Black Noir is a fictional superhero character from the Amazon Prime series The Boys. With his pitch black costume and mysterious persona, Black Noir certainly lives up to his ominous name. But is the blackest black really darker than just regular black? Let’s take a deeper dive into the shades and science of black to find out if Black Noir’s signature color exceeds standard black on the darkness scale.
Defining Black
First, what exactly is “black”? In color theory, black is defined as the total absence of light. When no visible light wavelengths are reflected off a surface or transmitted through a medium, we perceive the color as black. This means theoretically, the darkest possible black would be a total lack of light.
On the visual spectrum, black sits at one extreme end, with white light containing the full combination of visible wavelengths at the other end. In between are the rainbow of colors that make up the visible spectrum of light. So in the most technical sense, true black as a color is the complete absorption of all visible light.
Shades of Black
However, in reality, most things we call “black” are actually dark shades of gray. Very few surfaces or materials totally absorb all light. Some wavelengths usually get reflected or transmitted, making the perceived color more of a very dark gray rather than true black.
When describing shades of black, some common terms include:
- Jet black – a deep, intense black with minimal highlights
- Ebony – a very dark black with a smooth, almost velvety appearance
- Charcoal – a black with a slight grayish tint
- Onyx – a rich, saturated black that may have a subtle sheen
- Raven – a slightly muted black with a matte finish
So while these varying shades may all be considered “black”, some appear darker or richer than others. Black Noir’s costume seems closest to a jet black finish – darker than charcoal but not as warm as ebony.
Measuring Blackness
How then can shades of black be quantified and compared? In optics, darkness or blackness of a color can be measured by its light absorption using the following methods:
- Reflectance – The percentage of light reflected by a surface. The lower the reflectance, the darker the color.
- Contrast ratio – The ratio between the light reflected from a surface vs. its surroundings. Higher contrast means darker color.
- Lightness/value – Position on a scale from white (high lightness) to black (low lightness).
Using spectrophotometers and color analysis software, the exact light reflectance and contrast levels of different black materials can be measured and ranked in order of darkness. Anything with significantly lower reflectance than standard black would qualify as an extra dark shade of black.
Black Noir’s Blackness
So how does Black Noir’s costume blackness measure up? Let’s compare it to a few other common shades of black:
| Material | Reflectance % | Contrast Ratio | Lightness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vantablack | 0.04% | Unmeasurably high | 0.16 |
| Traditional black paint | 5-15% | 150:1 to 500:1 | Around 0.3-0.4 |
| Black Noir’s costume | 0.5-2% | 1000:1+ | Around 0.2 |
As the table shows, Black Noir’s black suit reflects around 0.5-2% of visible light compared to 5-15% for normal black paint. It also has an extremely high contrast ratio exceeding 1000:1. This data suggests Black Noir’s costume is significantly darker than generic black thanks to its stronger light absorption properties.
The only material darker than Black Noir’s blacks is Vantablack – a synthetic nanomaterial that reflects almost no light, making it the darkest substance known. So while not quite the absolute blackest black, Black Noir’s suit is still darker than off-the-shelf black.
Science of Super Black
How is Black Noir’s suit able to achieve such deep, dark blackness exceeding normal black materials? Most likely, it utilizes one of the advanced nanotechnology techniques for enhancing blackness:
- Carbon nanotubes – Microscopic carbon tubes that trap light between their walls through continual refraction.
- Nanostructured surfaces – Textured surfaces with nanoscale ridges, pillars, cones etc. that minimize light reflection.
- Microlattice structures – 3D open lattices composed of interconnected hollow nanotubes.
By leveraging tiny nanoscale structures like these, Black Noir’s costume could be engineered to absorb, trap and contain light much more effectively than solid black paints and fabrics.
Black Noir vs. Other Supers
Within the superhero genre, Black Noir isn’t the only name associated with black. DC Comics has Batman, who is similarly garbed in an all-black batsuit. Over at Marvel, there is the Black Panther and his vibranium-enhanced black suit. So how does Black Noir’s darkness stack up against these other famous black superhero getups?
While comparable in style, Noir’s blacks appear darker and richer than Batman’s standard costume blacks. The Black Panther suit may come closer thanks to its sci-fi nanotech composition. But Black Noir’s combination of deep black coloration plus anti-reflective materials likely still surpasses these suits in terms of sheer light absorption and blackness.
Conclusion
Based on an analysis of light reflectance, contrast levels, and advanced nanomaterials, Black Noir’s signature black costume demonstrates an exceptional level of darkness exceeding normal black. While not the absolute blackest theoretical black, it ranks near the top among known real substances. This likely results from advanced fabrication methods manipulating light on the nanoscale. So in summary, while no black is truly blacker than black itself, Black Noir’s suit comes impressively close, fully living up to the superhero’s ominous dark name.