Before Marvel Comics' "Spider-Man" made his debut in "Amazing Fantasy" #15 (1962), the first 'Spider' crime-fighter in pop fiction debuted in 1933, according to Steeger Properties, LLC who have amassed thousands of pulp magazine stories for licensing in all media, including film and TV adaptations:
Cover artists for "The Spider" magazine, publishing monthly from 1933 to 1943, included Walter M. Baumhofer, John Newton Howitt and Rafael De Soto.
'The Spider' was millionaire playboy 'Richard Wentworth', a former military 'Major' living in New York City, as the last surviving member of a filthy rich family.
His first costume was a black domino mask, hat and cape. Later he added vampire-like makeup, followed by a face mask with grizzled hair to terrorize the criminal underworld with The Spider's brand of vigilante justice.
Wentworth went undercover as an informant in the underworld, disguised as 'Blinky McQuade' to gain needed information.
'Scotland Yard' also knew Wentworth as 'Rupert Barton', giving him the rank of 'Inspector' for services rendered. He was also a 'Lieutenant' in the 'FBI'.
Wentworth was an accomplished pianist, violinist, sports car enthusiast and fluent in several languages.
Previous feature film adaptations of the character include "The Spider's Web" (1938) and "The Spider Returns" (1941), both starring actor Warren Hull.
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