BLACK TARANTULA
Real Name: Carlos LaMuerto
Identity/Class: Human mutate
Occupation: Vigilante;
Former prisoner, gang leader
Group Membership: None; formerly the Hand (Daredevil/Matt Murdock, Hirochi, Lady Bullseye, Master Izo, White Tiger/Angela Del Toro)
Affiliations:
Bloodscream,
Chesbro, Daredevil (Matt Murdock), Doctor Octopus (Otto Octavius),
Elektra, El Uno,
Fantastic Four (Human Torch/Johnny Storm, Invisible Woman/Susan Richards, Mister Fantastic/Reed Richards, Thing/Ben Grimm),
Gorilla Man (Arthur Nagan), Roland Gunderson, Hammerhead (Joseph), Curtis Henshaw, Iron Fist (Pei), Jessica Jones,
League of International Magic Practitioners (Bob Jennings, Mister Je-Ju, Nana Marefa, Night Witch, Senor Magico, Sorcha),
Master Izo, Moon Knight (Marc Spector), Boss Morgan, Franklin "Foggy"
Nelson, Master Izo, Dakota North, Owl (Leland Owlsley), Punisher (Frank Castle),
Ric, Roughhouse, Roxxon, Scorpion (Mac Gargan), Tombstone (Lonnie Lincoln),
True Believers (Dragonfly
(Meiko Yin), Madame
Qwa, Master Zei), Mary-Jane Watson-Parker, White Tiger (Ava Ayala), White Tiger (Angela Del Toro), Yü-Ti (Sparrow);
formerly Iron Fist (Danny Rand),
Little Loco
Enemies: Bullseye, Luke Cage, Damage Control (Gus, Nathan), Deathlok (Henry Hayes),
Delilah, Don Fortunato, Electro (Max Dillon), HAMMER, Hydra, Iron Fist (Danny Rand), J. Jonah Jameson,
Little Loco, Marla
Madison, Norman Osborn, Dwight Peterson, Dante
Rigoletto, Rose (Jacob Conover), Spider-Man (Peter Parker),
the Urchin, Wolverine (James "Logan" Howlett), Yakuza;
formerly the Hand
Known Relatives: Marina Caches (ex-wife), Fabian (son), father, grandfather and various ancestors (names unrevealed, all Black Tarantulas), Luis (cousin, deceased)
Aliases: "Deathless One"
Base of Operations: Trenton, New Jersey;
formerly New York City, New York;
formerly Argentina
First Appearance: (In shadow) Amazing Spider-Man I#419 (January, 1997); (fully seen) Amazing Spider-Man I#432 (March, 1998)
Powers/Abilities: Black Tarantula possesses super-strength, concussive blasts from his eyes, enhanced durability, a healing factor, and the ability to heal others from injuries. His powers are connected to the Black Tarantula clan, originated 600 years ago. Black Tarantula's grandfather passed the legacy to his son, who passed it to Black Tarantula. Apparently, a relative of Black Tarantula's can steal his powers if he bleeds Black Tarantula dry and performs an unspecified mystic ritual. Black Tarantula may be nearly immortal.
Height: 7'
Weight: 290 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
History:
(Amazing Spider-Man I#436 (fb) - BTS) - Carlos LaMuerto was born to a powerful criminal family in Argentina. For 700 years, the oldest male in the family had become the powerful Black Tarantula, passing the legacy on to his oldest son in turn. Carlos' grandfather and father had both acted as the Black Tarantula.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#436 (fb)) - LaMuerto came to America as part of the Argentinian diplomatic mission. He met and married graduate student Marina Caches, telling her his family was in service industries. She returned with him to Argentina, where she became pregnant before learning the truth of the family's crimes. Marina bore him a son, Fabian.
(Daredevil: Blood of the Tarantula#1 (fb)) - Marina grew increasingly distressed with LaMuerto's criminal activities and begged him to stop. Refusing to just live off his father's scraps, he angrily asked Marina to be happy for his success. That night, he underwent the mystic ritual that gave him his Black Tarantula powers.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#436 (fb)) - Marina took Fabian and fled to the United States, where she filed for divorce.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#419 (fb) - BTS) - Black Tarantula developed a reputation as an international criminal with a cult that worshipped him. He controlled interests throughout South America and Europe from his base in Argentina.
