When exploring the Marvel Universe, one of the things that fans have come to love and enjoy has been exploring the larger multiverse. Alternate worlds filled with various incarnations of fan's favorite Marvel heroes and villains, these universes have become just as popular and synonymous with the Marvel name as the main 616 Marvel Universe.
One universe that gained popularity thanks to the hero Spider-Man was Marvel Noir. Otherwise known as Earth-90214, this Earth takes place in a pulp fiction and noir world, where the heroes are vastly different in power sets. Let's take a look at the ten most powerful heroes of the Marvel Noir universe.
10 Daredevil
The first hero to explore in the Noir universe is Daredevil. Defined once more by his rivalry and hatred for the villain Kingpin, Matthew Murdock in the Noir universe was blinded during the attack by an assassin on his father, who slammed Matt’s head into a brick wall, blinding him in the process.
While he wanted to be a lawyer, his poverty forced him to abandon that dream and become a performer calling himself Daredevil. He later became a vigilante, but unlike the 616 universe version of Daredevil, this version has no problem taking the lives of the criminals he faces.
9 Punisher
In the mid-1930s, Frank Castle emerges as the Punisher in the Noir universe. The son of a World War 1 veteran named Frank Sr, Frank Castle Jr was taught by his father all his combat knowledge after his mother passed away from cancer. At first running with a group of youth criminals, he left after refusing to rob a church.
After his father is taken out by assassins like Jigsaw and Barracuda, Frank Jr swears revenge and takes on his father’s persona of the Punisher from his WWI days. He takes out his father’s assassins, including the Russian.
8 Wolverine
An interesting take on a Marvel hero in the Noir universe is Wolverine. In this universe, Logan is a private detective in the late-30’s and is forced to work a mysterious case while delving into his own past as well. When a mysterious woman comes to them asking for help identifying the person following her out of a hotel owned by Creed, his partner Dog goes to try and solve the case himself.
Logan then reflects on his childhood, as the son of a devout preacher who severely beat him as a child. This is also where he met Dog, but a tragic event led to Logan’s dark past.
7 Jean Grey
One interesting case of a hero vastly different than their main Marvel universe counterpart is Jean Grey. A longtime hero and sometimes foe of the X-Men, the powerful mutant Jean is a grifter and has a reputation for being able to control the minds of men for the X-Men in the Noir universe.
Running schemes for the group, she is found passed on, her body washing up in the East River. However, later on, it is revealed she is alive, having taken the place of a woman named Anne-Marie in an attempt to hide from both Xavier and Magnus.
6 The Angel
A powerful vigilante hero in the Marvel Noir universe is The Angel. Otherwise known as Thomas Halloway. The son of a prison warden, Thomas grew up gaining an insight into the criminal mind and the criminal underworld as he spent much of his time talking with the prisoners of the prison he called home.
After saving an inmate from the electric chair, he is dubbed the Angel. Wearing a costume but not a mask to hide his identity, Thomas is revealed to be one of a pair of twins, with his brother Robert sacrificing himself to stop Jean Grey who had taken the real Anne-Marie’s life.
5 Kurt Wagner
One very interesting change to the X-Men in the Noir universe comes in the form of Kurt Wagner, otherwise known to many as Nightcrawler. In the main Marvel universe, Kurt is a mutant with the ability to teleport and has blue skin that makes him look like a demon.
In the Noir universe, however, Kurt appears to be human. Much like his other counterpart Kurt is a skilled acrobat, but in the Noir universe, he wears a blue mask and has sharpened nails that he uses in combat, making his choice to resemble a demon more of a choice than his other Marvel universe counterpart.
4 Cyclops
One of the shocking heroes to turn into a criminal in the Noir universe has to be Scott Summers, aka Cyclops of the X-Men. In this universe, Scott is the leader of the X-Men Noir, founded by Charles Xavier to prove the sociopathy is the next evolution in humanity, which got Charles sent to Rykers Island.
Having had one eye scratched out by Wolverine, Scott wears glasses with the same tinted color as his main Marvel universe counterpart. He sports a pair of revolvers and later led the X-Men to find the famed Crystal of Cyttorak for Charles Xavier.
3 Tony Stark
One of the most different origins of a hero in the Noir universe has to be Tony Stark. In this world, Tony Stark is a famed adventurer joined by James Rhodes, a chronicler named Virgil Munsey and his love interest and assistant Dr. Gialetta Nefaria. However Gialetta betrays him, taking Virgil’s life and stealing a mysterious emerald mask.
Discovering she worked for Baron Zemo and Baron Strucker, two Nazi leaders, Tony sets out on another adventure with Rhodes, Captain Namor, and his new assistant Pepper Potts. However, Nefaria and Zemo arrive and kidnap Pepper, leading Tony to build suits of armor based on his late father’s designs.
2 Luke Cage
Luke Cage is one of the more powerful heroes of the Marvel Noir universe, still sporting bulletproof skin in this universe as well. Known in the neighborhood as Power Man, Luke survives being shot by a corrupt cop, and going to prison. Luke returns to Harlem 10 years later during the Prohibition era, finding it heavily segregated.
Working for his old friend Willis Stryker, he soon discovers Willis had something to do with the disappearance of an old flame. He battles villains like Tombstone and works to find out what happened, all while getting his record expunged and protecting the people of Harlem. It’s later revealed at the end of his story he is not in fact bulletproof.
1 Spider-Man
The most popular and powerful of the Marvel Noir heroes is definitely Spider-Man. Taking place in the ’30s when unemployment is at an all time high in New York and the city is ruled by Norman Osborn, Peter Parker is bitten by a mystical spider being transported by Norman’s crew, including Kraven and Vulture.
The bite gives him powers like dark webs, superhuman strength and agility, and healing powers alongside his spider-sense. Spider-Man is so powerful in this universe he became central to the major "Spider-Verse" storyline fighting the Inheritors who sought to end the lives of all Spider-heroes.