Spider-Noir is a fun addition to Spidey canon, not only because it cribs so heavily from the classic Hollywood noir, but because it reshapes the world of Spider-Man around that same theme. The webslinger’s friendly neighborhood is rendered into a dangerous, post-Depression world, and Spider-Noir casts new characters — even switching out Peter Parker for a different Spidey variant, Ben Reilly (Nicolas Cage) — to fit into that world.
The rogues’ gallery surrounding “The Spider” also gets a noir-ish update. Though the names may be familiar to Spidey experts, Spider-Noir favors a deeper cut over the classic villain roster. Rather than figures like the Green Goblin or Kingpin, the series plucks lesser-used characters out of obscurity, elevating them into the kind of threat you’d sooner find in a twisty 1930s pulp novel. It all definitely works to the show’s benefit, even if the parallels aren’t obvious right out of the gate. For anyone still in need of a primer, here’s your guide to the noir-inspired villain variants in Spider-Noir.
Silvermane
While most Spider-Man stories typically tap Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin, where a crime boss is required, Spider-Noir swung in a different direction by bringing Silvermane into live-action. In the comics, the villain otherwise known as Silvio Manfredi was first introduced in The Amazing Spider-Man #73 in 1969. He was your standard, garden-variety mafia don, running Marvel’s equivalent to the Italian mafia, or the “maggia.” Aside from his obsession with immortality — which led him on various wild goose chases for youth serums and even briefly turned him into a cyborg — there’s nothing all that supernatural about the Silvermane of the comics. And the same could be said for Spider-Noir’s version of Silvermane (Brendan Gleeson). The series has tweaked the character to instead pay tribute to all the Irish crime bosses who’ve graced the silver screen: he may not have any powers, but Gleeson imbues him with all the charisma and authority needed to instill dread where it counts.
Flint Marko
Flint Marko is arguably the most commercial Spidey villain to appear in Spider-Noir. Also known as Sandman, Flint has been a thorn in Spider-Man’s side in comics, animated shows, and live-action movies alike. In the comics, he gains the ability to turn into and control sand after being exposed to dangerous levels of radiation; afterwards, he can manipulate and absorb the material, using it to alter the density of his body and grow or shrink in size. Spider-Noir takes a slightly more grounded approach to its own version of Flint. He’s one of a handful of soldiers was captured behind enemy lines during WWI, gaining his powers after many rounds of painful experiments. Now, he serves as hired muscle for Silvermane, alongside a few of his brothers-in-arms.
Lonnie Lincoln
Not unlike Sandman, Lonnie Lincoln, aka Tombstone (Abraham Popoola), has a storied history in Marvel comics. He’s been a long-running antagonist for Spider-Man — and for Daily Bugle reporter Robbie Robertson — since his introduction in 1987. Ostracized for his albinism, Lonnie primarily worked as an enforcer until he was exposed to the chemical Diox-3, which rendered his skin as hard as cement. Spider-Noir tweaks his origins slightly, but retains his fraught push-and-pull with Robbie (Lamorne Morris). In the series, he’s another POW who gained his indestructible powers through experiments conducted by German scientists. And though he also entertains working for Silverman, his connection to Robbie shows that there’s more good in his heart than he’d lead anyone to believe.
Dirk Leyden
When Dirk Leyden (Andrew Lewis Caldwell) first appears in Spider-Noir, it’s easy to mistake him for Electro, the other Spider-Man villain with the ability to conduct electricity through his body. In truth, he’s a lesser-known antagonist called Megawatt: his first and only comic appearance came in Spider-Man Unlimited #2, making his origins something of a mystery. His live-action debut in Spider-Noir is also the only origin story we really have for the character. Like Flint and Lonnie, he gained his powers via experimentation, and briefly wreaks havoc as a jewel thief before joining Silvermane’s band of enhanced guards.
Though Flint notably tussles with the Spider early in the season, and Silvermane is a looming threat throughout, it’s Dirk who emerges as a surprisingly formidable antagonist as Spider-Noir’s mystery unspools. It’s an interesting use of a character who hasn’t been around in over 30 years, but it’s just one of many smart choices setting Spider-Noir apart from other Spider-Verse stories.
