Black Spider
Encyclopedia
Black Spider is the name of several fiction
al characters who are DC Comics
villains. The first two were both primarily the enemies of Batman
.
#463 (September 1976) and was created by Gerry Conway
. Eric Needham is a small time crook who is addicted to heroin. Desperate for money to buy more drugs, he robs a liquor store. He kills the owner, who turns out to be his father. After being arrested, he kicks the habit out of remorse and begins a war on the drug trade.
Donning a costume, he becomes a self-styled vigilante and begins killing those suspected of dealing drugs. This brings him into conflict with Batman
. Needham believes that the two should be allies, as he sees common purpose in their war against criminals. His murderous methods, however, continually puts him at odds with the Dark Knight.
Needham's paraphernalia and missions as the Black Spider were bankrolled by a man who is actually secretly involved with narcotics and wants to take out the competition.
Despite his professed desire to fight criminals, the Black Spider occasionally allies himself with costumed villains (most notably in the gathering of super-villains in Detective Comics #526 and Batman #400). Ostensibly, Black Spider's goal in this is to seek revenge against Batman, or at least, this is how he attempted to justify his actions in his own mind. Needham also faced King Faraday
and Nightshade
in a brief flashback in Secret Origins
#28.
During his war, Needham's wife and son are killed by a drug lord who discovers the Black Spider's identity. In a rage, the Spider prepares for one final assault. After being shot multiple times, Needham invades the drug lord's headquarters and detonates explosives strapped to his back, killing the drug dealers in the process.
Eric Needham later turns up in Neil Gaiman
's critically acclaimed fantasy comic, The Sandman
, dating supporting character, Lyta Hall
. No explanation was given for his resurrection. However, earlier issues of the series depicted the souls of sinners escaping Hell
when its ruler, Lucifer
, abdicated the throne. Presumably, Needham was among these.
Whatever the case, Needham's survival has since been confirmed and the character has made subsequent appearances as the Black Spider, such as in the miniseries Underworld Unleashed
. He was seen in Identity Crisis as an ally of Deadshot
, Monocle
, and Merlyn
. He is later a member of The Society
.
He is one of the villains sent to retrieve the Get Out of Hell free card from the Secret Six
. He was also seen in Battle for the Cowl: The Network
, fighting and losing to Huntress
.
Black Spider has since appeared as a member of the Suicide Squad.
Needham's costume and name are similar to the Marvel Comics
superhero Spider-Man
, while his backstory is a twist on the hero's as Spider-man took up crime-fighting after he failed to stop a robber who would later kill the uncle who had raised him.
The second Black Spider first appeared in Batman #518 (May 1995). Professional hitman Johnny LaMonica takes the name "Black Spider" when he is sent to kill the crime lord Black Mask
. He is thwarted by Batman and sent to prison. He sustains injuries during this incident that leaves his face a disfigured web of scars, giving his choice of codename an ironic touch.
He is 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 clip on the villain.
. He first appeared in Birds of Prey #87 (December 2005). Other Society members reported that he was presumed dead. Real name Derrick Coe, he apparently bought his "villain franchise" from the Calculator
, who assigns him to help torture Savant
into revealing the identity of Oracle
. When Oracle sends in her task force, the Birds of Prey, to rescue Savant, Savant throws Coe out a window, nearly killing him — Black Canary
speculates that he may be a metahuman
, allowing him to survive the experience.
Coe later resurfaces as a member of the new Injustice League
and one of the exiled supervillains in Salvation Run
. He is seen as one of the villains sent to retrieve the Get Out of Hell free card from the Secret Six
.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al characters who are DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
villains. The first two were both primarily the enemies of Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
.
Fictional character biographies
Eric Needham
The original Black Spider first appeared in Detective ComicsDetective Comics
Detective Comics is an American comic book series published monthly by DC Comics since 1937, best known for introducing the iconic superhero Batman in Detective Comics #27 . It is, along with Action Comics, the book that launched with the debut of Superman, one of the medium's signature series, and...
#463 (September 1976) and was created by Gerry Conway
Gerry Conway
Gerard F. "Gerry" Conway is an American writer of comic books and television shows. He is known for co-creating the Marvel Comics vigilante The Punisher and scripting the death of the character Gwen Stacy during his long run on The Amazing Spider-Man...
. Eric Needham is a small time crook who is addicted to heroin. Desperate for money to buy more drugs, he robs a liquor store. He kills the owner, who turns out to be his father. After being arrested, he kicks the habit out of remorse and begins a war on the drug trade.
Donning a costume, he becomes a self-styled vigilante and begins killing those suspected of dealing drugs. This brings him into conflict with Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
. Needham believes that the two should be allies, as he sees common purpose in their war against criminals. His murderous methods, however, continually puts him at odds with the Dark Knight.
Needham's paraphernalia and missions as the Black Spider were bankrolled by a man who is actually secretly involved with narcotics and wants to take out the competition.
