The Spider: King of Crooks

    (Titan, 2005)
2005 IPD Media Ltd.

Most super-hero comics are centered around just that: heroes. That’s certainly how fans tend to think of comics in the “simpler” 1960s, which is what makes this British comic series so unique. Its star was a ruthless villain whose aim was to be the “king of crooks,” and in each issue the creepy-looking thief outwitted the square-jawed police pursuing him while making off with various treasures. In order to cement his criminal status, he also battled other crooks: Dr. Mysterioso, Mirror Man, and his own thuggish henchmen.

This lovingly assembled hardbound volume collects The Spider’s first three adventures in an oversized format, while also featuring creator interviews and a character history. Creators include Ted Cowan, Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel, and Reg Bunn.

— Andy Richardson

From the Comics Buyer’s Guide:

In 1960s New York City, the mysterious criminal mastermind known only as “The Spider” starts acquiring members for his own private army. That army will then aid him in launching a wave of impossible crimes, letting neither cop nor crook come between him and his goal of becoming the uncrowned king of crime.

Even when he isn’t written by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel, The Spider is an exceedingly British creation, but there are plenty of cliffhanging endings and just-in-time escapes. Even though the first two stories are slow to get going, readers will find in them the anarchic appeal that captivated kids of the time.

The Spider’s a wonderfully old-fashioned, classy rogue and, even at his most villainous, this Spider is no cold-blooded killer. (Which is helpful, considering that he eventually becomes a “good guy.”) He may be stern with minions and certainly tough on other crooks, but he’s always finding non-lethal ways of restraining the police, making a nice counterpoint to modern villains who take inordinate pride in their body counts.

— S. A. Bennett
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#1 (Hardcover Edition)

October, 2005
Cover Price: $19.95
1 copy available for $19.00 		Ted CowanReg Bunn