The Spider and the Girls in Hell. Rafael DeSoto's final Spider Pulp Painting

Twenty some odd years ago I commissioned Spider Pulp Artist Rafael DeSoto to paint a series of Spider paintings as if the Spider pulp had never ended as it did in 1943. You can see some of the others he did for me on this site as well as this, the final painting Desoto did before he passed away. On the back he wrote "The Spider and the Girl's From Hell."
I've been reluctant to share it for personal reasons up to now.

The Spider may have been the most violent of the pulp heroes. As pulp historian Robert Sampson said to me "each Spider novel is like a runaway train from start to finish. Hundreds die in every issue. Exciting from start to finish. Non stop action.and the Spider keeps going.he gets shot up so many yimes I can't remember. Yet he still goes on.
Very emotional stuff.

At the time Rafael and I shared this creative bond I also did a video with my television equipment of his pulp work. We talked about his life and his paintings. Rafael was a talented man and his work was vast. Maybe someday I will do something with that also. Up to now only a handful of people have seen it. I once had a showing with a small group of fans at a Pulpcon in the early 1990's. Among the people interested enough to watch was Jim Steranko. His attendance was an honor to say the least.

Anyway, in this wonderful painting The Spider is tackling a bald headed killer with a whip in a dungeon. Three girls are glad to be rescued. I hope you enjoy it. I think he captures the mood very well. Rest in Peace Rafael.