Black Spider

Black Spider
Cover of Detective Comics #463 (Sept. 1976), the Black Spider's first appearance, art by Ernie Chua.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Detective Comics #463 (September 1976)
Created by	Gerry Conway (writer) Ernie Chua (artist)
In-story information
Full name	Eric Needham
Species	Human
Place of origin	Gotham City
Team affiliations	Suicide Squad Secret Society of Super Villains
Partnerships	The Penguin
Notable aliases	Urban Ninja Derrick Coe
Abilities	Olympic-level athlete and highly dangerous hand-to-hand combatant. High-tech suit featuring claws and wrist-pistol. Possess high-tech weaponry such as laser assisted rifles and shotguns.

Black Spider is a super-villain and anti-hero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. While several versions of the character exist, the original version is a lesser-known adversary of Batman and notably served as a member of the Suicide Squad.

The secret identity of the Black Spider is Eric Needham, an African-American former drug addict who becomes a vigilante after accidentally killing his own father during his involvement in criminal activities. Seeking to hold drug dealers accountable, Eric overcomes his addiction, receives training, and acquires a costume and weapons from a mysterious source. Taking on the identity of the assassin and vigilante Black Spider, the character becomes one of Batman's adversaries and is the most well-known version. The character is also a known member of the Suicide Squad, being one of group member's most effective operatives.^[1][2]

The Eric Needham version of Black Spider has made appearances in various media adaptations. In the animated film Batman: Assault on Arkham, he is voiced by Giancarlo Esposito. Additionally, Eric Needham appears in the Young Justice animated television series, where he is voiced by Josh Keaton. In this portrayal, Eric Needham is depicted as a villainous character, paying homage to Marvel's Spider-Man.

The original Black Spider first appeared in Detective Comics #463 (September 1976) and was created by Gerry Conway.^[3]

Eric Needham, an African-American native of Gotham City, had a healthy childhood until he experiences an upheaval in his life following his mother's death from illness and his father's subsequent emotional withdrawal. He eventually turns to a life of crime, becoming involved in small-time criminal activities and developing a heroin addiction. After an incident where he nearly kills an elderly woman during a mugging attempt, he is sentenced to prison but is released after three years due to being a minor.^[2][4] Sometime after reaching adulthood, Eric entered a relationship with his friend Linda Morre, which resulted in the birth of his son, Michael. While once source states that Eric was unaware of Michael's birth until years later by a chance meeting with Linda,^[4] another expresses he took to robbing to support his drug habits and take care of their infant son.^[2]

Nevertheless, in need of money to fuel his drug addiction, he commits a robbery at a liquor store, unintentionally killing the owner who is revealed to be his own father. Overwhelmed with remorse upon his arrest, Eric manages to overcome his addiction and embarks on a personal crusade against the drug trade. Financed by a mysterious source with weaponry, training, and a costume, he assumes the role of a self-proclaimed vigilante and begins targeting individuals suspected of involvement in drug dealing, resorting to lethal methods.^[2][4] Over time, Eric as Black Spider engages in multiple conflicts with Batman due to his employment of lethal methods, which the Dark Knight disapproves of. Despite his disdain for criminals, Eric clashes with Batman on several occasions. In one encounter, he sustains severe injuries and is believed to be deceased, but he manages to survive thanks to treatment received at a free clinic. During his recovery, Eric discovers that his resources were funded by drug kingpin Hannibal Hardwicke. Seeking vengeance, Black Spider attempts to kill Hardwicke but is thwarted by Batman, resulting in Hardwicke's imprisonment. Eric develops a resentment towards Batman and temporarily allies with other criminals to confront him purely for the sake of opposition.^[2]

However, he later refocuses his efforts on targeting drug dealers, particularly after their activities directly impact his wife and son, both of whom tragically lose their lives during a botched drug deal. Eric ultimately sacrifices himself to dismantle the cartel responsible for their deaths.^[4]

Eric Needham later appears in The Sandman, dating Lyta Hall. No explanation is given for his resurrection.

Whatever the case, Needham's survival has since been confirmed and the character has made subsequent appearances as the Black Spider, such as in the miniseries Underworld Unleashed. He was seen in Identity Crisis as an ally of Deadshot, Monocle, and Merlyn. He is later a member of The Society.

He is one of the villains sent to retrieve the Get Out of Hell Free card from the Secret Six.

In the New 52 reboot and during the Suicide Squad series, Eric's background is altered, with Amanda Waller describing him as a educated man and devout father and husband who turned to vigilantism following the death of his family, gaining a strong disdain for criminals. Unbeknownst to her, after an encounter with Regulus, Needham joined him and was tasked with assassinating Waller, using his vigilante activities to be a viable candidate for her early Task Force X proposals.^[5] While on the team, despite his criminal background, he's considered by Waller and some other teammates more heroic. However, Eric ultimately betrays the team when he is revealed to be an assassin and spy planted by Regulus, the leader of Basilisk and a former teammate of Amanda Waller who manipulated Eric using his tragedy and anti-metahuman sentiments. When Wallers defeats and detains him, she attempts to garner answers for his actions, believing Needham too smart to fall for Regulus's deception. Needham reveals that while he knew Regulus only sought to manipulate him for his means, he believed in his agenda, which aimed to establish a position of power before metahumans and extraterrestrial entities could accumulate enough resources to dominate humanity.^[5][6]

Black Spider makes a return in the DC Rebirth era. He is among the numerous villains who target Batman in an attempt to claim Two-Face's bounty. In this iteration, Needham is equipped with two cybernetic claws on his back and employs a machine gun in combat. However, Batman ultimately triumphs over him, severing his cybernetic arms using a chainsaw. The character later clashes with the Flash and gains prominence as a member of Deathstroke's Secret Society of Super-Villains.

