Tarantula (Marvel Comics)
The Tarantula is a fictional character name used by several characters, usually supervillains, appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Most of these characters are primarily depicted as wearing a red and blue suit with retractable blades.
Publication history
The original version of Tarantula (Anton Miguel Rodriguez) was introduced in
A character with the Tarantula name previously appeared in Ghost Rider #2 (April 1967) with no connection between this character and any of the other depictions.
Fictional character biographies
Anton Miguel Rodriguez
Tarantula | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | The Amazing Spider-Man #134 (July 1974) |
Created by | Gerry Conway Ross Andru |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Antonio "Anton" Miguel Rodriguez |
Species | Human |
Team affiliations | Brand Corporation Boca Del Rios revolutionist forces Boca Del Rios fascist government |
Notable aliases | Taranty, El Tarántula, Mr. Valdez |
Abilities | Skilled martial artist Enhanced agility Finger claws and toe spikes incorporated into the costume, usually envenomed As Tarantula-like creature Superhuman strength Wall-crawling ability Organic webbing shot from buttocks |
Antonio "Anton" Miguel Rodriguez is the first character to use the Tarantula codename.
He was a revolutionary terrorist in the small fictional South American republic of Delvadia, and was expelled from his small organization after murdering a guard for no reason during a robbery. Anton then went over to the side of the repressive fascist-dictatorship government, where the Tarantula identity was created for him to serve as a government operative and his country's counterpart of a patriotic symbol. After alienating his masters, Anton embarks on a criminal career in the United States. He hijacks a Hudson River dayliner to rob the passengers and hold them for ransom; his plan, however, is disrupted by
Anton is hired by the
During the Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy storyline, Anton is among those supervillains "reanimated" in cloned bodies (with their souls intact) thanks to the new Jackal's New U Technologies.[9] He was involved in a fight with the other cloned supervillains until it was broken up by a clone of the Prowler.[10]
In a prelude to the "Hunted" storyline, Anton is among the animal-themed characters captured by the
Luis Alvarez
Tarantula | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Web of Spider-Man #35 (February 1988) |
Created by | Gerry Conway Alex Saviuk |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Luis Alvarez |
Species | Human |
Notable aliases | El Arana |
Abilities | Skilled martial artist Enhanced agility Finger claws and toe spikes incorporated into the costume, usually envenomed |
Luis Alvarez is the second character to use the Tarantula codename. He was a special government operative and a former captain in the Delvadian militia, but not given to terrorist activities. Acting more as a death squad/government enforcer, Alvarez is chosen by Delvadian government officials to be the second Tarantula, and undergoes a mutagenic treatment to increase his already-considerable physical abilities, wearing an identical costume.
Third version
Tarantula | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Spider-Man: Get Kraven #1 (August 2002) |
Created by | Ron Zimmerman Al Rio |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Unknown |
Species | Human |
Abilities | Skilled martial artist Enhanced agility Finger claws and toe spikes incorporated into the costume, usually envenomed |
An unnamed character is the third individual to use the Tarantula codename.
A patron at the Bar With No Name, he and several other villains get into a brawl with Spider-Man and
Years later, the Tarantula resurfaces as an ally of the Black Cat, and as one of the villains taking advantage of the gang war raging in the Third Precinct.[20][21][22]
The Tarantula was among the supervillains fought by
Jacinda Rodriguez
Tarantula | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Agent X #6 (February 2003) |
Created by | Gail Simone Alvin Lee |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Jacinda Rodriguez |
Species | Human |
Abilities | Skilled martial artist Enhanced agility Finger claws and toe spikes incorporated into the costume, usually envenomed |
Jacinda Rodriguez is the fourth character to use the Tarantula codename and the daughter of Anton Miguel Rodriguez.[24] She and Marie Batroc were hired by the East Winds to go after Agent X, the Taskmaster and the Outlaw, however, the Taskmaster surprised both Jacinda and her partner and gunned down the two women.[25] Jacinda is later seen as an operative of Delvadia alongside the Devil-Spider, assisting Spider-Man and Mockingbird in confronting El Facóquero (a.k.a. the Warthog), Delvadia's drug lord and Norman Osborn's body double.[26]
Maria Vasquez
Tarantula | |
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Publication information | |
Publisher | Marvel Comics |
First appearance | Heroes for Hire #1 (October 2006) |
Created by | Justin Gray Jimmy Palmiotti Billy Tucci |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Maria Vasquez |
Species | Human |
Team affiliations | Heroes for Hire |
Notable aliases | Skilled martial artist Enhanced agility Finger claws and toe spikes incorporated into the costume, usually envenomed |
Maria Vasquez is the fifth character to use the Tarantula codename and a member of the Heroes for Hire.
