The Spider painting where every cover was a fictional Nightmare. Terrorized Woman courtesy Julie Juka.

These DeSoto paintings are incredible.   The background are nicely detailed.   The story is very fun.   What a suicidal relationship to have with a hero pulp artist and one of the best illustrators from the pulp era. 

thanks Illia. I'm going to use a response I just wrote as it is pertinent to your comment also. 

The neatest thing I'm finding out about the Spider is all the violence that took place and the Spider (Richard Wentworth) still had time for romance. 
I collected The Shadow for many years and I can't remember him giving Margo Lane as much as a hand shake. Wentworth was a true romantic. He played the violin for his gal and the villains raped and pillaged and drugged the population. Crazy stuff that Spider was involved with. 
ThenPhantom Detective was involved with some nasty characters also. I guess it depends on who wrote it.

for instance. My favorite Shadow author (forgive me Will Murray) was Theodore Tinsley. He loaded up on tragedy in his stories. I remember in ThePooltex Tangle someone shot the Shadow and threw him into a river. I can't swear they shot him but to me it was all very exciting.

Getting to see all his originals was also wonderful. I will post a comment from Bob Sampson dated July 1, 1990 with the photo to give it some extra flavor. . 

Luv the Realism and Great Use of color!!............Congrats!!

Shelton,

Thanks! Funny how collecting goes isn't it? When something has meaning it's tough to let the memory go. 
For instance, besides collecting Star Wars with my son I was on a composition toy soldier kick. 
they were made in Germany before the war. Most kids collected the fighting guys. I collected what they call "camp figures."Guys goofing off, eating, shaving and other everyday stuff. Once at a show someone sold us a nice bunker. My son Jonathan made a sticker that said "not for sale."

35 years later that sticker is still on the bunker. It's all about the memories for me. 
Jack Juka

Fantastic pulp era styled painting!  It's got all the iconic tropes put into one piece!