The Spider Volume 1: Terror of the Zombie Queen (SPIDER TP)

I've read a bunch of Dynamites pulp and Golden Age-based titles in the last few years, and there are several that stand out in a crowded field of excellent work: various Shadow series, Matt Wagner's Spirit, Francesco Francavilla's Spirit, Jeff Parker and Doc Shaner's Flash Gordon.And David Liss' Spider.The first volume has the best art of all three, courtesy of Colton Worley. It has to be seen to be believed and perhaps even seen twice.But what stands out for me are the villains, and in a way, our protagonist very much is one. He is not a particularly likeable person. This is perhaps why I like him because in the case of say, the Punisher, we're expected to like the senseless violence. With Deadpool, the violence and brutality is masked with humor, which I find equally objectionable.The Spider is not written either way, to Liss' credit.It's hard to say if he is any better than the first story arc's villain, the Zombie Queen.Find a used copy or wait for a sale on Comixology, and check this one out. The art in II and III is not necessarily a step down, but different.

The pulp character, "The Spider" AKA Richard Wentworth has always been unhinged. In the pulps he is a vigilante with a taste for torture and violence, oblivious to the negatives aspects of his crusade against crime. This graphic novel is a worthy successor to the pulp novels. Richard Wentworth is still committed to vigilantism, still justifying his unjustifiable actions. His relationship with Nita is added a neat complication in this adaptation, magnifying Richard Wentworth's sense of alienation. The Spider is a character of last resort, created by a man with an out sized sense frustration, titanic alienation, and with virtually nothing to lose. He is what Batman would be if Bruce Wayne was a sociopath.Both fans to whom "The Spider" is a new character and to those who devoured the pulp adventures will find much to admire in this modernization of the famous depression era hero.

When I first opened this book I thought I would hate it. Richard Wentworth millionaire playboy now depends on his father's arms dealing corporation for his financial needs. Nita van Slone is the wife of police commissioner Stanley Kirkpatrick, having heard that Wentworth died in the Great War. Ram Singh is a high-powered attorney. Jackson seeks to redeem himself after a rash action while under Major Wentworth's command that left civilians dead. And the Spider has a new costume and new weapons. His nemesis isn't really a suspicious Kirkpatrick, but Crooked Detective Hilt who knows Wentworth is The Spider but cannot prove it.That is a tremendous amount of change to a vintage character. His three aides are scattered and Wentworth pines after Nita and drinks too much.However, this version actually works out fine. The same reckless bravery, the same hollow laughter, the same marking the foreheads. The same high powered utter ruthless foes, the same Violent Knight taking care of business. Try it. If you love hero pulps, you will love this.Quoth the Raven...

Great stories amazing art work very enjoyable. Highly recommend this wish dynamite would make more issues of this series. ..

Good condition book and a good read.

great art work and designthis book is a lot of fun and cannot wait for the next volumesDynamite Comics has done it again !

Excellent art!, great story as a revival of this old pulp hero with a modern edge. It includes issue #6 with an independent stand alone story.

I am just getting to know the character, but so far he is really great. It is a great pulp story to it.

It's good. Wasn't sure what to expect - While I'd been aware of The Spider,I was much more familiar with The Shadow (which I love - from the Maxwell Grant books to the old 70's DC comic book) and Doc Savage, so I thought I'd take a punt on it and - it's not half bad. It's surprisingly faithful to the mood of those old pulp characters quite happy to indulge in gun fire and play up the vigilante angle- but while the Shadow has a semi-mystical mission (the weed of crime bears bitter fruit and all that) The Spider seems to enjoy the violence; he's worried there might be something wrong in this, but he enjoys it anyway.I did, however, find the artwork a little distracting - the semi-realism reminding me of that 3D motion capture computer-animated Tintin/Polar Express that always makes me feel a little queasy.

A NEW classic

A very poor effort story wise. Another reviewer suggested this is a revival of the old pulp Spider character but in fact that was done - and much better - by Timothy Truman some years ago. In fact the author/artist has/have stolen some ideas from that, notably the "the 1990s according to the 1930s" theme with things like dirigibles flying over New York. I recommend you skip this effort and read Truman's collections, e.g.Spider Spider