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The Spider #92 Audiobook
The Devil's Paymaster
by Norvell W. Page writing as Grant Stockbridge
Read by Nick Santa Maria
People were dying by the score — dying painfully, of an ailment absolutely unknown to science! Each victim had recently touched some precious metal; only that much was determined... until Richard Wentworth, in the sinister guise of the Spider, faced almost certain death at the hands of a criminal genius — who had come back from the depths of Davey Jones!
During the Golden Age of Pulp Fiction, three publications ranked as the most popular: The Shadow, Doc Savage, and the Spider.
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.
The stories plunge along head-first aboard an emotional roller-coaster, with scarcely a moment’s pause for respite. Much of the action takes place in the tenements and slums, the poor and lower classes victimized as readily as the rich. 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 again takes on the dual role of Richard Wentworth, aka the Spider, Master of Men, for this powerful story. The Devil's Paymaster originally published in The Spider magazine, May, 1941.
Chapter 1: Death Dollars
Chapter 2: Emergency
Chapter 3: The Spider Rushes In
Chapter 4: Teeth in the Trap
Chapter 5: The Ghost
Chapter 6: The Ghost Calls
Chapter 7: The Ghost Strikes
Chapter 8: Vengeance Is Mine!
Chapter 9: Disaster
Chapter 10: Corner of Hell
Chapter 11: Death on the Ramp
Chapter 12: Race With Death
Chapter 13: The Battle
Chapter 14: The Ghost’s Triumph
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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