Warning: Spoilers for Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider #7An underusedSpider-Manvillain, theBlack Tarantula, just got a massive overhaul as he faces Ghost Spider, and it makes him the perfect villain to make the move to the big screen with a stylish suit that would transfer perfectly to live-action. With the new Black Tarantula overhaul, he would be a fresh villain to face Tom Holland’s ever more experienced Spider-Man.
Gwen - otherwise known as the hero Ghost Spider - becomes smitten with Fabian LaMuerto, an attractive young man she met at a coffee shop. That young man is actuallythe secret alter ego of the son of the Black Tarantula, and he debuts a brand-new suit in a recent issue.
InSpider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider#7by Stephanie Phillips, Von Randal, Matt Milla, and Ariana Maher, Fabian goes all into hisBlack Tarantula persona with brand-new powers and a stylish new suitas he attacks and kills a court judge in his own home with the goal of forcing him to confess to his corruption. He and Gwen face-off, showcasing his new suit.
Black Tarantula, a Multi-Generational Villain, Debuts a New Costume
The Villain Is Now Going Toe-to-Toe with Spider-Gwen
Black Tarantula is a villain mantle passed from father to sonfor over seven hundred years. Black Tarantula isa Spider-Man villainwho’s also dealt with Daredevil and Elektra from time to time. Not only is the title passed down, but so is the Black Tarantula’s powers, via a special serum, which includes superhuman strength and other enhanced abilities, optic blasts, a healing factor, and possibly even immortality. Though that last power hasn’t been proven, Carlos LaMuerto, the pervious Black Tarantula, claims that it’s true and definitely has some kind of enhanced longevity.
Fabian LaMuerto was groomed by his father, Carlos LaMuerto, the pervious Black Tarantula, to one day take up the mantle for himself.
The previous Black Tarantula, Carlos LaMuerto, was a crime lord with territory in South America and some of Europe. Carlos and his Brazilian wife, Marina Caches, had a son together, but after discovering Carlos' illegal activities, she divorced him and took their son with her. Carlos sent ninja and paid assassins to New York City to bring his son back, but when all that failed, he made the trip himself. Now, with him and his son Fabian reunited,they have an entire army of soldiers dressed like Black Tarantulaasthey face Ghost Spiderto prove who is right.
A New Black Tarantula Makes His Own Rules with a Stylish New Suit
Spider-Gwen: The Ghost Spider#7 Cover by Mark Brooks
Fabian LaMuerto was groomed by his father to one day take up the Black Tarantula mantle for himself. Carlos admits that his father took him away from his mother to begin his training before he could even walk, butFabian’s mother tried to keep him from his destiny, not wanting him to become like his father. In the pervious issue, Carlos finally gets his wish as he initiates Fabian as the next Black Tarantula, and gives him the serum that grants them their powers.
InSpider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider#7,Fabian dons a stylish new suit and fights his father’s fight. Gwen discusses the pervious Black Tarantula withJessica Jones. He was incarcerated, but eventually released and left the country. Though his methods were violent, his intentions tended to be noble. When Fabian confronts Gwen in his slick black suit and ghostly cape, he explains that working within the system is a broken method, like rolling a rock up a hill only for it to fall back down. Fabian plans to make his own system, and promises that his results will stick.
Black Tarantula Is a Perfect Contrast to Spider-Man that the MCU Desperately Needs
Fabian LaMuerto Refreshes the Villain Mantle
Spider-Man has always had a distinct idea of what is the right and wrong thing to do. He has a code, and he sticks to it. The MCU’s Spider-Man has already had a run in with Green Goblin where he considered breaking his code, but that was out of pure emotion. If he were to face a villain like Fabian LaMuerto who committed noble acts while operating outside the system,it could seriously test Spider-Man’s loyalty to his code. Spider-Man as a character already pushes the limits of the law by operating as a masked vigilante to deal out justice.
At the point that Spider-Man is at in the MCU, becoming his own hero away from the Avengers-level threats, now more than ever he needs to figure out what kind of hero he wants to be. Black Tarantula being a lesser known villain from the comics, and Fabian LaMuerto being a new character,he would bring a breath of fresh air to the MCU’s Spider-Man stories. Black Tarantula could have more run-ins across the MCU with other heroes like Daredevil, not just Spider-Man. Not only is his story important, but his suit is made for the big screen.
It’s Official: Loki and Spider-Gwen Are Ready to Team Up
In Gwen Stacy’s next arc as Ghost-Spider in Marvel’s main continuity, she officially meets and goes on an adventure with the God of Mischief, Loki.
Fabian’s black leather suit with silver spider designs and a flowing, ghostly cape looks stunning as it fills the comic panels, twisting and stretching every which way, but it just doesn’t do it justice the way an MCU budget movie’s CGI could. The contrast ofSpider-Man’sbright red-and-blue drowned inBlack Tarantula’sjet black cape would perfectly represent their contrast in methods.
Spider-Gwen: The Ghost-Spider#7isavailable now from Marvel Comics.
Spider-Man
Spider-Man is the name given to several individuals who have employed a spider-moniker throughout Marvel Comics. Typically gaining their powers through a bite from a radioactive spider, the different Spider-Man heroes employ super-strength, agility, and intellect while utilizing webbing to swing and tangle up their foes. The most notable of these Spider-Men is Peter Parker, who remains one of the most popular superheroes throughout the world.
