Is Prime Video's Spider-Noir Better In Black And White Or In Color?

Spider-Noir has arrived on Prime Video, and with the new Marvel series being available to stream in two different formats, each of them has its strengths, though one emerges as the best. Spider-Noir adds to the long list of Spider-Man releases, being the hero’s first live-action TV show in quite some time. That alone makes it one of the most exciting superhero shows of late.

Adding to that excitement is the fact that it brings back Nicolas Cage as the fan-favorite hero he played in 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. However, Prime Video’s Spider-Noir has no relation to that movie, the animated Spider-Verse franchise, or any prior Spider-Man release. It exists in its own standalone universe, where Ben Reilly, aka The Spider, is the sole superhero.

As its title suggests, Spider-Noir tells a gritty crime story, with Ben serving as a private investigator in a grimy, 1930s New York City. Think of Spider-Man and Sin City combined, that is Prime Video’s Spider-Noir. All eight episodes of Spider-Noir were released on Prime Video today, Wednesday, May 27. Viewers can check out the new Marvel series in two formats.

Different from most superhero shows, which are usually only available in one format, Prime Video’s Spider-Noir can be watched in “Authentic Black & White” and “True-Hue Full Color.” This creates a major question for viewers: Which format is the best for Prime Video’s new Spider-Man series? Well, we have the answer.

Spider-Noir’s Story Shines In Authentic Black & White, The Format The Series Was Made For

While each format has its strengths, there is no denying that Spider-Noir was made to be watched in black and white. After all, the new superhero series focuses on a noir detective story that pulls from classics like the Humphrey Bogart movies. By watching Spider-Noir in “Authentic Black & White,” the viewer is fully immersed in the story, with the darker atmosphere enhancing the intensity of the plot and the trauma that Ben Reilly goes through in the Marvel series. The black and white version also looks absolutely stunning, and it firmly makes Spider-Noir stand out from other Spider-Man releases.

Spider-Noir Review: Prime Video’s New Standalone Spider-Man Series Is Nicolas Cage At His Best

Nicolas Cage’s new Spider-Man series carves a corner of live-action Marvel stories for it, as Spider-Noir creatively reimagines villains and New York.

Although there are superhero fights, which is par for the course with Spider-Man projects, Spider-Noir‘s main focus is on its detective story. The black and white color scheme helps evoke that classic genre through an impeccable aesthetic that pulls viewers in more and more with each new episode. That said, there are certainly a few cons for those who enjoy looking at superhero costumes and intricate world and villain designs. The black and white makes it harder to spot specific details like those, so, while the format is the best for Spider-Noir, “True-Hue Full Color” is better for catching details.

Spider-Noir’s Superhero Action Scenes Work Best In True-Hue Full Color

Watching all eight episodes of the show, I couldn’t help but notice how Spider-Noir‘s “True-Hue Full Color” version is the best one when it comes to the action sequences. There are a few bloody scenes in this show, including a shockingly explicit death early on, and the impact of those moments is not nearly as powerful in black and white as it is in color, where the vibrant red blood adds to the stakes of Ben Reilly’s superhero exploits. For anyone who watches Spider-Noir looking for Spider-Man action, “True-Hue Full Color” is the format to go with.

In color, the details of The Spider’s superhero costume are revealed in full, as are the excellent special effects used for villains like Sandman and Megawatt. Particularly in the case of the first, viewers will find it hard to get the most out of Sandman in black and white, as color allows his super-powered design to really shine.

That said, the show was clearly made for the black and white format, which means some colors were picked specifically to look better in “Authentic Black & White” and look too saturated here. Still, Spider-Noir is exciting either way, so fans can choose which format suits them best.