Black Spider
Black Spider is the name of several characters who feature in DC Comics.
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Black Spider (Eric Needham)
- Main Article: Eric Needham
Origin
Eric Needham
Black Spider survived the explosion, and although severely injured he dragged himself into an alleyway to avoid the GCPD. Black Spider was fueled solely by blind hatred, making his way to a free clinic where he’d seen drug addicted friends go for recovery, where he underwent months of operations and therapy. He decided to end the Gotham drug trade by going to its’ source. Batman caught some smugglers at the gotham marina and called in Gordon and the GCPD when he realized they were handling millions in heroin. Batman and Gordon were sure they’d found the source of the Gotham drug pipeline and could trace the shipment to Hannibal Hardwicke’s pleasure cruiser Golden Girl I. Batman boarded the cruiser, telling Hardwicke he was finished but was surprised to see Black spider, who told Batman reports of his death were exaggerated. Black Spider blasted his automatic rifle at Hardwicke, wanting to see him dead for spreading drugs in Gotham, but Batman cut the lights. Black Spider was furious Batman once again refused to let him fulfill his mission of vengeance and blindly fired his rifle until the lights came back on and he realized Batman and Hardwicke were both gone. Batman brought Hardwicke to GCPD headquarters, asking Gordon to put him in protective custody. Gordon said the Mayor and D.A. Gelman forbade him, because they were afraid that if Hardwicke staid the Black spider would not think twice about attacking the entire Gotham police force. Batman brought Hardwicke to Bruce Wayne’s penthouse, saying Wayne occasionally helped him on cases, and told Alfred Pennyworth to make him feel at home. Black Spider used magnets on his hands and feet to scale the penthouse, and when batman attacked him he managed to throw the Caped Crusader off the penthouse. Batman was injured, but caught up with him. Black Spider fought savagely, seething that he’d kill the man who used him and tried to kill him with a bomb. Their fight led inside the penthouse, where Black spider inhaled sleeping gas pumped in from the air conditioners and collapsed. Batman told Alfred and Hardwicke they could remove their nose-filters. Alfred told Batman Hardwicke had admitted he was Black Spider’s benefactor who used his hatred to eliminate rival drug dealers. Batman believed Spider knew who his benefactor was all along but chose to ignore it because hate made him blind. (Batman v1 #306)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
At some point, he got sent to Belle Reve Penitentiary where he came to be taken into Amanda Waller's Task Force X' and forcibly recruited into the Suicide Squad. (Suicide Squad v4 #1)
Black Spider (Johnny LaMonica)
- Main Article: Johnny LaMonica
Johnny LaMonica was a white male human criminal who operated in Gotham City where he had been a member of Terraro's gang. He later decided to go freelance and operated as a thief independently where he claimed to had found the Black Spider who was dead. He LaMonica came to steal his costume and take his name as he began to operate as a costume supervillain who went to join Black Mask's False Face Society. (Batman v1 #518)
He was later killed by Detective Crispus Allen during a gang shooting. Black Spider had opened fire on Detective Renee Montoya, preparing to kill her, when Allen unloaded his magazine on the villain. Jim Corrigan sold the bullet that killed Black Spider on the black market. (Gotham Central v1 #23)
Black Spider (Derrick Coe)
- Main Article: Derrick Coe
Derrick Coe came to take the mantle of the Black Spider after LaMonica's death where he came to join the ranks of the Society. (Birds of Prey v1 #87)
Black Spider (Council of Spiders)
- Main Article: Council of Spiders
The Black Spider was an unidentified member of a guild of assassins known as the Council of Spiders. They would come into conflict with the Red Robin Tim Drake where Black Spider was defeated by the young hero. (Red Robin v1 #23)
Overview
In appearance, the Black Spider was a masked costumed mercenary. (Detective Comics v1 #463)
The original Black Spider wanted to emulate Batman and be like him by bringing scum to justice but on a permanent basis by killing them without remorse. (Detective Comics v1 #463)
They were shown as being trained fighters and acrobats able to recover in a fight to battle their foes. (Detective Comics v1 #463)
Notes
- Black Spider was created by Gerry Conway and Ernie Chua where the concept made its first appearance in Detective Comics v1 #463 (September, 1976).
Alternate Versions
- In Bulletman v1 #1 (1941), an unrelated Black Spider appeared in the setting of Fawcett Comics where he resided on Earth-S in the Multiverse. This version was Jules Rey who was convicted of murder and deported to his native France, and imprisoned in a dungeon, where he went blind, went mad, and befriended a number of large, deadly spiders. His favorite spider was Suzy; she was about as big as a mouse. Seeking vengeance on the people who sent him to prison, Rey returned to the U.S., adopted the identity 'Black Spider' where he assembled a gang, and set up a hideout under a hollow oak tree in the forest near the city. From here he conducted his campaign of terror. The Black Spider's modus operandi included sending written threats to his victims, kidnapping his victims, bringing them to his hidden lair, and having his spiders kill them, then removing the bodies to be found elsewhere. After murdering seven other victims, the Black Spider attempted to do away with Sgt. Kent, which drew the attention of Bulletman and Bulletgirl, who very quickly ended his career.
In other media
Television
- In Young Justice, the Eric Needham Black Spider appeared in the setting of the animated television series where he was voiced by actor Josh Keaton. The character was seemingly modelled on Spider-Man where he
Films
- In Batman: Assault on Arkham, the Eric Needham Black Spider appeared in the setting of the animated film where he was voiced by actor Giancarlo Esposito.
Video games
- In Batman: Arkham Origins, Black Spider was referenced in the setting of the video game set in the Arkhamverse.
Other
Appearances
- Detective Comics v1: (1976)
- Batman v1:
- Birds of Prey v1:
- Suicide Squad v4:
- All-Star Batman v1:
External Links
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