Spider Guild
The Spider Guild are a cybernetic arachnoid species that feature in DC Comics.
Contents |
History
The Spider Guild were an extraterrestrial species consisting of intelligent arachnids.
At some point in their history, the Spider Guild formed an accord with the Guardians of the Universe which prevented the Green Lantern Corps from entry or enforcement of the Vegan systems leaving them entirely at the mercy of the Guild.
Over 50,000 years ago the arachnids developed the ability to travel to the stars. They were a conquering race that use fleets of drones that answer to a central computer control at Wombworld. They move from space sector to space sector, always searching for new worlds to occupy. In the process, the arachnids had established a Spider Imperium that came to be a universe-wide threat. (Green Lantern v2 #189)
When Spider Guild drone ships arrive at the targeted world, they unleash colonizers (robot spiders) that wrap the inhabitants in webbing to use them later as food for the hatchlings. (Green Lantern v2 #189) Among the targets included the world of Ogyptu where they determined that the planets gigantic statue-like constructs were actually the planet's native species. However, they determined that these titans operated in a slower different timeframe to the rest of the universe which meant that they did not notice the fast existence of races such as the Spider Guild. The invasion continued for the next thirty years where the Spiders failed to garner the attention of the giants and the invasion was deemed a complete failure as a result. The Spiders attack on Tamaran was repulsed though at a great cost to the defenders. (Omega Men v1 #26)
The growing threat of Metahumans on Earth led to the Dominators determining that the planet was a threat to their existence. This led to them forming the Alliance that consisted of the Khunds, Durlans, Gil'Dishpan, Thanagarians, Citadellians and the Warlords of Okaara. The Spider Guild, however, retained itself as a private contractor that captured enemies especially those with the Metagene and depositing them at the Starlag prison in exchange for a fee. As such, they operated as a form of mercenaries for the Alliance that operated under contractual obligations with their fees being paid into the Spider Guild accounts. (Invasion v1 #1)
One of the first Green Lantern Corps members to encounter the Spider Guild was the equine Brin. Brin attempted to use reason to convince the Spider Guild to turn back their invasion fleet, but when this failed he summoned his brethren in the Green Lantern Corps. Where Brin failed, the other Corps members succeeded in repelling them. (Green Lantern v2 #167) The Spider Guild would not go away forever though, and it was not long before other champions of freedom would have to deal with them. The Guild made a steadfast sweep across the Vega star system first taking the planet Aello and continuing on their attack pattern until they occupied Euphorix and then Okaara. Invariably, these attacks put them into direct conflict with the Omega Men. During the invasion of Euphorix, the Spider Guild succeeded in capturing the Eurphorian and leader of the Omega Men Primus. (Omega Men Annual v1 #2)
By the time of the reformation of the Green Lantern Corps after the rebirth of the Guardians, the accord between them and the Spider Guild was still in effect. However, the Guild were working secretly in gaining insight into the future through precognitive individuals as well as planning an invasion of Oa itself. To accomplish this, they employed subspace web technology which forced stars to go into nova and become blackholes though they were effectively portals through which the Guild could move rapidly from one region of space to another. During these strikes, they secretly killed numerous Green Lanterns who were caught in the wake of the blackhole that formed and were written off as accidents.
The Guild's usage of blackholes was eventually discovered by Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner and Kilowog who quickly returne to Oa with the news. However, the Spider Guild believed this to have been a breach of their terms with the Guardians and struck by igniting the sun and sending a large yellow colored fleet to assault the planet with the aim of ending the reign of the self titled Guardians. They were defeated, however, when the Green Lanterns send a massive burst of Oan ring energy into the subspace web which overloaded the generators thus destroying the primary nest. It was believed that without the leadership of the Guild Fathers, the rest of the next would slowly die.
At some point, the Spider Guild were fully paid subscribers of L.E.G.I.O.N. and thus believed themselves entitled to their full cooperation. They maintained a facility on the planet Charybdis where psi-active experimental were kept contained. These precogs were believed by the Spider Guild to be the key in winning an upcoming war. (Adam Strange: Planet Heist v1 #5) The Omega Men were noted to had attacked one of the Guild's flesh farms where they rescued the precog called Seer forcing the freedom fighters to lie low. (Adam Strange: Planet Heist v1 #4) A swarm fleet tracked the fugitives to the unstable star TK-421 that was claimed as part of their space though the instability of the sun meant it was a financial loss for them to utilize it. It was only the help of Adam Strange that the Guild were defeated when he used the Omega-Beam Device to destroy the swarm fleet. (Adam Strange: Planet Heist v1 #5)
They later fell under the influence of Lady Styx where they operated in conjunction with her missionaries known as the Darkstars in gathering the Heartstones. (Omega Men v2 #1) This was with the intention of remaking the universe with these four cornerstones with Lady Styx killing god and taking his place. (Omega Men v2 #3) Ultimately, she and the Guild were thwarted by the actions of the Omega Men with the help of Vril Dox. (Omega Men v2 #6)
The fate of the Spider Guild after these events is unknown though when a yellow Power Ring destroyed a freighter, there was fear that the Spider Guild had experienced a resurgence though this was not the case.