(Daredevil: Blood of the Tarantula#1 (fb) - BTS) - LaMuerto controlled an Argentian gang, comprised of his family members primarily, who were vastly loyal to him.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#419) - Chesbro updated Black Tarantula on the state of the New York underworld and the efforts of Don Fortunato, the Rose, and Hammerhead to take it over. Black Tarantula wondered if fate was leading him to New York in addition to his desires for wealth and new opportunities. Through his agent El Uno, he offered to sell expensive stolen emeralds to the local criminals for a million dollars, far less than what they were worth. The Rose sent a delegation of men, led by Delilah, and El Uno had his men kill the Rose's men. Spider-Man attacked, poking El Uno in the eyes and webbing his face, but he easily ripped free. The building exploded, due to a bomb Delilah had placed, and El Uno was nearly killed. Chesbro gave the news to Black Tarantula.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#420) - El Uno escaped the hospital, covered in bandages, and planned his revenge on Spider-Man and Delilah. He came across two frightened homeless men and stole their clothes. Black Tarantula, meanwhile, grew frustrated when Chesbro set up a Christmas tree, ordering him to take it down. He wondered where El Uno, a servant of the clan for centuries, had disappeared to, ignoring Chesbro's efforts to give him hope. In New York, El Uno tracked Delilah, savagely attacking her, knocking her through the roof of an apartment. Delilah knocked him into a fuel truck that exploded. The Rose and Delilah mailed El Uno's head back to the Black Tarantula in Argentina.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#421/2) - Black Tarantula sent his agents, the True Believers, led by Madame Qwa and including Dragonfly, to attack the Rose's holdings in New York. Chesbro established a video link between Qwa and Black Tarantula and she reported that they would need to go after Spider-Man, who'd been interfering with them.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#422) - Chesbro established another link to Qwa in New York, and Black Tarantula ordered her to kill reporter Joe Robertson, an old colleague of his, and to frame the Rose for it.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#423 - BTS) - Qwa sent Dragonfly after Robertson, but she was nearly killed by the Rose's agent Electro. Spider-Man and Robertson saved her, so she gave information to the press about Black Tarantula.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#424) - Black Tarantula was tied to the True Believers in the newspapers. Within days, Chesbro delivered news that the Hand and Spider-Man had fought the True Believers. Black Tarantula ordered the True Believers to abandon their mission. He decided to travel to New York himself.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#425 - BTS) - The Rose hired the True Believers to resurrect Doctor Octopus, not knowing that the Black Tarantula was planning to use this villain as a pawn potentially.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#427) - Black Tarantula met with Madame Qwa to tell them he would allow Zei to finish his contract with the Rose and would allow the resurrected Doctor Octopus to serve Black Tarantula. When his manservant Chesbro left Black Tarantula told Qwa that Chesbro went on an errant of personal nature for Black Tarantula.
(Daredevil Annual II#1 (fb) - BTS) - Black Tarantula organized a criminal empire in the Barrio area of the city. He felt like he controlled the streets completely. His number two man, Ric, bet Black Tarantula that he couldn't turn young Luis Rodriguez into a gang member. Black Tarantula corrupted Luis, turning him into the criminal Little Loco. His criminal activities in the states included drug-running, extortion, and murder.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#428) - Qwa reported to Black Tarantula that her brother, Master Zei, had been killed while resurrecting Octopus. Black Tarantula planned to take care of things himself. He sent Chesbro, with a jetpack, to track his wife and son on the Empire State University campus. Black Tarantula attacked Delilah at the Rose's headquarters, savagely beating her against the wall and breaking her neck, but he healed her before she could die, then knocked her out. He wanted Delilah to deliver a message to the Rose, proclaiming his power.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#432) - Black Tarantula stormed the headquarters of Don Fortunato, throwing bodyguards through the window. He asked for Fortunato's blessing to set up interests in New York, and Fortunato agreed despite the Rose's protestations. Black Tarantula told Fortunato that he would make amends for the property damage, and explained that he wanted new challenges in New York. He agreed to go after Spider-Man to prove his worth. After tracking the hero, Black Tarantula threw a chimney at him on the Daily Bugle roof and fired energy blasts from his eyes repeatedly. He explained that he bore Spider-Man no malice and refused to answer if he had any questions to the original Tarantula. As they bantered about Black Tarantula's intentions, Black Tarantula physically attacked the hero, easily ripping through his webbing. He claimed the Black Tarantula name had existed for 700 years as the fight led to the street below. Black Tarantula finally caught Spider-Man's leg, regretting having to harm a noble foe. He finally defeated Spider-Man, but allowed him to live, advising him to disappear after he finished his mission of finding a missing child. He took Spider-Man's mask with him.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#433 - BTS) - Chesbro continued tracking Marina and Fabian.