Despite his professed desire to fight criminals, the Black Spider occasionally allies himself with costumed villains (most notably in the gathering of super-villains in Detective Comics #526 and Batman #400). Ostensibly, Black Spider's goal in this is to seek revenge against Batman, or at least, this is how he attempted to justify his actions in his own mind. Needham also faced King Faraday
King Faraday
King Faraday is a fictional secret agent featured in DC Comics. Faraday first appeared in Danger Trail #1 , and was created by Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino.-Fictional character biography:...
and Nightshade
Nightshade (comics)
Nightshade is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics. Created by Joe Gill and Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in Captain Atom v2 #82 originally published by Charlton Comics.-Charlton Comics:...
in a brief flashback in Secret Origins
Secret Origins
Secret Origins is the title of three American comic book series published by DC Comics.The title began in 1961 and for one issue, all reprints. The title Secret Origins of Super Heroes went onto a second series, also reprints, which ran for seven issues from 1973-1974...
#28.
During his war, Needham's wife and son are killed by a drug lord who discovers the Black Spider's identity. In a rage, the Spider prepares for one final assault. After being shot multiple times, Needham invades the drug lord's headquarters and detonates explosives strapped to his back, killing the drug dealers in the process.
Eric Needham later turns up in Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
's critically acclaimed fantasy comic, The Sandman
Sandman (Vertigo)
The Sandman is a comic book series written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. Beginning with issue #47, it was placed under the imprint Vertigo. It chronicles the adventures of Dream , who rules over the world of dreams. It ran for 75 issues from January 1989 until March 1996...
, dating supporting character, Lyta Hall
Fury (DC Comics)
Fury is the codename shared by three DC Comics superheroes, two of whom are mother and daughter, both of whom directly connected with the Furies of mythology, and the third who is an altogether different character.-Pre-Crisis:...
. No explanation was given for his resurrection. However, earlier issues of the series depicted the souls of sinners escaping Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
when its ruler, Lucifer
Lucifer (DC Comics)
Lucifer is a DC Comics character that starred in an eponymous comic book published under the Vertigo imprint, whose entire run was written by Mike Carey...
, abdicated the throne. Presumably, Needham was among these.
Whatever the case, Needham's survival has since been confirmed and the character has made subsequent appearances as the Black Spider, such as in the miniseries Underworld Unleashed
Underworld Unleashed
Underworld Unleashed was a multi-title comic book cross-over event released by DC Comics in 1995. As well as the core story-line of the three-issue Underworld Unleashed mini-series, most of the DC titles published in November and December 1995 and a number of one-off titles were part of the...
. He was seen in Identity Crisis as an ally of Deadshot
Deadshot
Deadshot is a fictional character, a supervillain/assassin in the DC Universe and an enemy of Batman. He first appears in Batman #59 and was created by Bob Kane, David Vern Reed and Lew Schwartz....
, Monocle
Monocle (comics)
Monocle is a DC Comics supervillain and a recurring foe to Hawkman. He first appeared in Flash Comics #64 : "The Man with the Magic Monocles".-Fictional character biography:...
, and Merlyn
Merlyn (DC Comics)
Merlyn is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. He is an archer created by writer Mike Friedrich, artist Dick Dillin, and inker Neal Adams as an archvillain of the hero Green Arrow, and he first appeared in Justice League of America #94 ....
. He is later a member of The Society
Secret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
.
He is one of the villains sent to retrieve the Get Out of Hell free card from the Secret Six
Secret Six (comics)
The Secret Six is the name of three different fictional comic book teams in the , plus an alternate universe's fourth team. Each team has had six members, led by a mysterious figure named Mockingbird, whom the characters assume to be one of the other five members.-Original Secret Six:The Secret Six...
. He was also seen in Battle for the Cowl: The Network
Batman: Battle for the Cowl
Batman: Battle for the Cowl is a 2009 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, three issue miniseries written and penciled by Tony Daniel, as well as a number of tie-in books. The central story details the chaos in Gotham City following the "Batman R.I.P." and "Final...
, fighting and losing to Huntress
Huntress (Helena Bertinelli)
Huntress is a fictional character in the DC Universe. Based upon the Earth-Two character Helena Wayne, she is one of several DC characters to bear the Huntress name...
.
Black Spider has since appeared as a member of the Suicide Squad.
Needham's costume and name are similar to the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
superhero Spider-Man
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is a fictional Marvel Comics superhero. The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15...
, while his backstory is a twist on the hero's as Spider-man took up crime-fighting after he failed to stop a robber who would later kill the uncle who had raised him.
Johnny LaMonica
Black Mask (comics)
Black Mask is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. An enemy of Batman, he first appeared in Batman #386 . Black Mask was created by Doug Moench and Tom Mandrake.-Dark beginning:...