Maria acts alongside the Heroes for Hire as the Superhuman Registration Act's enforcers for Iron Man.[27]
While the Heroes for Hire investigate a black-market operation, a hit gets put out on the entire team; Maria experiences this when visiting the gravesite of her sister Rosa Vasquez that was killed in the
The Heroes for Hire are next paid to put a stop to a dangerous group of thieves who had been using advanced exoskeletons to aid in robberies regardless of collateral damage or death left behind; the group's investigation resulted in Maria,
The Heroes for Hire are hired by
Kaine
Kaine, a clone of Peter Parker, used the Tarantula alias for his hulking Man-Spider form during the "
Powers and abilities
Anton Miguel Rodriguez was a great athlete with incredible agility, leaping skills and excellent in hand-to-hand combat. Additionally, he wore gloves with retractable razor-sharp finger claws and boots with two retractable razor-sharp spikes loaded with drugs that would render his victim unconscious, or other harmful or lethal drugs and poisons. He was educated in military school, was an excellent hand-to-hand combatant and was skilled in various martial arts, particularly in kickboxing. When he was mutated into a giant tarantula-like creature thanks to the Brand Corporation's mutagenic serum, he gained superhuman strength and the ability to adhere to surfaces. However, in his final mutation into a human-sized tarantula, while he possessed superhuman strength, his limbs were not structured to enable him to lift (press) weights. Just before his death, he developed the ability to shoot organic webbing from his buttocks.
Luis Alvarez had his strength, stamina, agility and reflexes enhanced to peak human levels, thanks to Dr. Karl Mendoza's formula. Like Rodriguez, he also wore retractable razor-sharp finger claws in his gloves, and two retractable razor-sharp spikes in his boots anointed with harmful or lethal drugs and poisons. Also, like his predecessor, he was educated in military school, was an excellent hand-to-hand combatant and was skilled in various martial arts, particularly in kickboxing.
Maria Vasquez is highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat. She is skilled in using the blades on her wrists and the toes of her boots as very effective weapons. She is also a skilled detective, capable of observation and forensic investigation, as well as an exceptional marksman who is also skilled in sharpshooting and knife throwing.
Other versions
Ultimate Marvel
The Ultimate equivalent of Tarantula is a clone of Peter Parker. Created by Doctor Octopus, the clone wears a black variant of Spider-Man's costume and displays Man-Spider inspired features (six arms, fangs and spiky hair), and possesses superhuman strength, reflexes and equilibrium, and a spider-sense. The Tarantula tries to prevent Kaine's kidnapping and mutation of Mary Jane Watson and later fights alongside his genetic template and Spider-Woman against his maker, but is killed as a result.[32]
Earth-1048
During the Spider-Geddon storyline, the Earth-1048 version of Tarantula is shown to sport mechanical spider legs. He was robbing the Financial District when he was attacked by Spider-Man. After immobilizing the Tarantula with a web bomb, Spider-Man is visited by the Superior Spider-Man of Earth-616 (Otto Octavius's mind in Spider-Man's body) as the Tarantula breaks free. As the Superior Spider-Man gets in the way of the web bomb, the Tarantula gets away. The two later find the Tarantula robbing a research facility and defeat him, while the Superior Spider-Man's spider-bots disable the Tarantula's mechanical spider legs. Both Spider-Men swing off, while the Tarantula is arrested by the police.[33]
In other media
Television
- A variation of the Tarantula appears in the Swarm fight the Spider-Team, but is defeated by Spider-Girl.[34]
- The Maria Vasquez incarnation of the Tarantula will appear in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.[35]
Film
- The Ultimate Marvel incarnation of the Tarantula appears in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse as a background member of Spider-Man 2099's Spider-Society.[36]
References
- ISBN 978-0756692360.
