This New 93%-Rated Prime Video Gem Is One of the Best Superhero TV Shows of the 21st Century

The first season of the Spider-Noir series premiered on May 7 and instantly captured the attention of comic book fans and classic film buffs alike.

The project proved to be one of the most unusual superhero stories in recent memory. Set in the bleak US of the 1930s, Nicolas Cage plays the lead role, adding both tragedy and dark humor to the character with his distinctive acting style.

The most exciting aspect is that viewers can choose to watch the series in color or black and white – both versions were created with incredible care.

What Is 'Spider-Noir' About?

Ben Reilly gained extraordinary powers and once protected his city as the superhero The Spider. However, after his girlfriend died, he gave up saving people and worked as a private detective for five years.

Things are going from bad to worse: his phone has been disconnected for nonpayment, and his loyal assistant, Janet, is threatening to quit. Suddenly, Ben receives two strange assignments at once. He must track down the man who set fire to the house of mob boss Silvermane.

Meanwhile, a mysterious client contacts the firm, asking them to spy on his unfaithful wife. However, Ben quickly realizes that the man is actually trying to compromise the mayor.

The Show Is a Noir Atmosphere With an Unexpected Reinterpretation of Familiar Images

Spider-Noir succeeded precisely because of its bold reimagining of familiar characters – it's not just another comic book adaptation, it's a full-fledged pastiche of old detective thrillers, like The Maltese Falcon.

Ben Reilly is a World War I veteran who turns to alcohol and suffers from flashbacks of his beloved's death. Instead of latex spandex, his costume is a wool mask, leather pants, and a cape.

The supporting characters are also taken from the comics but reimagined for the times: Silvermane is not a cyborg but a simple crime boss, and Felicia Hardy is a singer and true femme fatale.

In a world of endless repetition, Spider-Noir shows that even familiar material can be transformed into something unexpected.

'Spider-Noir' Is Worth Watching if Only for the Brilliant Performance of Nicolas Cage

Casting Nicolas Cage was a real find – the actor, who experienced a resurgence in popularity after Mandy, brought many of his signature traits to the character.

Most of the time, the character wears a sad, suffering expression, which Cage portrays perfectly. At the right moments, however, he switches to a wild expression, and his abrupt movements, sarcastic comments, and drunken antics fit perfectly with the series' overall mood.

The technical solution deserves special attention – the creators designed the sets and makeup for a monochrome version and colorized the series separately.

The resulting color images are very contrasting and vibrant, reminiscent of old comics. However, Cage recommends watching the black-and-white version, as the shadows are darker, the cigarette smoke is thicker, and the intrigue is even more mysterious.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Spider-Noir'?

• Spider-Noir has 91% from critics and 93% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the series has a score of 8.3/10.