The Best Storyline For Spider-Man’s Live-Action Show Was Told 57 Years Ago

Even though Spider-Noir is based on a corner of the Marvel Universe that’s not even two decades old, the perfect basis for the show’s plot has been in place since the end of the Silver Age of Marvel Comics. Prime Video’s live-action, Nicolas Cage-led Spider-Man series is set to dive into the world of Spider-Man Noir, a version of the wallcrawler introduced in 2009.

Set in a dark variation of Spider-Man’s world, Spider-Noir is on track to introduce distinctly different versions of familiar figures from Peter Parker’s which is in pace with the comics. He’ll be dealing with a host of villains, from Electro to a character who appears to be Molten Man. As for the main antagonist, that person is shaping up to be Brendan Gleeson’s Silvermane.

The crux of the inevitable conflict that will form between Silvermane and Nicolas Cage’s take on Spider-Man remains to be seen, but given the material the show appears to be paying homage to, there’s already a great reason for them to clash – and it stems directly from the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man.

Silvermane’s Original Goal In Marvel Comics Was To Obtain The Lifeline Tablet

Unlike most Marvel Comics crime bosses, Silvermane wasn’t preoccupied with the thought of dominating the criminal underword – or at least, that’s not what he was after at first. Beginning in The Amazing Spider-Man #67 was a nine-issue story arc centered around the elusive and legendary Lifeline Tablet, an object coveted by both Silvermane and Kingpin.

Supposedly, this artifact contained the secret to immortality — a formula that would allow someone to make a serum that would restore a person’s youth, permanently. Acquiring the formula from the Lifeline Tablet was the ultimate aim of Silvermane, who tried to force Curt Conners into helping him, and also pit Man Mountain Marko against Spider-Man.

Silvermane ultimately got what he wanted, but it worked too well, de-aging him until he snuffed out of existence. Of course, Marvel Comics brought Silvermane back, and though it didn’t continue his interest in the Lifeline Tablet, avoiding his own mortality remained a key part of his story in the comic books.

Why Spider-Noir May Draw Inspiration From The Lifeline Tablet Saga

The search for the Lifeline Tablet could very well out to be the root of Ben Reilly’s struggles with Silvermane in Spider-Noir. Very little has been said about the plot, although it is known that Silvermane will be the victim of multiple assassination attempts, and he’ll be depicted accurately as an aging gangster.

Both details would go hand-in-hand with a TV adaptation of the Lifeline Tablet Saga. His age and the threats to his survival posed by the assassination plots would be particularly relevant to such a story, considering that Silvermane’s fear of death was at the heart of his desire to get his hands on the Lifeline Tablet.

Making the Lifeline Tablet an even more appropriate choice for the catalyst of the plot is how well it fits into the specific approach the show is taking. Like the comics themselves, Spider-Noir is pulling a great deal from 1940s film noir, with the TV series in particular, evidently paying tributes to the works of Humphrey Bogart, such as The Maltese Falcon.

The Maltese Falcon, regarded by many as the gold standard of film noir, famously sent private eye Sam Spade on a search for the titular statue, which was sought by various parties in the film, including gangsters and spies.

It wouldn’t be surprising at all if – partially in an effort to honor The Maltese Falcon and one of Humphrey Bogart’s best characters – Spider-Noir follows a similar path, allowing the Lifeline Tablet to fill the role of the bird statue pursued by Sam Spade in the 1940s classic.