The Spider TM & © Argosy Communications, Inc.
Tim Truman (w/a) | Enrique Alcatena (a)
The team responsible for DC's Hawkworld scored another creative touchdown with this update of The Spider that places him "In the 1990's ... according to the 1930's." Although Nita is prone to lounging around her apartment, and the Wentworth-Kirkpatrick friendship is not explored, Truman otherwise does an excellent job. He brings to the fore Wentworth's colliding dichotomy, and plumbs new depths with Ram Singh while returning him to the Hindu faith that was outlined by R.T.M. Scott. The post-Dark Knight Returns world of comic books was perfect for a relaunch of the depraved world of The Spider.
The Spider (1990)
The original three-book miniseries is a loose adaptation of "Corpse Cargo"
and does a smooth job of incorporating various set-pieces and characters from the Norvell Page novel.
Truman takes full advantage of the fact that this is an alternate future for the 1930s, not just
in style and tone, but with certain details (Dick and Ram met during the India War of 1985)
and cameos (not giving it away).
Book One
Book Two
Book Three
Interior
Reign of the Vampire King (1992)
Taking pulp horror to it's obvious comic-book conclusion, Truman makes the Vampire King actually
half-man and half-monster! Well, then, it only makes sense that there might be some other man-beasts around too!
Not only is this an ingenius adaptation brimming with action, Nita is finally given more to do, and Jackson -- missing
from the original -- shows up too! Excellent!
Book One
Book Two
Book Three