Yesterday I showed you this mysterious image from Marvel and today I have some answers for you.

IGN is reporting that Marvel will be introducing a new Marvel Noir series that will begin in December:

[Marvel] announced a new imprint of comics set in a new universe: Marvel Noir. Encompassing a variety of mini-series, the Noir brand will bring gritty, character-centric remakes to classic characters like the X-Men and Spider-Man, and in most cases characters will effectively be powerless.

Here’s Marvel’s official description of the concept: “The Great Depression has ended, and a mysterious world has emerged. The mob, the power-hungry, and the corrupted all rule and hope seems long gone. This world desperately cries out for heroes, and they get them; recognizable but in ways you never expected! These are people who must make a stand and find the hero – or the villain – in each of them. Who will rise and who will fall? Murder, mystery, and mayhem surround this hard hitting, razor-edged world. Welcome to world of Marvel Noir.”

Four titles kick off the concept. Beginning in December are “X Men Noir” and “Spider-Man Noir”. X Men will be written by Fred Van Lente with art by Dennis Calero (Calero is responsible for all of the shadow promotional art seen throughout the year). Spider-Man is written by David Hine with art by Carmine Di Giandomenico. Next up is “Daredevil Noir” by Alexander Irvine and Tom Coker. That project kicks off in January. Finally there’s “Wolverine Noir” by Stuart Moore and CP Smith, which is slated for later in 2009.
source: ign.com

IGN even got the chance to sit down with David Hine and Carmine Di Giandomenico, two of the men responsible for this new Universe and ask them some questions, you can check that out here.

I think this is a very interesting concept from Marvel and very exciting. This has a lot of potential to be something great and unique. I think great concepts like this are what makes me so damn mad when Marvel puts out shit like Marvel Apes.