(Wolverine II#123 (fb) - BTS) - Black Tarantula hired Bloodscream and Roughhouse, mercenaries he'd used in the past, to help his efforts in New York.
(Wolverine II#123 - BTS) - One of the Black Tarantula's men demanded protection money in a local shop, and was followed by Wolverine to a nearby warehouse. Bloodscream and Roughhouse attacked the mutant, who easily defeated them and the Black Tarantula's men.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#434) - Don Fortunato called Rose and Black Tarantula in for a meeting in his Staten Island villa. Rose was angry at Don Fortunato for asking him to hand over a portion of his operations to Black Tarantula and expected to be compensated to it. Black Tarantula was willing to negotiate payments on a monthly basis with Rose. He later met with Chesbro, who had surveilled Black Tarantula ex-wife for him. Black Tarantula planned to threaten her friends to force her back into a relationship with him.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#435) - Fortunato was impressed that Black Tarantula had retrieved Spider-Man's mask. After Black Tarantula flattered Fortunato and inquired about the Rose, Fortunato shared a myth he had learned of an ancient traveling companion of Marco Polo who had discovered the secret of immortality in China; Black Tarantula later admitted to Chesbro that this contained only a hint of the truth of the powers of the Black Tarantula. Priding himself on his ability to plan decades in advance, Black Tarantula heard Chesbro's apologies for the failure of Roughhouse and Bloodscream to complete their mission. Chesbro was conveying a new assignment to the duo when Delilah and Ricochet (secretly Spider-Man) attacked, fighting them off. Chesbro tried sending the duo after Marina, but Spider-Man stopped them.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#436 (fb) - BTS) - Spider-Man caught Chesbro watching Marina and Fabian and he ordered him to leave them alone as they were under his protection.
(Amazing Spider-Man I#436) - Black Tarantula, having just fought off a Hydra Killdroid on Staten Island, was attacked by Spider-Man, who refused to leave peacefully. Black Tarantula fought off a second droid with Spider-Man's help. Marina and Fabian went with Dante Rigoletto to Fortunato's place for protection when she heard Black Tarantula was coming after them. With the Rose, Mary-Jane Watson-Parker, and Fortunato standing nearby, Black Tarantula attacked the estate, ripping the steel gate free and shrugging off gunfire. A determined Spider-Man tried to stop Black Tarantula, horrified when the villain killed Fortunato's men by throwing an exploding car at them. Black Tarantula threw Spider-Man into the wall, dislocating his shoulder, before fighting off manned Killdroids, briefly feigning defeat until he could get them into the right position to throw the robot, killing more men. He yelled out for Marina to show herself as Spider-Man attacked again, hitting Black Tarantula with a sedative stinger and avoiding his concussive blasts and powerful blows. Black Tarantula, demanding his son, easily shrugged off Spider-Man's webs and weakening punches, and the battle moved into the main room. Marina begged Carlos to see how he was showing his son violence and fear, as Spider-Man stopped the Rose from shooting Fortunato. Black Tarantula walked away from the fight, leaving Fabian with Marina for his upbringing.
(Spider-Man Unlimited I#22 (fb)) - Black Tarantula allied himself with Roxxon to build a bio-engineering facility on his land in Bolivia. In exchange for funding from Roxxon and some of the super-soldiers produced by the facility, Black Tarantula put his agents at Roxxon's disposal.
(Spider-Man Unlimited I#22) - Black Tarantula's agents and Roxxon operative the Scorpion kidnapped Dr. Marla Madison and her husband, J. Jonah Jameson, from Empire State University and flew them to the bio-engineering facility. There, they met with Black Tarantula, Roxxon research and development operative Curtis Henshaw, and rogue US Defense official Colonel Roland Gunderson. They coerced Madison into working on their bio-engineering project by subjecting Jameson to the Scorpion's toxic sting, but Spider-Man attacked the Scorpion before she could begin. In the confusion, Madison and Jameson escaped and contacted the authorities. Spider-Man defeated Scorpion and the authorities arrested Henshaw and Gunderson, but Black Tarantula escaped.
(Daredevil II#82 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Black Tarantula was arrested and incarcerated at Ryker's Island. He found several followers within the facility, while other criminals, such as Boss Morgan, Kingpin, Owl, and Hammerhead, found their own followers.
