The first impression a new reader who hasn't read the tags gets is that Burning Matches will be a well-written, but ultimately common collection of one-shots about the cast. That is not the case. The author rebuilds the world of the Spider-Man: Noir and the rest of Marvel's Noir titles from the ground up, and adds an unexpected element of Cosmic Horror that defines much of Noir's - Pete's - interactions with other people. At the same time, it shows the reality of the Great Depression at full force. Nothing quite like Rio lecturing Pete on how smoking doesn't cure asthma. Yet this fic also has its heartwarming side, as Pete learns to trust people again. There's a second fanfic in the series, The Wind Follows, which explores the events of BM from Pete's point of view, as he is tasked by other vigilantes in his era to infiltrate The Klan. Ultimately, this is a fantastic fanfic that's definitely worth the read.
Not what you'd expect.
The first impression a new reader who hasn't read the tags gets is that Burning Matches will be a well-written, but ultimately common collection of one-shots about the cast. That is not the case. The author rebuilds the world of the Spider-Man: Noir and the rest of Marvel's Noir titles from the ground up, and adds an unexpected element of Cosmic Horror that defines much of Noir's - Pete's - interactions with other people. At the same time, it shows the reality of the Great Depression at full force. Nothing quite like Rio lecturing Pete on how smoking doesn't cure asthma. Yet this fic also has its heartwarming side, as Pete learns to trust people again. There's a second fanfic in the series, The Wind Follows, which explores the events of BM from Pete's point of view, as he is tasked by other vigilantes in his era to infiltrate The Klan. Ultimately, this is a fantastic fanfic that's definitely worth the read.