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The Spider #66 Audiobook
The Silver Death Rain
by Norvell W. Page writing as Grant Stockbridge
Read by Nick Santa Maria
An epidemic of strange and sudden death had placed New York in the ruthless grip of an Underworld master such as the world had never seen. The Law was powerless against this nighttime Nemesis. But Richard Wentworth, as the Spider, had one more blow to strike before surrendering a shuddering city to the powers of hell!
The Spider starred in his own pulp magazine for a wild decade from 1933 to 1943. Seeing rival pulp house Street & Smith breaking sales records with The Shadow Magazine, Popular Publications president Harry Steeger decided to clone him. Legend has it that he was playing tennis and spotted a spider walking across the court. That gave him a catchy yet creepy title. He hired mystery novelist and occultist R. T. M. Scott to write The Spider Strikes! and a sequel, The Wheel of Death. Mysteriously, Scott bowed out of the picture around the time of the first issue, dated October, 1933.
Enter Norvell W. Page, a practitioner of the Edgar Allen Poe tradition in pulps. Writing under the pseudonym of Grant Stockbridge, He remade the Spider into his own psychic twin, often dressing up as the Master of Men when delivering his monthly manuscripts. In a letter to a Spider fan, Page wrote, “Think of me as Wentworth, if you will. The line between us is not too distinct.”
A deeply religious man, Norvell W. Page began infusing his latter Spider stories with undercurrents of a strange spiritual quest. A Tibetan monk became a recurring character, issuing prophecies. Psychic phenomenon became a constant theme. Jesus was often evoked.
Nick Santa Maria breathes life into the Spider in The Silver Death Rain. Originally published in The Spider magazine, March, 1939.
Chapter 1: Out of the Night
Chapter 2: Death to the Spider!
Chapter 3: Execution!
Chapter 4: To the Death!
Chapter 5: Where the Falcon Flies
Chapter 6: Two Red-Headed Men
Chapter 7: Friend of Death
Chapter 8: Into the Trap
Chapter 9: The Trap’s Jaws Close!
Chapter 10: Handcuff Alibi
Chapter 11: Death Rides the Wind
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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