docks heist the other night. Later on, private eye Peter Parker ransacks his office in search of the gem, but no dice.
Gwen Stacy arrives and presses Pete about her father’s killer (awkward since they just hooked up the other night). Reluctantly, Pete spills that it was Spider-Man, but that she doesn’t know the whole story about George Stacy’s underworld ties. Elsewhere, the mystery helmet guy encounters some homeless people warming themselves outside, and it appears he can drain the life force of anyone nearby.
At Aunt May’s, Pete gets read the riot act by both Aunt May and Mary Jane about the complications and dangers of his double life, and also about dating his former client Gwen. Pete doesn’t blame Mary Jane for moving on while he was on another world (Spider-Verse adventures), but he doesn’t trust the new guy. At the aptly named “Dive Bar”, a sullen Pete chats with Mr. Toad, the bartender (who is in fact, a person-sized, talking toad).
Spidey follows Mr. Toad’s tip to a church that doubles as a cover for a secret Nazi weapon and encounters Plasma-Man again. Pete dodges the wannabe fascist while his scientist brain notes how the villain’s powers work. Spidey busts loose and Plasma-Man chases him through Times Square. Spidey applies his critical thinking skills by webbing Plasma-Man and slamming him into a nearby neon sign.
Spider-Man Noir #3 ends in a bubble bath as Gwen asks Peter to find out Spider-Man’s true identity.
Analysis
Spider-Man Noir #3 moves the story in a predictable direction, but does include a nice take-charge moment as Aunt May and Mary Jane Watson pepper Peter with questions about his double life and his ill-advised romance with Gwen Stacy. Also the Spider-Verse connection reminds readers that this hero is more than just a hard-boiled, gun-toting, depression-era version of Spider-Man.
Writer Erik Larsen continues to pack the pages with his rata-tat-tat rapid-fire dialogue and voice over narration from the previous issues. Some of the patter lands, other parts feel like repetitive overkill. Probably the most important element in Spider-Man Noir #3, (and the series as a whole) is how events from that timeframe eerily reflect our modern world.
Larsen in no uncertain terms repeatedly hammers home his thoughts (and Spidey’s stance) on that particular subject. The unexpected appearance of the bartender Mr. Toad lends a new twist to the growing anti-immigrant controversy, while mad scientist Helga Haag’s experiments yield two dangerously powerful new foes for Spider-Man. The significance of the missing gem is yet to be revealed, along with the culprit who swiped it, (Peter doesn’t have a wall safe?)
Gwen Stacy as the love interest (who is literally pitting Peter against himself) lends itself to the noir setting, although whether she is the sincere damsel in distress, or the femme fatale remains to be seen.
Marika Cresta (X-Men) fills in for regular artist Andrea Broccardo, and the difference is noticeable. Broccardo’s inventive and detailed art was the highlight of this series so far, and while Cresta’s art is solid, it lacks the hefty punch from Broccardo’s art style.
Final Thoughts
Spider-Man Noir #3 might not be the most well-plotted superhero pulp mystery series out there, but the story and sentiment are important in these uncertain times. There is also much to enjoy for those with a taste for a grittier, darker reflection of an iconic hero.