He becomes embroiled in a conflict between the League of Assassins and the Society following the framing of Deathstroke by Geo-Force for the death of Ra's al Ghul. Seeking revenge on both factions for their respective roles in Terra's and Markovia's downfall, Black Spider becomes a significant player in the conflict. Subsequently, Black Spider falls under the control of Pariah, who wields the power of the Great Darkness. After breaking free from Pariah's influence, Amanda Waller recruits him, along with several other villains, in response to the "Lazarus Planet" event. Waller issues a bounty for the death of any superhero, leading Black Spider to participate in this dangerous undertaking.

In the Penguin comic series, elements of his previous continuity are reinforced, including his classic costume and background involving him gunning down his father. The character is additionally is portrayed as queer or bisexual, being in a relationship with a man name Daniel, who is terminally ill. Neeham is hired by Penguin's children, Addison and Aiden Cobblepot, in exchange for venom, the same substance used by the supervillain Bane, but finds himself in a string of manipulation and threats to kill Daniel lest he follows their specific whims following a series of failures. A frustrated Needham, after Daniel is killed, teams with Oswald, who seeks to regain control. The pair are ultimately successful when Aiden is killed and Addison escapes despite Neehdam turning on Penguin, also placating blame on him for Daniel's death. In order to reconcile, Oswald grants Needham the opportunity to kill his daughter.

Black Spider is a Olympic-level athlete and gymnast with extensive training in physical combat and weapons expert, making him a formidable assassin and highly skilled martial artist able to match Batman in his earlier appearances.^[7][1] In current continuities, Eric is also noted for extraordinary reflexes capable of letting him to dodge bullets despite not being metahuman.^[1][7] Needham also originates from a educated background, having knowledge apt enough to create specialized weaponry to enhance his combat prowess.^[8]

Black Spider is equipped with a diverse array of weaponry and gadgets, including: a state-of-the-art armored battle suit that offers various functionalities, such as retractable claws and wrist-mounted pistols. His mask is equipped with a thermal imaging to better read his opponents, even in situations within darkness or being obscured by smoke.^[1] He also carries advanced firearms, including shotguns and laser-targeting rifles.^[1][7] Specialized weapons includes the "spider's stirng", a poison dart capable of killing or incapacitating his enemies, two kamas that serves as his preferred melee weapons,^[7] and mechanical limbs can be used to enhance his combat prowess, possessing enough strength to lift up cars.^[8]

• The Eric Needham incarnation of Black Spider appears in The Batman Adventures #5-8^[9] as a member of Black Mask's gang.
• The Eric Needham incarnation of Black Spider appears in issue #3-4 of the Young Justice tie-in comic book series.^[10]
• The Johnny LaMonica incarnation of Black Spider appears in the Batman: The Telltale Series tie-in comic Batman: Sins of the Father.^[11]

• Several other character also operated under the codename after Needham's apparent demise, with the codename once considered a "villain franchise" able to be purchased.^[2]

  • 

    The second Black Spider first appeared in Batman #518 (May 1995).^[2] Professional hitman Johnny LaMonica takes the name "Black Spider" when he is sent to infiltrate the False Face Society and kill Black Mask. He is thwarted by Batman and sent to prison.^[12] He sustains injuries during this incident which leave his face a disfigured web of scars. Black Spider is later killed by Crispus Allen during a gang shooting.^[13]
  • A third Black Spider appears shortly after as a member of the Society. He first appeared in Birds of Prey #87 (December 2005).^[2] Derrick Coe bought the name fromthe Calculator, who assigns him to help torture Savant into revealing the identity of Oracle. When Oracle sends in her task force, the Birds of Prey, to rescue Savant, Savant throws Coe out a window, nearly killing him — Black Canary speculates that he may be a metahuman, allowing him to survive the experience. He was also seen in Gotham during the "Battle for the Cowl", fighting and losing to Manhunter.^[14] Coe later resurfaces as a member of the new Injustice League and one of the exiled supervillains in Salvation Run. While existing as an independent character previously, the New 52 reveals that Derrick Coe is one of Eric's aliases.^[15]
  • An unnamed Black Spider was a member of the group of assassins known as the Council of Spiders. This Black Spider came into conflict with Red Robin and was defeated.^[16]

The Eric Needham incarnation of Black Spider appears in Young Justice, voiced by Josh Keaton.^[17] This version is a member of the League of Shadows who wields wrist-mounted web-shooters and mocks opponents with relentless quips and bantering in an homage to Marvel Comics character Spider-Man, whom Keaton previously voiced in The Spectacular Spider-Man.^[18]

• An unidentified Black Spider makes a cameo appearance in Superman/Batman: Public Enemies.
• The Eric Needham incarnation of Black Spider appears in Batman: Assault on Arkham, voiced by Giancarlo Esposito.^[19][17] This version is a vigilante responsible for killing several gangsters across the United States. He is recruited into Amanda Waller's Suicide Squad to retrieve sensitive information from the Riddler and implanted with a nano-bomb in his neck to keep him in line. However, the squad encounters Batman, who secretly knocks out Black Spider and disguises himself as him to investigate the squad. After the squad discovers the Riddler knows how to deactivate their bombs, they allow him to do so. Waller learns of their treachery and attempts to detonate their bombs before then, but succeeds in killing Black Spider and King Shark while the rest of the squad survive and discover Batman's ruse.

The Eric Needham incarnation of Black Spider, based on his New 52 portrayal, appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.^[20]

• List of Batman family enemies
• Tarantula (DC Comics)

• Black Spider appearances at Grand Comics Database

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