(Daredevil II#82) - In Ryker's Island penitentiary, LaMuerto approached the supposedly blind Matt Murdock, who'd been incarcerated for suspicion of being Daredevil, in the infirmary. Murdock identified LaMuerto before he spoke, claiming he knew it was him because it was Tuesday, the same day LaMuerto got his weekly shot that took away his powers. LaMuerto told Murdock that Wilson Fisk, the incarcerated Kingpin, had attacked his men in the showers, killing four based on an assumption, even twisting one's head all the way around. LaMuerto asked Murdock to be on his side as things were about to get ugly, but Murdock continued denying he was Daredevil. LaMuerto reminded Murdock that he had to pick a side, whether it be Boss Morgan, Owl, Hammerhead, or someone else.
(Daredevil II#85) - Hearing that Kingpin had arranged the murder of Murdock's ally Franklin "Foggy" Nelson (who was actually still alive), LaMuerto offered to get Murdock a Shiv, but Murdock turned him down. He reminded Murdock that prison changes a man and that he had a reputation to uphold. He then laughed as the Punisher was escorted into the prison. That night he met with Hammerhead and Morgan, who confirmed that a riot was going to break out the next day that would leave Murdock and Fisk both dead.
(Daredevil II#86) - LaMuerto, Hammerhead, and Morgan stood on an upper deck, watching the violent riot break out between the prisoners and wondering where their artillery was. Bullseye hit Morgan with a card, seemingly killing him, and Hammerhead jumped to safety. LaMuerto attacked Bullseye, who impaled him with a card, leaving him in a pool of blood. Murdock and Punisher later escaped from the prison.
(Daredevil Annual II#1 (fb) - BTS) - A counselor in the joint told LaMuerto that the outside only seemed desirable because it was different and unfamiliar, but it was really the same world with more choices. LaMuerto was released on parole due to overpopulation in the prison system. He was given pills that would suppress his powers, which they would check every two weeks.
(Daredevil Annual II#1) - LaMuerto checked in with his parole officer, Dwight Peterson, as required, but was put off by the man's racist and cynical nature. Peterson told LaMuerto that he would be required to pay him $1000 per month to stay on the streets, and that for another $1000 per month, he could get his powers back. Feeling hopeless, he went to Matt Murdock's law clinic, looking for work. The nervous Franklin "Foggy" Nelson showed him in, and Matt shook his hand, agreeing to set him up with assisting private investigator Dakota North. LaMuerto got a terrible apartment in the Barrio, and he was disgusted with the state of the city. After buying a churro, he ran into Little Loco on the streets, and Loco, with his armed men, was sure to let LaMuerto know that he didn't rule the streets anymore. LaMuerto met with North the next morning, though she was skeptical about his criminal career. She and Murdock asked him to look into the facts of the murder case and he grew frustrated with her sardonic nature and the difficulty of working with a computer. He went out to the streets and roughed up Pedro, trying to get information on the murders that way, but Murdock stopped him. Murdock told LaMuerto to come back when he was ready, then walked off, accosted by muggers. LaMuerto fought them off, then Murdock invited him on a private mission. He dressed as Black Tarantula and joined Daredevil in fighting down a group of Yakuza. LaMuerto was tempted to use the drug money there to do good things in his neighborhood, but Murdock refused to let him. Remembering the words of his shrink, he threw his medication against the wall, refusing to take it anymore so his powers could return. Murdock soon called LaMuerto, telling him that Little Loco had been connected to the murders. Dressed as Black Tarantula, LaMuerto stormed Little Loco's home, realizing he was guilty. His men shot LaMuerto several times, but he healed quickly and easily defeated the group. Little Loco invited LaMuerto to join his criminal enterprise, but LaMuerto killed him with money in his throat instead. Murdock arrived, asking what LaMuerto had done, but he refused to justify himself. When Daredevil threatened to arrest LaMuerto again, he punched the hero back, healing him before he left. He soon left Murdock incriminating evidence on Peterson, then turned over all of Loco's money to the local church.
(Daredevil: Blood of the Tarantula#1 (fb) - BTS) - LaMuerto claimed a section of the city as his own. He sent out word that no drugs would be allowed on his streets.
