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Quote1 So simple to fool you Mr. Tarantula - Alias Mr. Crossart - My hat and cape on a pillow - a string to topple it when you shot - Quote2
The Sandman src

In the 1940s, the Tarantula was an enemy of the Sandman.

Donning a cheap suit and a dark hood, Mr. Crossart began his criminal career as the Tarantula while staying as a guest at the mansion of wealthy socialite Vivian Dale, whom he took captive. Meanwhile Wesley Dodds, the mystery man known as the Sandman, learned of the crime, and after investigating, he guessed the Tarantula's identity, and that he had hidden Vivian in her own house. Discovering a hidden door leading underground from her second-floor room, Sandman found a number of secret passageways between the walls in the very large house. The Sandman rescued Vivian and left the unconscious Crossart to be found by the police. Crossart's age, occupation, ambitions, and first name have not been published and are not known.

Much later, the Tarantula was one of several villains recruited by Ian Karkull to fight the Justice Society of America. Karkull sent Tarantula to Hyannisport, Massachusetts to blow up a mansion, but he was stopped by JSA members Sandman and the Atom. (Unknown to Tarantula, his ultimate target was future president John F. Kennedy.) Tarantula was captured and presumably turned over to the police.[1]

  • This version of the Tarantula, including all history and corresponding appearances, was erased from existence following the collapse of the original Multiverse in the 1985–86 Crisis on Infinite Earths event and later restored following the rebirth of the infinite Multiverse during the Dark Crisis of 2022-2023. Even though other versions of the character may have appeared, this information does not apply to those versions.
  • The character of the Tarantula was created by Gardner Fox and "Larry Dean", and appeared in only one story of the Sandman series in Adventure Comics (Volume 1). Forty years later, the character was very briefly revived, for a few panels in All-Star Squadron Annual #3, his second and final appearance.
  • In post-Crisis continuity, this version of Tarantula was not seen. The code name was instead used by Roger Goldman, who became "the Tarantula" as part of a terrorist scheme, alongside his mother and against his father, in a dispute over an inheritance.

Related

Footnotes


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Justice Society Villain(s)
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This character, team or organization is or was primarily an enemy of the Justice Society, in any of its various incarnations. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Justice Society Villains" category.

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