[Gerry] Conway and [Ross] Andru would introduce another major addition to Spider-Man's rogues gallery when the Tarantula debuted in this first chapter of a two-part tale.
- ^ Williams, Scott E. (October 2010). "Gerry Conway: Everything but the Gwen Stacy Sink". Back Issue! (#44). TwoMorrows Publishing: 13–14.
- ISBN 0-8160-1356-X.[1]
- ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #134-135. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #147-148. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #1-3. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Captain America #224. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #233-236. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy #2. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Prowler vol. 2 #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #16. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Web of Spider-Man #35-36. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Spectacular Spider-Man #137-138. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #341. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #343. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Punisher vol. 2 #64-72. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Venom: Sinner Takes All #2-4. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Ron Zimmerman (w), John McCrea (p), James Hodgkins (i). "Part One" Spider-Man: Get Kraven, vol. 1, no. 1 (August 2002). United States: Marvel Comics.
- ^ Brian K. Vaughan (w), Takeshi Miyazawa (p), Craig Yeung (i). "Star-Crossed, Chapter One" Runaways, vol. 2, no. 7 (October 2005). United States: Marvel Comics.
- ^ Dan Slott and Christos N. Gage (w), Humberto Ramos (p), Victor Olazaba (i), Edgar Delgado (col), Chris Eliopoulos (let), Nick Lowe (ed). "The Graveyard Shift, Part One: The Late, Late Mr. Parker" The Amazing Spider-Man, vol. 3, no. 16 (11 March 2015). United States: Marvel Comics.
- ^ Gerry Conway (w), Carlo Barberi (p), Juan Vlasco (i), Israel Silva (col), VC's Joe Caramagna (let), Nick Lowe (ed). "Spiral, Conclusion" The Amazing Spider-Man, vol. 3, no. 20.1 (12 August 2015). United States: Marvel Comics.
- ^ Dan Slott and Christos N. Gage (w), Humberto Ramos (p), Victor Olazaba (i), Edgar Delgado (col), Chris Eliopoulos (let), Nick Lowe (ed). "The Graveyard Shift, Part Three: Trade Secrets" The Amazing Spider-Man, vol. 3, no. 18 (6 May 2015). United States: Marvel Comics.
- ^ Dead Man Logan #1. Marvel Comics.
- ^ "Tarantula (Jacinda Rodriquez, Agent X/Taskmaster foe)".
- ^ Agent X #6. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 4 #25. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Heroes for Hire vol. 2 #1-3
- ^ Heroes for Hire vol. 2 #4-5. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Heroes for Hire vol. 2 #6-8. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Heroes for Hire #9-15. Marvel Comics.
- ^ The Amazing Spider-Man #666. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Ultimate Spider-Man #100–103. Marvel Comics.
- ^ Spider-Geddon #0. Marvel Comics.
- ^ "Generations". Spider-Man. Season 3. Episode 5. September 27, 2020. Disney XD.
- ^ Nolan, Liam (July 22, 2022). "SDCC: Marvel Studios Animation Panel Reveals Future of X-Men '97, What If and Marvel Zombies". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on July 22, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
- ^ Sideshow (May 19, 2023). "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse New Character Guide". Sideshow Collectibles.
External links
- Tarantula (Antonio Miguel Rodriguez) at Marvel.com
- Tarantula (Luis Alvarez) at Marvel.com
- Tarantula (Jacinda Rodriguez) at The Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
- Tarantula (Maria Vasquez) at Marvel.com