Black Spider exudes an evident sadistic relish while doing his job. He enjoys teasing his targets with gallows humor quipping and bantering before killing them.[3][4]
Physical appearance[]
Black Spider is a human male who wears a purple spandex costume. His mask has shades of purple, with the back portion being dark purple and the front portion being regular purple. It also sports a spider emblem that takes up most of his forehead and then intersects with his golden eye pieces. The torso of the suit is dark purple, along with his hands, knees, elbow, inner elbow and parts of his feet, while the remainder of the costume is purple. Around his wrist he has two dull gray bracelets.
History[]
Eric Needham began his career as Black Spider in 2009.[5]
Black Spider and Hook infiltrated Gonzalez's office. Kid Flash, Robin and Aqualad tried to protect her, but the assassins captured the three young heroes after a short fight. Black Spider tied them up.[6]
Central City July 9, 22:12CDT
The heroes broke loose and defeated Hook and Black Spider. Selena Gonzalez escaped and was killed by assassins waiting outside. Hook and Spider were taken to jail, but escaped the next day.[7]
Cheshire brought Hook and Black Spider along on the hit on Serling Roquette. Black Spider took on Kid Flash, and though he managed to hit him with his web, the young speedster spun himself deeper in it, pulling Black Spider within kicking distance. He was knocked out by the collision.[8]He was to be taken to Belle Reve Penitentiary, but escaped before arriving there.[2]
After waiting outside a pub for hours, Black Spider confronted Jaqqar Marlo and declared his intention to kill him. Marlo made a run for it and Black Spider chased after, but quickly lost him. Soon enough, his accomplice dropped a giant rock on Marlo, finishing the job. Black Spider praised her, saying "all the bosses would be proud."[4]
From a helicopter, Spider confirmed his orders from Lady Shiva.
He used Shade's power to infiltrate the Vault, and watched from the ceiling as Tigress, Cheshire and Orphan discussed the two apparent defectors from the League of Shadows in their custody. Spider revealed himself after his partner, Rictus, attacked Cassandra Savage in her cell. Spider focused on disarming his opponents using his webbing, while dodging whatever attacks they threw. He goaded Cheshire for leaving the Shadows for a guy, but was caught off guard when she attached a grenade to a rifle he snatched away from her. The fight ended when Shiva arrived and took Orphan hostage, demanding that their opponents bring Savage to Santa Prisca. Shade then took the assassins and their captive away.[9]
Spider and Rictus went to Shiva at Orphan's cell to report that they had lost contact with section 16, suggesting Tigress had arrived.
After Tigress's group infiltrated the Shadows' HQ and Savage revealed she was a mole, Shade, Spider and Rictus went to support Savage. Cheshire arrived and set of smoke bombs, allowing Tigress's group to escape, but the assassins caught up with them soon after at Orphan's cell, alongside Shiva and a large number of Shadows.[10]
Spider stood by with the other assassins as Shiva delivered an ultimatum. After Orphan freed herself from her shackles and cut the lights, Spider joined the battle in the dark. He focused on Cheshire, who ultimately ruptured his webbing storage tank, encasing him in his own webbing. Shade shifted allegiance and teleported Tigress's group away, with Shiva following, leaving Spider to wonder what had happened.[11]
Abilities[]
Black Spider is extremely agile, and a skilled hand-to-hand combatant.[8]
Equipment[]
Web shooters: Black Spider is equipped with devices on his wrists that can shoot a sticky red substance resembling a spider's web. The webbing is stored under compression in a tank on his back.[11] The webbing can be fired as balls to snare foes or tie down equipment, or as a line, which Spider can use to swing on or pull back items.[3][9]
Spider climbing costume: Spider is able to climb on and cling to vertical surfaces, and even stand upside down on ceilings.[9]
Although there have been three villains in the DC universe with the alias "Black Spider" (Eric Needham, Johnny LaMonica and Derrick Coe), the appearance, skills and equipment of this version is based on none of them in particular. He is instead based on the Marvel superhero Spider-Man, going so far as using his logo and webshooters. Prior to Young Justice, Greg Weisman had been co-creator of The Spectacular Spider-Man cartoon. Black Spider is voiced by Josh Keaton, who voiced Spider-Man on The Spectacular Spider-Man.
This is Black Spider's second animated appearance; the Eric Needham version appeared in Superman/Batman: Public Enemies.