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The Spider #109 Audiobook
Army of the Damned
by Norvell W. Page writing as Grant Stockbridge
Read by Nick Santa Maria
The reaching tentacles of this new and ghastly crime machine struck at the very heart of a nation already fighting for its life. When it framed youngsters from our armed services straight into the filthiest racket known to mankind, it became too rotten a game for even the crooked mayor of “Bloody” Bentonville. He called on the Spider. And that Master of Men plunged straight into the murder maw of Bentonville — to save, if he could, our fighting youth!
The Spider was wealthy Richard Wentworth III, master of disguise, dilettante of the arts, in perfect physical condition, and completely devoted to the pursuit of justice for the down-trodden, no matter what the cost to himself or loved ones. Secretly donning a decrepit black hat, a tattered black cape, a false hunch to his shoulders, a lank wig of stringy hair, an application of sinister face makeup and a pair of .45 automatics, Wentworth prowls the streets of New York as his alter-ego the Spider, chasing down criminal masterminds bent on enslaving or destroying humanity. Much of the action takes place in the tenements and slums.
One of the things that sets the Spider apart from other hero characters is magnitude; the villains commit acts of destruction on a grand scale, sinking whole ocean liners, toppling entire buildings, wiping out entire towns with germ warfare.
Nick Santa Maria breathes life into the Spider in Army of the Damned. Originally published in The Spider magazine, October, 1942.
Chapter 1: Doom of a Mayor
Chapter 2: Murder Is a Crime
Chapter 3: At Bay!
Chapter 4: Murder’s Rule
Chapter 5: Challenge
Chapter 6: Death and Destruction
Chapter 7: Treachery
Chapter 8: Honest Government
Chapter 9: The Boss
Chapter 10: The Trap
Chapter 11: For Freedom!
Chapter 12: From Within
Chapter 13: Police Chief Spider
Chapter 14: Inglorious Army
Chapter 15: “The Spider Speaking!”
Chapter 16: Men Who Fight
Chapter 17: Night Raid
Chapter 18: Seal of Wrath
Chapter 19: Chief Death’s Son
Chapter 20: Men of Menace
Chapter 21: Death’s Other Face
Nick Santa Maria Nick was born early in life in Brooklyn, NY. His theatrical background is based in Comedy Improv. He was a long standing member of the late lamented Miami based, Mental Floss, where he served as head writer/composer. From there he began his career in commercials, voice-overs, TV, Film, and theatre. He has performed in many roles on the stage including his award winning turn as Nick in Over The River And Through The Woods, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, as Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, in The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee as Mr. Panch (3-D Theatricals), Mr. Bromhead in No Sex Please, We’re British at The Norris, and as Pseudolus in, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at the Norris Theatre. Television: The Buffalo Bill Show, B.J. Stryker, and two Disney Christmas Specials. Off Broadway: Writer/Composer/Performer on Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know, Soundtrack on RCA Victor. Broadway: Vince Fontaine in Tommy Tune’s production of Grease. He also appeared in every domestic company of Mel Brooks’ The Producers, understudying everyone from Nathan Lane and Jason Alexander, to Tony Danza and David Hassellhoff. He was the original Genie in Disney’s Aladdin, a Musical Spectacular, soundtrack on Disney Records. Nick is a resident of Los Angeles and is currently writing a book about classic film comedians, Nick’s been a long time film historian, and has written several articles on the topic.
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