. He is thwarted by Batman and sent to prison. He sustains injuries during this incident that leaves his face a disfigured web of scars, giving his choice of codename an ironic touch.
He is later killed by Detective Crispus Allen
Crispus Allen
Crispus Allen is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Greg Rucka and Shawn Martinbrough created the character in Detective Comics #742 . Allen later went on to be one of the main characters in Gotham Central...
during a gang shooting. Black Spider had opened fire on Detective Renee Montoya
Renee Montoya
Renee Montoya is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. The character was initially created for Batman: The Animated Series, and was preemptively introduced into mainstream comics before the airing of her animated debut in 1992....
, preparing to kill her, when Allen unloaded his clip on the villain.
Derrick Coe
A third Black Spider appears shortly after as a member of the SocietySecret Society of Super Villains
The Secret Society of Super Villains is a group of comic book supervillains that exist in the DC Universe...
. He first appeared in Birds of Prey #87 (December 2005). Other Society members reported that he was presumed dead. Real name Derrick Coe, he apparently bought his "villain franchise" from the Calculator
Calculator (comics)
The Calculator is a fictional supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Detective Comics #463 , and he was created by Bob Rozakis and Mike Grell.-Publication history:...
, who assigns him to help torture Savant
Savant (comics)
Savant is a comic book character from DC Comics.-Fictional character biography:Brian Durlin, better known as Savant, is the spoiled heir to an enormous fortune. Savant had moved to Gotham to become a self-styled vigilante...
into revealing the identity of Oracle
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
. When Oracle sends in her task force, the Birds of Prey, to rescue Savant, Savant throws Coe out a window, nearly killing him — Black Canary
Black Canary
Black Canary is the name of two fictional characters, DC Comics superheroines created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Carmine Infantino. The first Black Canary debuted appeared in Flash Comics #86 . The first Black Canary was the alter-ego of Dinah Drake, who took part in Golden Age adventures...
speculates that he may be a metahuman
Metahuman
Metahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
, allowing him to survive the experience.
Coe later resurfaces as a member of the new Injustice League
Injustice League
The Injustice League is the name of two fictional teams of supervillains in the .-Original League :The original Injustice League was the brainchild of the interplanetary conqueror Agamemno. Bored of his dominion, he set out to conquer Earth and their champions, the Justice League...
and one of the exiled supervillains in Salvation Run
Salvation Run
Salvation Run is a seven-issue 2007-2008 DC Comics limited series which was designed to tie in to the company's major event series Final Crisis in 2008.-Premise:The premise of the series, which is based on a pitch by George R. R...
. He is seen as one of the villains sent to retrieve the Get Out of Hell free card from the Secret Six
Secret Six (comics)
The Secret Six is the name of three different fictional comic book teams in the , plus an alternate universe's fourth team. Each team has had six members, led by a mysterious figure named Mockingbird, whom the characters assume to be one of the other five members.-Original Secret Six:The Secret Six...
.
Television
- Black Spider appears in the Young JusticeYoung Justice (TV series)Young Justice is an American animated television series created by Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti for Cartoon Network. Despite its title, it is not an adaptation of Todd Dezago and Todd Nauck's Young Justice comic series, but rather an adaptation of the entire DC Universe with a focus on young...
episode "Infiltrator". Black Spider is a member of the League of ShadowsLeague of AssassinsThe League of Assassins is a group of fictional comic book villains, an organization of killers formerly led by Ra's al Ghul, an enemy of Batman in the DC Comics Universe.-Doctor Ebeneezer Darrk:...
. He alongside CheshireCheshire (comics)Cheshire is a DC Comics villain that first appeared in New Teen Titans Annual #2 .-Fictional character biography:Born to a French father and a Vietnamese mother, Jade Nguyen had an unhappy childhood and was sold into slavery...
and Hook are sent to defeat the Young Justice team and kill Dr. Serling Roquette. However, he is defeated by Kid FlashWally WestThe Flash is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He is the first Kid Flash and the third Flash....
.
Film
- Black Spider appears in the animated movie Superman/Batman: Public EnemiesSuperman/Batman: Public Enemies# "Markets Crash"# "Main Titles"# "Freeway Chase"# "Admit Something"# "Meteor"# "Metallo"# "High Voltage"# "Framed"# "Luthor talks to Power Girl"# "S.T.A.R...
. He is one of the many supervillains trying to collect the bounty on SupermanSupermanSuperman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
.
Miscellaneous
- Black Spider appears as a member of the Black MaskBlack Mask (comics)Black Mask is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. An enemy of Batman, he first appeared in Batman #386 . Black Mask was created by Doug Moench and Tom Mandrake.-Dark beginning:...
's gang in Batman AdventuresThe Batman AdventuresThe Batman Adventures was a DC Comics comic book series featuring Batman. It is different from other Batman titles in that it is set in the continuity of Batman: The Animated Series as opposed to the regular DC Universe.-Overview:...
#5-8.