Despite the existence of so many different realities in the Marvel Universe, one particular reality has been really peculiar. The Marvel Noir Universe or Earth-90214 is known for its noir-inspired characters. Strong matured content paired with detective-noir graphic nature, the Marvel Noir Universe is very different from the other realities. As a result, the popular characters based in Marvel Noir are quite different from their Earth-616 counterparts too. Let’s check them out!
10. Noir Daredevil
Matthew Murdock is the son of boxer Jack Murdock who loses his eyesight in a violent incident. During an attack on Jack Murdock by Orville Halloran, the attacker kills Jack and violently smashed Matt’s head on a brick wall which blinded him.
Despite being blinded, Matt trains himself to attain an Olympian level physique. He works as an assistant for Franklin Nelson in a detective agency. His wish to avenge the death of his father puts him against the Kingpin of that reality. Also, he falls in love with Eliza, who later turns out to be the Bullseye of Marvel Noir. Tragedy never really leaves Matt, does it?
9. Noir Wolverine
A marked difference from the Wolverine we know in the main continuity, the origin of Noir Wolverine is a bit murky. In one edition he is known as an experienced bootlegger while in another version, James Logan is a detective.
James Logan grew up in a devout Catholic family where he was abused in his childhood. The abuse continues to haunt him and as a result, he keeps hitting the bottle regularly. He gets involved in a mysterious case when an attractive lady approaches him and ropes in.
8. Noir Magneto
Eric Magnus is an immigrant who came from Transia to America. To fit in American society, Eric taught himself fluent English and became a police officer. Later, he became the Chief of Detectives.
To protect his children from going down the dark path of crime, Eric himself became the leader of a powerful secret crime society called the Brotherhood. He was fascinated with Charles Xavier in his early days but soon found himself at odds with him. Eric Magnus is also a major supporter of eugenics in this noir universe.
7. Noir Charles Xavier
This version of Charles Xavier is much more unhinged and diabolical than the popular Professor Xavier we know. He is a psychiatrist who runs the Xavier School for Exceptionally Wayward Youth.
The noir Xavier is a sociopath who believes that sociopathy is the next level of evolution of the human race. He takes a few other young people under his wing who are sociopaths. After refusing to join forces with Eric Magnus, his unorthodox methods are released which resulted in his incarceration. This version of Charles Xavier was also responsible for the murder of Cain Marko.
6. Noir Cyclops
Under the wing of Charles Xavier, Scott Summers is the acting leader of the sociopathic X-Men. He had his eye scratched into the shape of an X by James Logan, thus donning a pair of red shades resembling the appearance of his Earth-616 counterpart.
Scott Summers carries a pair of revolvers and leads the X-Men to find the Crystal of Cyttorak for his mentor Charles Xavier. His path of crime comes as a shock considering his righteous image in the Earth-616 reality.
5. Noir Jean Grey
A grifter with extreme manipulative abilities, Jean Grey was taken under the wing of Charles Xavier. Envisioned to be the true sociopath, Charles Xavier studied Jean Grey for a long time. In the meantime, she was also associated with Eric Magnus’ Brotherhood.
Jean Grey murdered Anna-Marie Rankin to assume her identity and leave the X-Men. Meticulously planned, she placed the dead body of Anna-Marie Rankin to leave no trace. Hunted down by both the X-Men and the Brotherhood, she finds herself being saved by Thomas Halloway aka Angel.
4. Noir Angel
Thomas Halloway is a vigilante hero in the Marvel Noir universe. Growing up in the close proximity of criminals, Thomas understood the world of crime at a very young age. His actions once saved an inmate from getting the Electric Chair, thus earning the name Angel for himself.
A brilliant detective, he finds out that Jean Grey faked her death. He also gets caught in the firefight between the X-Men and the Brotherhood. Angel falls in love with Wanda, the daughter of Eric. In a turn of events, he ensures that Xaviers, Kitty Pryde, and Wanda are arrested for their criminal activities.
3. Noir Punisher
The son of a First World War veteran, Frank Castle Jr. is an Italian-Jewish man with a tragic past. After his mother succumbed to her death due to cancer, Frank was taught self-defence by his father. Despite being in a child gang, he backed out and left the gang for good when they planned to rob a church.
Discovering his father’s murder by Shultz’s henchmen, Frank Castle Jr. takes up arms to avenge his father. Taking the alias of the Punisher, he killed Shultz and his henchmen. After exacting his revenge, Frank had a brief period of existential crisis. But soon, he found his next target as Adolf Hitler was raising his Nazi forces in Europe.
2. Noir Iron Man
This version of Iron Man is a part of the Marvel Noir universe. Set during the Second World War, Tony Stark is a billionaire and a world-renowned adventurer suffering from a heart ailment. With his best friend James Rhodes and love interest Dr. Gialetta Nefaria, this version of Tony Stark is quite different from the original one.
After being betrayed by Nefaria and the death of his chronicler Virgil, Tony goes to Atlantis with Namor to find a cure for his heart. In a turn of events, his new assistant Pepper Potts is kidnapped by Nefaria and Baron Zemo. Now in a Nazi facility, Tony finds out that Baron Zemo is actually Howard Stark, his own father. Tony uses his genius intellect and vast resources to defeat his father and create his Iron Man armour to become a hero.
1. Noir Spider-Man
One of the most interesting versions of Spider-Man, the Peter Parker of Marvel Noir is one of the few individuals who possess real superpowers.
Set during the Great Depression, Peter Parker was bitten by a mystical spider which gave him arachnid-like abilities. Using his newly found powers, Spider-Man became a vigilante and had no qualms in killing criminals. He starts his crusade against Norman Osborn who terrorized the city using his resources and henchmen. Upon Aunt May’s admonishment, Peter Parker stopped killing criminals and truly became the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. Spider-Man Noir made an appearance in Sony’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
