“Spider-Noir” is the series we needed Us and the superheroes, who were losing fans

In 2018 Spider-Man - Into the Spider-Verse brought together multiple spider-men (and women) in the same room. The protagonist was Miles Morales, but another character won over the audience just as much as the young superhero created by the pen of Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli and brought to animated life thanks to the direction of the trio Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman. Spider-Noir was introspective and funny, had punchlines and a verve that blended the genre of reference with its nature and a distinctly meta-cinematic aspect. In addition, it was voiced by Nicolas Cage.

All the credentials to become one of the most beloved characters were there, and so it happened: in 2023, Sony Pictures Television announced a project in development dedicated to Spider-Noir and, three years later, the first season of the superhero arrives on Prime Video. The character not only draws inspiration from the 1962 creation of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, but also from all those detectives populating the literary and especially cinematic landscape shaped by the myth of Humphrey Bogart.

However, there are some differences compared to the animated work: first of all, the eight-episode show is live-action. Moreover, the character is essentially the same, but both in terms of the tone of the story and the management of a narrative carried entirely by a single character, the series loses some of the cartoonish soul of the film to fully embrace the noir atmosphere from which the protagonist originates. The humor, however, remains - and so does Nicolas Cage. The actor no longer just lends his voice to the character: he fully inhabits its world.

Contributing to this is the writing of Oren Uziel, creator of the series and showrunner together with Steve Lightfoot, who crafted a similarly classic narrative infused with the spirit of the character, preserving the aura of 1930s stories and films - from cinematography to direction. Watching the show in black and white is almost mandatory, even though Prime Video unfortunately offers a color option. Cage can perform 70% in a Bogart-style and 30% in a Bugs Bunny-style, as he himself stated, focusing attention on his performance and his commanding ability to carry films, series, and characters.

A small redemption, considering he never had the chance to be Superman as might have happened in the 1990s, now he finally gets to be a (super)hero - excluding his role as an anti-hero in Ghost Rider. A detective dealing with the criminal underworld of 1930s New York, yet still endowed with powers, costume, and an enviable savoir faire.

As mentioned, however, some adjustments were necessary compared to his introduction in Spider-Man - Into the Spider-Verse. While there Spider-Noir lived on hyperbole and aphorisms, and his characterization leaned more toward the caricatural while still deeply respecting and admiring the universe he came from, in the series the protagonist is more grounded, albeit no less unhinged. He still has his catchphrases, but he no longer speaks only in grand maxims, becoming much more concrete - and not only because he is now flesh and blood.

An essential adjustment that places him within an episodic narrative that is also predictable and firmly tied to the genre it belongs to, yet still highly entertaining and intriguing. With supporting characters that enrich Cage’s performance and elevate the entire series operation, it ultimately stands as one of the most satisfying superhero products of recent times.