Overview
The Spider Guild sought other worlds in order to convert them into nests. Lower ranking members of the Spider Guild were incapable of higher thoughts allowing enemies to sneak into their bases without the Guild's leadership noticing. However, once those memories returned to the hive mind then the Spider Guild were known to act. The leaders of this empire were known as the Guild Fathers.
Their enemies were either killed or webbed to their nurseries where they were used to gestate egg sacs. (Adam Strange: Planet Heist v1 #5) On the Spider Guild Nestworld, sharing food was an act of bonding. (The Green Lantern v1 #2)
They viewed celestial objects such as stars as a source of income and profit with reference to the material of a sun as being equivalent to thirty octillion tons of hydrogen fusion material. (Adam Strange: Planet Heist v1 #5)
One of the ruling titles within their hierarchy was the position of the emperor. (Omega Men v2 #1) Another high ranking position within the Spider Guild were the guild fathers. (Green Lantern: Recharge v1 #4) Guildmasters were highly placed members of the Spider Guild. (Omega Men v1 #26) They maintained a Guild Arbitrator that managed the affairs of their citizens over certain sectors of space. (The Green Lantern v1 #2) Individual commanding officers of a starship were referred to as strand captains whilst lower ranking personnel were called web-lieutenants. (Adam Strange: Planet Heist v1 #5) Maintenance drones were a low ranking arachnids in the hive structure and consisted of members with low intelligence. (Green Lantern: Recharge v1 #4)
For interstellar travel, they made use of arachnid styled vessels that were known as spider-ships. (Omega Men v2 #3) They made use of swarm fleets to track down and destroy enemies. (Adam Strange: Planet Heist v1 #5)
Their arachnoids were capable of breaching the hulls of enemy ships and determining whether the crew were compatable for gestating their masters young. (Adam Strange: Planet Heist v1 #5) Robots were used to cocoon prisoners in web-shrouds that anaethisized the occupants as well as sapped their will to resist. (Invasion v1 #1)
A means of transport was achieved through subspace that was linked in a web-like pattern to black holes across the cosmos. This system involved collapsing stars that were used to power their machinery whilst any organic life captured was used to feed the Spider Guild. (Green Lantern: Recharge v1 #4)
Members
- Spider Emperor : an unnamed leader of the Guild who served Lady Styx and was host to one of the Heartstones where he was empowered with the force of gravity which he used to ensnare his enemies. He attempted to capture the other Heartstones and take the one from Lianna but she ripped his head off before he could kill her. (Omega Men v2 #1-4)
- Fhomalhopos : strand-captain of the Spider Guild invasion of Ogyptu where he discovered the giant stone statues were actually the planet's native species but operated in a far slower timeframe which meant that the titanic beings never noticed their planet had been invaded. This Spider tried for thirty years to subjugate them but failed to garner their interest and his invasion forces ultimately were driven mad in their occupation with Fhomalhopos cursing his superiors before killing himself. (Omega Men v1 #26)
- Moha Klipsa : a Guild-Mother whose privileged daughter left the Nestworld to join a pirate gang. (The Green Lantern v1 #2)
Notes
- The Spider Guild was created by Todd Klein and Dave Gibbons where they made their first appearance in Green Lantern v2 #167 (August, 1983).
In other media
Television
- In Green Lantern: The Animated Series, the Spider Guild appeared in the setting of the animated television series. They were shown to be wardens of an asteroid prison facility where they tortured prisoners secretly and collected their fears within yellow crystals with this practice ending when Hal Jordan discovered their activities. A Guild ship was transporting a dangerous criminal with the ability to possess other organic beings with Sinestro being dispatched to take custody of the individual. The chain of events led to the Spider Guild ship being destroyed when the criminal took mental control over the captain of the vessel.
Appearances
- Adam Strange: Planet Heist v1 #4-5
- Green Lantern: Recharge v1:
- The Green Lantern v1:
External Link
This article is a stub. You can help Multiversal Omnipedia by expanding it.
