The Spider #1 (spoilers)

[StoneGold]

it's a bit like rebooting Superman and having Lois being married to Perry.

If Superman hadn't been published in 60 years. Although come to think of it, you basically just described Superman Returns.

Good stuff. Interesting take on the "I'm not a hero, just a particularly motivated, somewhat well-aimed sociopath." Interesting art as well. A little stiff, as the photoreferenced stuff tends to be, but extremely well composed.

[emb021]

For those not familiar with the character, here is a nice video essay by MARDL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJa9PAq8MwA

And check out this page by Chris Kalb: http://homepage.mac.com/cdkalb/spider/

He designed Age of Ace's volume that reprinted the "Black Police" saga from The Spider.

[CTpitch]

The spider certainly likes his Chinese takeout
they are "to die for" hohoho
I'm loving this pick of the week for me

[thwhtGuardian]

The spider certainly likes his Chinese takeout
they are "to die for" hohoho
I'm loving this pick of the week for me

That scene was pretty awesome.

[Brandon McKinnis]

I've never read any "The Spider" stories before but I picked this up on the strength of Liss' BP run and Mystery Men and absolutely loved it. I wasn't really sure what to expect but I was completely surprised when the story veered from gritty crime noir to supernatural. This seems like it will be a pretty fun ride.

[FriendRoss]

it seems like its going to be the right amount of violence, comedy, emotional pain, tech, and supernatural



im in!

[MichaelPaytonMZ]

check out some of the original novels too. http://www.vintagelibrary.com/pulpfi.../TheSpider.php has a ton of the reprints. The Spider vs the Empire is beyond badass. A massive three part novel, published in 1938 about a Nazi-like party sweeping into New York public office and turning the city into a gigantic police state. http://www.amazon.com/The-Spider-VS-...31/2?o=18&po=9

[Judge-Sergeant-Marron]

Seems decent, a nice compliment to The Shadow. Shame about the lazy and unprofessional art, I hate it when they put posetracers on comics I really want to buy (I'm looking at you JLD)...

[Manga4life]

I've probably read this book about 6 times since I got it in the mail on Monday and it seems to get better time after time, I just keep picking up on little things and I'm stoking myself out big time for the next issue. I'm digging the art in the book a little more as I keep reading it, at first I thought it was just "okay" but now I'm really warming up to it, it's growing on me and I can't wait to see more work from this guy.

[thwhtGuardian]

Seems decent, a nice compliment to The Shadow. Shame about the lazy and unprofessional art, I hate it when they put posetracers on comics I really want to buy (I'm looking at you JLD)...

The art could have been better for sure, in my mind Francesco Francavilla should have done the interiors as well as the cover as his art really has that moody feel to it. What we got was passable enough though, it told the story.

[Professor Moriarty]

here's commentary on The Spider #1 by David Liss:

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/05/...by-david-liss/

[Brandon McKinnis]

Is The Spider (concept) public domain similar to the Project Superpowers characters? I'd like to make a Champions Online character based on him and I don't want my character deleted.

[emb021]

Is The Spider (concept) public domain similar to the Project Superpowers characters? I'd like to make a Champions Online character based on him and I don't want my character deleted.

NO.

Not all pulp characters are in the public domain. The Spider and other characters published by Popular Publications are all still copyrighted and now owned by Argosy Communications. Dynamite, Moonstone, and Girasol licensed him.

Moonstone, in fact, did a volume of NEW Spider stories. Girasol is reprinting the original pulp stories in double volumes.

[Brandon McKinnis]

NO.

Not all pulp characters are in the public domain. The Spider and other characters published by Popular Publications are all still copyrighted and now owned by Argosy Communications. Dynamite, Moonstone, and Girasol licensed him.

Moonstone, in fact, did a volume of NEW Spider stories. Girasol is reprinting the original pulp stories in double volumes.

Bummer. Guess I'll just make a character inspired by him.

[Ed Love]

NO.

Not all pulp characters are in the public domain. The Spider and other characters published by Popular Publications are all still copyrighted and now owned by Argosy Communications. Dynamite, Moonstone, and Girasol licensed him.

Moonstone, in fact, did a volume of NEW Spider stories. Girasol is reprinting the original pulp stories in double volumes.

There seems to be some discrepancies concerning the Spider though. According to some online sources (http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu...rstperiod.html), the first several issues of his pulp were not renewed, which is contradicted on the copyright notice in the reprints. However, the date they list as renewal for vol1 #1, is what this site lists as for vol 4 #1. But, other than those first few issues, most were renewed and the trademark is definitely well in effect. Like the Phantom Detective, the public domain status is not a case of all or nothing.