(Daredevil: Blood of the Tarantula#1) - When he saw a drug deal going down in a playground, LaMuerto, in his Black Tarantula costume, attacked the dealers, healing from their gunfire and taking them down easily. He left them alive to spread the word, then took their money to a local rescue mission, where the father was uncomfortable with the blood-stained costume LaMuerto wore. He destroyed the drugs that night, looking over his city. He walked through his city confidently, knowing that his people appreciated them. As he was paying off the cops, he thought he saw Marina and Fabian walking in the crowd, but was unable to find them. He wondered if they were in danger out in the city. That night, he got a call from Fabian, whose voice was quickly replaced by a kidnapper's. He demanded LaMuerto be on the pier that night or his family would be dead. He went, despite the risks, and he was taken down by tranquilizer darts. He woke up tied to a pole with his cousin Luis in his face, leading men from his own Argentian gang and wanting to kill LaMuerto so that he could obtain the Black Tarantula powers for himself. Luis claimed that he was backed by the family and that they wanted him to start a drug campaign again. LaMuerto managed to break the pole he was on and he went plummeting into the water as he was riddled with bullets. Struggling to heal, he showed up on Murdock's doorstep. Two days later, he awakened and thanked Murdock, asking him for help against Luis despite the illegalities. He soon found the kidnapped woman and child, realizing they were not his family, seeing that the boy did not have the small spider tattoo at the base of his skull like Carlos would have. As LaMuerto tried to free the victims, Luis blew up the building. LaMuerto emerged from the fire, burning alive, and killed Luis with his own blade. LaMuerto planned to blame it all on Luis, but he knew there would be more men after him. He knew he would have to keep a low profile. Two weeks later, he was working as a construction worker, missing his old life.
(Daredevil I#500 (fb)) - Master Izo approached LaMuerto and explained that in weeks' time the Hand would seek him out, kill him, and revive him as one of their assassins. Izo explained that LaMuerto's healing factor would eventually clear his mind and that he would need to then work from the inside in order to help Matt Murdock. LaMuerto agreed, though he was saddened to know that White Tiger would be the one to kill him after she'd been similarly killed and resurrected.
(Daredevil II#112) - A group of Hand assassins attacked LaMuerto in his apartment, overwhelming him with their numbers and fighting skills. LaMuerto savagely fought back, killing several of them. He went to Murdock for help, but was defeated by the elderly Master Izo, who left LaMuerto tied up until Murdock returned.
(Daredevil II#113) - There, Murdock, Dakota, and Master Izo (an enemy of the Hand), he heard discussion about the Hand and Elektra being exposed as a Skrull. Iron Fist showed up, also having been attacked, and they discussed Master Izo's origins with the Hand. That night, LaMuerto and Izo worked on tracking down the Hand. Izo killed a few Hand ninjas before they found a Hand station with pictures of Carlos and others, including the White Tiger.
(Daredevil II#114) - Hearing that the White Tiger (Angela Del Toro) had gone missing, LaMuerto continued looking for her and the Hand. He followed Izo's advice and found the White Tiger battling Hand operatives. He attacked them, but the White Tiger turned on him, killing him. Now resurrected under the Hand's control, Black Tarantula and White Tiger waited for Murdock at his apartment.
(Daredevil II#115) - Murdock battled his former friends savagely until Iron Fist and Master Izo attacked. The battle spread across the home and Murdock rushed up the stairs, where Lady Bullseye attacked and determined Murdock was not yet ready. When Izo rushed off to kill her master Hirochi, Lady Bullseye ordered Black Tarantula and White Tiger to go after Izo. Iron Fist pursued them, but they knocked him unconscious and rushed off after Izo again instead of killing him. They found Hirochi with his hand severed and Izo gone. Both flew with Hirochi and Lady Bullseye to Spain for their secondary plan when the primary plan, to recruit Daredevil as leader of the Hand, failed due to Daredevil's refusal.
(Daredevil II#119 (fb) - BTS) - When the Owl hired the Hand to kill several criminal targets, White Tiger and Black Tarantula were among the Hand operatives who killed them at Lady Bullseye's orders. White Tiger commented on how Black Tarantula seemed to hesitate at the orders.
(Daredevil II#119) - Owl gave Lady Bullseye the next target, and White Tiger and Black Tarantula were sent to kill Foggy Nelson.
(Daredevil I#500) - Black Tarantula, White Tiger, and their Hand operatives approached Nelson in his office. Black Tarantula held Nelson off the roof, despite the Hand's protestations, and said he'd drop him to ensure a less violent death than the others. Black Tarantula then shockingly turned on the Hand, killing several operatives and successfully holding off White Tiger with a few blows. As he explained things to Foggy, Black Tarantula used his focused healing powers on White Tiger to give her her right mind back. The next day, White Tiger and Black Tarantula agreed to stand behind Matt Murdock as he took leadership of the Hand.
