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The Spider #23 Audiobook
Master of the Death-Madness
by Norvell W. Page writing as Grant Stockbridge
Read by Nick Santa Maria
The madness first struck at sea! As if at a signal, young and old initiated the wild bacchanal of self-destruction! Never before had a criminal of such horrible, death-dealing genius preyed upon the American people. Never before did Richard Wentworth, who was in secret the dread Spider, combat a foeman of more deadly power. And while the Spider lay gravely wounded, his beloved, Nita went forth alone to battle for her sweetheart as only a brave woman can do!
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. The evil masterminds are in truth more terrorists than criminals, their villainy often more for its own sake than any concrete plan for profit.
While the Spider borrowed his black slouch hat and cloak from the already thriving Shadow, the rest of the character was significantly different. The Spider stories are all about action, emotional intensity, and pacing. Wentworth himself is strongly emotional, plumbing the thrills of victory as readily, and as deeply, as the depths of despair during his escapades.
The stories plunge along head-first aboard an emotional roller-coaster, with scarcely a moment’s pause for respite. Oriental death-traps, treacherously alluring women, and rabid, machine-gun toting gangsters are all part of a typical day for the hero; Wentworth is frequently suspected of being the dreaded Spider, his home is periodically destroyed, his servants and friends tortured.
Nick Santa Maria brings the action to vibrant life, narrating with a fever-pitch intensity. Master of the Death-Madness originally published in The Spider magazine, August, 1935.
Chapter 1: Priestess of Death
Chapter 2: Suicide Mania
Chapter 3: Jamid Bey
Chapter 4: The Man-Mountain
Chapter 5: When a God Commands
Chapter 6: Tryst with Anubis
Chapter 7: Battle on High
Chapter 8: Ambush for the Spider!
Chapter 9: Crystals of Doom!
Chapter 10: The Spider Is Ready!
Chapter 11: The Wine of Anubis
Chapter 12: The Spider Falls
Chapter 13: The Spider’s Mate
Chapter 14: Death Takes a Taxi
Chapter 15: When Enemies Meet
Chapter 16: The Camp of Disaster
Chapter 17: Bride of Anubis
Chapter 18: Anubis’ 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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