For The First Time, Spider-Noir Actor Lamorne Morris Talks About Making Marvel History [Exclusive]

This article contains spoilers for the "Spider-Noir" Season 1 finale, "The Man in the Mask."

In comics and comic-adjacent storytelling, a superhero's friends will often go a long way to protect the hero's secret identity. I remember having my young mind blown by an episode of "Batman: The Animated Series" in which the villainous Hugo Strange discovers Batman's secret identity ... only for Bruce Wayne to suddenly appear standing right next to Batman. Turns out it was Dick Grayson/Robin wearing prosthetics and stilts that made him look like Bruce Wayne.

Something similar happens at the end of the new series "Spider-Noir." The villainous Silvermane (Brendan Gleeson) has become convinced that Ben Reilly (Nicolas Cage) is The Spider, this show's version of Spider-Man. During a tense showdown in a club, Silvermane is about to murder singer Cat Hardy (Li Jun Li) as a test: Reilly will have to either let her die, or save her using his spider-powers, revealing his true identity in the process. Thankfully, Reilly's journalist buddy Robbie Robertson (Lamorne Morris) barges in at the last minute dressed as The Spider and does a pretty convincing Nic Cage impression, interrupting the would-be murder and confounding Silvermane.

Even though it's just a ruse, Lamorne Morris still got to embody The Spider on screen — but he hasn't been able to talk about it ... until now. During a recent interview, he shared how he felt suiting up as the hero, and making Marvel history in the process.

Despite Donald Glover's best efforts, a Black man has never worn a Spider-Man costume in live-action until Lamorne Morris suited up as The Spider in the Season 1 finale of "Spider-Noir." (Of course, the Black Hispanic character Miles Morales has become a household name thanks to the animated "Spider-Verse" films.) Pedants might claim there's a difference, but even though Ben Reilly's The Spider is not referred to as Spider-Man, it's effectively the same thing, just with a more period-appropriate moniker. Morris was pretty thrilled about donning the costume when I asked him about it ahead of the show's release:

"This is the very first time that I've answered this question. Period. Ever. Because it's always been such a thing that we can't talk about. But you've seen it all? Oh my gosh, it was a dream come true. Beyond anything. It was one of those things where, when you read it in the script, you go, 'You have got to be sh*tting me. There's no way. There's no way.' Suiting up as The Spider is crazy. And it's not Miles Morales. Am I the first Black dude to do that? I don't know. That's kind of wild, right? 

But it was fun. I remember in wardrobe, going through the process and moving around going, 'Hmm, I could get used to this!' So if Nic wants to not do it anymore, I mean, I'm totally down [...] It was definitely a dream come true for me. You dream about being a superhero, and for a moment there, I was."

When he's not suiting up as The Spider, Morris has a lot to do in "Spider-Noir," pounding the pavement and following leads as Robbie Robertson makes a name for himself as a journalist. You can watch the entire series now on Prime Video and MGM+.