Here's the "T" post for my A-Z Challenge. My theme? My theme, "Golden Age Comic Book Characters with the Same Name As Modern-Day Characters."
Does that costumed hero pictured above look a tad familiar? If so, it's probably because his costume resembles the second outfit worn by yesterday's superhero, the Golden Age Sandman! (And they were both published by DC Comics in the 1940s!) Check it out and see what I mean!
Anyway, as the title at the top of the splash panel tells you, that yellow-and-purple-garbed superhero is none other than The Tarantula, a/k/a Jonathan Law (I swear!), who first appeared in Star Spangled
Comics #1, 1941
Years later, 1974 to be exact, Marvel Comics introduced a Tarantula of their own, only this guy was a baddie who oh-so-appropriately fought Spider-Man. He first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #134.
Thanks for your time.
He seems like one big rip off. Rip off Sandman and then rip off Spiderman.
ReplyDeleteThat's the name of the game! Rip off.
DeleteHmm, well that second Tarantula incarnation looks more like the business.
ReplyDeleteSusan A Eames from
Travel, Fiction and Photos
He was pretty vicious, as I recall.
DeleteDC sure did love their yellow-and-purple... I wonder why. :) I never heard about either of these characters...
ReplyDelete@TarkabarkaHolgy from
The Multicolored Diary
MopDog
Neither was hugely successful.
DeleteSpiderman is still fine, maybe familiarity breeds acceptance :) but Tarantula just sounds eww...
ReplyDeleteI think that's the reaction to spiders in general.... with the exception of Spider-Man, who had a long time establishing himself as a good guy.
DeleteI heard about the Marvel Tarantula. Made a good opponent for Spidey ... but not as good as Kraven. :-)
ReplyDeleteKraven was excellent, when he was well-written.
DeleteThat must be a gigantic web, if it's big enough to catch humans. What's going to happen to those two men who are wrapped up in webbing thread?
ReplyDeleteI think it was just what they call a symbolic splash page. Today's Spider-Man does have webbing, which dissolves on its own in about an hour!
DeleteSeeing as how I happen to like tarantulas, I probably would have read this comic if I'd seen it!
ReplyDeleteOh, good. One voter FOR spiders!
DeleteYou are destroying my illusion of me being a fairly astute comic-book authority.
ReplyDeleteWell, there have been so many since Superman in 1938, it's impossible to know them all.
DeleteI must say I really hate that yellow! I wonder if they had a surplus of it! Blech!
ReplyDeleteI much prefer the spidey man villain.
Yeah, he had a good look.
DeleteGreat villain.
ReplyDeleteHis toe-spikes were pretty vicious.
DeleteWith a name like Tarantula I only expect a villain and a bad ass one at that
ReplyDelete