Weird Suspense #1
Published and © by Atlas (Seaboard), February 1975
Title: “Curse of the Tarantula”
Synopsis: Eugene Lycosa lives with the curse of his ancestor, a count who stopped a tarantula cult at great personal cost.
Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Pat Boyette
Review: After the Scorpion #1 (see review), the Tarantula’s origin tale in Weird Suspense is probably the best debut of the entire Atlas (Seaboard) line. Michael Fleisher – whose dark take on DC’s Spectre had already generated some buzz – is the perfect for writer for this macabre series (starring a “hero” who eats the bad guys!) Pat Boyette is a nice fit on art, as well. While it might take awhile to warm up to Boyette’s work, his unique rendering style, odd-but-effective page layouts and well-spotted blacks make for a nicely illustrated horror book. This one could have been a contender!
Grade: A-
Second opinion: “This title featured a hero who was tasteless even by Atlas standards and must have a strong claim to being the tackiest hero ever.” – Frank Plowright, FantaCo’s Chronicle’s Series Annual #1, 1983
Cool factor: That’s right. This “hero” eats bad guys. Mmmm …
Notable: First appearance of the Tarantula.
Character quotable: “I am Count Eugene Lycosa! But to men of your ilk … I am best known as … the Tarantula!” – The Tarantula, getting ready to chow down
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Comics Bronze Age on Aug. 26, 2010.