(Dark Reign: The List - Daredevil#1) - When Bullseye and a group of HAMMER soldiers attacked the Hand sanctum, where Daredevil had been undergoing various rituals, Black Tarantula, White Tiger, and the other Hand operatives leapt to defend themselves. Daredevil ordered his friends to secure the inner sanctum while he handled Bullseye himself. Bullseye, however, had set a trap for Daredevil and forced him to watch as he blew up a building, killing over a hundred peaceful protestors. Daredevil announced to the Hand that they had a war to fight.
(Daredevil I#501) - As Black Tarantula watched, the Hand fought Master Izo and took him captive. Later, he and White Tiger stood by while Daredevil seemingly killed Izo in his final initiation to the Hand. They all bowed before him.
(Daredevil I#502) - White Tiger and Black Tarantula demanded an audience with Daredevil, who ordered the Hand guards to leave him. White Tiger furiously confronted him about Izo's death, and learned that Izo was alive, having controlled his own heartbeat, and that Black Tarantula already knew about it. Black Tarantula used his healing powers to pull Izo out of his coma, revealing this had been Izo's plan all along, and frustrating White Tiger for not being told. They later took to the streets and Daredevil learned about Osborn's efforts to control the police force. Daredevil soon led them, with the Hand, against a group of corrupt policemen.
(Daredevil I#503) - As they finished defeating the cops and criminals, Daredevil ordered the drugs there be put in the river and then struggled to decide how to handle the defeated foes. White Tiger, unsure of Daredevil's methods, grew more frustrated when, during a speech to the Hand, Daredevil said that no cops could be trusted. When he berated one ninja for disobeying orders, the ninja killed himself, surprising Daredevil.
(Daredevil I#504) - Black Tarantula delivered the news to Daredevil that Foggy Nelson and Dakota North had lost their professional licenses, and Daredevil announced his intentions to take the fight to Osborn. After another public battle with corrupt police, the Hand apprehended more prisoners and kept them on starvation rations in cages as Daredevil ordered. He ordered Black Tarantula to watch over things until Shadowland was completed, and told White Tiger she'd be accompanying him to Japan.
(Daredevil I#507 (fb) - BTS) - When the Daimyo of South America was killed, Daredevil appointed Black Tarantula to leadership in his place.
(Daredevil I#508 - BTS) - After his appointment to Daimyo of South America, Black Tarantula struggled to acclimate, but stayed in New York at Daredevil's orders.
(Shadowland#2) - Daredevil ordered Black Tarantula to find more capable fighters as reinforcements for the Hand and to expand the Hand's area of control in NYC. Black Tarantula told him that wouldn't be that easy with the NYPD in their way, but Daredevil asked him not to question him. Daredevil then ordered Black Tarantula to put the word out that any costumed heroes were invited to join Daredevil under the authority of the Hand.
When many street level heroes arrived in Shadowland to give Daredevil a lecture instead of joining he wasn't pleased. He blamed the heroes when his prisoners were released and attacked them alongside his lieutenants Black Tarantula and White Tiger and the Hand.
(Shadowland#3/Shadowland: Power Man#2) - Daredevil angrily announced his ban on killing was lifted, and ordered the Hand into battle against Spider-Man, Luke Cage, Colleen Wing, Iron Fist, and Misty Knight. During the fight, Black Tarantula took a hard blow from Knight's bionic arm.
(Shadowland#3) - Typhoid Mary joined Daredevil as Punisher joined the heroes, who swiftly escaped. Daredevil recounted Ghost Rider's freeing of their prisoners and determined they needed a new champion, despite Black Tarantula's warning that these had gone too far. Daredevil was soon joined by Elektra, and he unearthed the body of Bullseye to use him as an ally.
(Daredevil I#510) - When Foggy Nelson and Dakota North were nearly killed by a group of Hand ninjas, Black Tarantula arrived and saved them, killing the last ninja. He told them these ninjas were not part of his group and that the city was turning in on itself. Later, he went back to Matt, who was flanked by Typhoid Mary and Elektra, and questioned his decisions. When he informed Matt about the state of the streets outside, Daredevil pushed him away and told him to enforce his justice on the streets immediately. As Black Tarantula struggled to contain the riots in the street, he was told by White Tiger that Daredevil had ordered the rioting citizens to be killed. When he turned his back, Black Tarantula was stabbed through the abdomen by White Tiger, who then shoved him off the roof to his seeming death.
(Daredevil I#512) - Dakota North soon tracked down the Black Tarantula, who was recuperating at the clinic of the Night Nurse (who was none-too-happy to see Dakota). She learned from him the details of his injuries, his efforts inside the Hand to stop Daredevil, and the moral fall of the White Tiger.
(Deathlok V#1) - Black Tarantula was hired by Venezuelan rebel protesters. In return the government hired Deathlok (Henry Hayes), who annihilated the rebel army and took down Black Tarantula with a bullet to the head, but it only grazed him.
SECRET WARS III HAPPENED
(Power Man and Iron Fist III#2) - Summoned by Tombstone, Black Tarantula and Gorilla-Man battled Luke Cage and Iron Fist and were soundly defeated.
(Generation X II#7) - Black Tarantula attended an auction at Kilgore Industries.
(Contagion#3) - Hearing about a deadly infection spreading through the streets, Black Tarantula joined with Punisher, Elektra, and White Tiger (Ava Ayala) to investigate, and they soon teamed with Jessica Jones, Iron Fist (Pei), and Yü-Ti (Sparrow).
(Contagion#4) - Black Tarantula battled the Urchin alongside Jones, Iron Fist, Yü-Ti, White Tiger, Moon Knight, the League of International Magic Practitioners, Thing, Moon Knight, and Elektra. After they saved Piledriver while the rest of the Wrecking Crew were overwhelmed, the Urchin began taking over the minds of many of the heroes there, including Black Tarantula.
(Contagion#5) - The Urchin guided the Black Tarantula into final battle with the heroes who remained free, until they were all freed and the Urchin was contained.
(Damage Control IV#3 (fb) - BTS) - Black Tarantula took a job working for Hammerhead, who ordered him to open a laundering business in Trenton. Black Tarantula misunderstood and opened a laundromat, called Trenton Wash-a-Teria, making Hammerhead mad enough to throw a stapler.
(Damage Control IV#3) - Black Tarantula impressed Hammerhead by setting fire to the laundromat, blaming a superhero battle for the damage so Damage Control would pay out for it, but the company denied the insurance claim.
Comments: Created by Tom Defalco, Steve Skroce, and Bud LaRosa.
Black Tarantula was not fully seen until Amazing Spider-Man I#432. Special thanks to Rob London and Markus Raymond for their help with this profile.
How could Clan LaMuerto be an Argentine crime
family dating back to circa the 12th/13th century when Spanish
colonization of that country didn't actively begin until circa the 16th
century? Well, if I was a mainstream Marvel writer, I can think of only
one way that this discrepancy could be rectified. And that would be to
have the LaMuertos being Spanish settlers who married into an offshoot
of the Peruvian Spider Clan that had been banished to pre-Columbian
Argentina for some sacrilege or other!
--Carycomic
They were presumably Aztec or
Mayan criminals (whichever is appropriate for the region) until the
Spanish arrived. Then, thanks to intermarrying, they got a new Spanish
name.
--Loki
Black Tarantula received an entry in Marvel Legacy: The 1990s Handbook.
Profile by Chadman.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Black Tarantula
has no known connections to
|
(Daredevil I#502) - Sal Kalinsky was involved in importing heroin and cash when a group of corrupt cops tried to steal the shipment. Then the Hand attacked, led by Daredevil, White Tiger, and Black Tarantula, and they apprehended the cops involved. --Daredevil I#502 |
images: (without ads)
Marvel Legacy: The 1990s Handbook, p4, Black Tarantula entry (main)
Daredevil: Blood of the Tarantula#1, p8, pan1 (2nd)
Daredevil: Blood of the Tarantula#1, p17, pan5 (3rd)
Daredevil I#502, p20, pan4 (Kalinsky)
Appearances:
Amazing Spider-Man I#419-420 (January-February, 1997) - Tom Defalco
(writer), Steve Skroce (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inker), Ralph Macchio
(editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#421/2 (March, 1997) - Tom Defalco (writer), Geof Isherwood (penciler/inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#422 (April, 1997) - Tom Defalco (writer), Joe
Bennett (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#423 (May, 1997) - Tom Defalco (writer), Joe
Bennett (penciler), Ralph Cabrera, Harry Candelario, Bud LaRosa
(inkers), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#424 (June, 1997) - Tom Defalco (writer), Joe
Bennett (penciler), Bud LaRosa, Ralph Cabrera (inkers), Ralph Macchio
(editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#425 (August, 1997) - Tom Defalco (writer), Steve
Skroce (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#427 (October, 1997) - Tom Defalco (writer), Steve
Skroce (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#428 (November, 1997) - Tom Defalco (writer), Steve
Skroce (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#432 (March, 1998) - Tom Defalco (writer), John
Romita, Jr. (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#433 (April, 1998) - Tom Defalco (writer), Tom Lyle (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Wolverine II#123 (April, 1998) - Tom Defalco (writer), Denys Cowan (penciler), Bill Sienkiwicz (inker), Mark Powers (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#434 (May, 1998) - Tom Defalco (writer), Joe Bennett (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man I#435-436 (June-July, 1998) - Tom Defalco (writer),
Joe Bennett (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Spider-Man Unlimited I#22 (November, 1998) - Mark Bernardo (writer),
Mike Deodato (penciler), Joe Pimentel (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Daredevil II#82 (April, 2006) - Ed Brubaker (writer), Michael Lark (penciler/inker), Warren Simons (editor)
Daredevil II#85-86 (July-August, 2006) - Ed Brubaker (writer), Michael
Lark (penciler), Stefano Gaudiano (inker), Warren Simons (editor)
Daredevil Annual II#1 (December, 2007) - Ed Brubaker, Ande Parks
(writers), Leandro Fernandez (penciler), Scott Koblish (inker), Warren
Simons (editor)
Daredevil: Blood of the Tarantula#1 (June, 2008) - Ed Brubaker, Ande
Parks (writers), Chris Samnee (penciler/inker), Warren Simons (editor)
Daredevil II#112-115 (December, 2008-March, 2009) - Ed Brubaker
(writer), Michael Lark (writer), Stefano Gaudiano (inker), Warren
Simons (editor)
Daredevil II#119 (August, 2009) - Ed Brubaker (writer), Michael Lark
(penciler), Stefano Gaudiano (inker), Warren Simons (editor)
Daredevil I#500 (October, 2009) - Ed Brubaker (writer), Michael Lark
(penciler), Stefano Gaudiano, Klaus Janson, Chris Samnee, Paul Azaceta
(inkers), Warren Simons (editor)
Dark Reign: The List - Daredevil#1 (November, 2009) - Andy Diggle
(writer), Billy Tan (penciler), Matt Banning (inker), Warren Simons
(editor)
Daredevil I#501-504 (December, 2009-March, 2010) - Andy Diggle
(writer), Roberto de la Torre (penciler/inker), Warren Simons/Stephen
Wacker (editors)
Daredevil I#507-508 (August-September, 2010) - Andy Diggle, Antony
Johnston (writers), Roberto de la Torre (penciler/inker), Stephen
Wacker (editor)
Shadowland#2-3 (October-November, 2010) - Andy Diggle (writer), Billy
Tan (penciler/inker), Victor Olazaba (inker), Stephen Walker (editor)
Shadowland: Power Man#2 (November, 2010) - Fred Van Lente (writer),
Mahmud Asrar (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Daredevil I#510 (November, 2010) - Andy Diggle, Antony Johnston
(writers), Marco Checchetto (penciler/inker), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Daredevil I#512 (February, 2011) - Andy Diggle, Antony Johnston
(writers), Marco Checchetto (penciler/inker), Stephen Wacker (editor)
Deathlok V#1 (December, 2014) - Nathan Edmondson (writer), Mike Perkins (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Power Man and Iron Fist III#2 (May, 2016) - (David Walker (writer), Sanford Greene (artist), Jake Thomas (editor)
Generation X II#7 (December, 2017) - Christina Strain (writer), Eric Koda (artist), Darren Shan (editor)
Contagion#3 (December, 2019) - Ed Brisson (writer), Mack Chater, Stephen Segovia (artists), Jake Thomas (editor)
Contagion#4 (December, 2019) - Ed Brisson (writer), Damian Couciero (artist), Jake Thomas (editor)
Contagion#5 (January, 2010) - Ed Brisson (writer), Adam Gorham (artist), Jake Thomas (editor)
Damage Control IV#3 (January, 2023) - Adam Goldberg & Hans Rodionoff (writers), Nathan Stockman (artist), Tom Brevoort & Wil Moss (editors)
First Posted: 06/19/2008
Last Updated: 04/08/2023
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters
mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All
Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com
Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!