in the end, unmasking The Octopus and ending his national reign of terror. During the serial The Spider (like Marvel Comics much later Spider-Man) uses his web line a number of times to get out of trouble. Commissioner Kirk (changed from Kirkpatrick in the pulps) suspects that Wentworth is The Spider during one chapter. The Octopus' gang, like their boss, wear robes when they gather together in his presence. The Octopus ruthlessly executes all who failed him; in case of trouble, The Octopus always uses a false arm and hand, which allowed him to conceal a pistol in his real hand hidden beneath his robes. Cast Warren Hull as The Spider/Richard Wentworth/Blinky McQuade Iris Meredith as Nita Van Sloan Richard Fiske as Jackson Kenne Duncan as Ram Singh Forbes Murray as Commissioner Stanley Kirk Don Douglas as Jenkins (butler) Marc Lawrence as Steve Harmon, henchman Charles C. Wilson as Chase John Tyrrell as Grafton, henchman Nestor Paiva as Red, henchman Eugene Anderson Jr. as Johnnie Sands Gordon Hart as J. Mason Ann Doran as Mason's secretary Paul Whitney as Gray (banker) Beatrice Curtis as Kate Sands Victor Travers as Theater Manager Bess Flowers as Myrtle Aka Myrtle Muray Byron Foulger as Allen Roberts Stunts Dave O'Brien George DeNormand Bud Geary Tom Steele Francis Walker Duke York Production The Spider's Web was the first serial to be adapted from a pulp magazine. The original pulp magazine stories were too violent for the motion picture production code, but The Spider's Web "did manage to suggest [their] frantic pace". Some changes were made beyond toning down the violence. The Spider's costume, a hood/mask and flowing cape with a spiderweb pattern motif, was more theatrical than either the description or illustrations in the Spider's pulp magazine. Historically, The Spider's early cover appearances depict him dressed in black with a black fedora and domino mask. Beginning with the pulp's sixth issue in 1934, The Spider employed horror makeup consisting of a "fright wig", fangs, a false hooked nose, and a hunchback. Commissioner Kirkpatrick was slightly changed to Commissioner Kirk "for no good reason". The serial release coincided with Superman (comics) and Green Hornet (radio) going nationwide. Reception The Spider's Web was wildly successful when first released in 1938; it was the most popular serial of that year, according to a tally published in The Motion Picture Herald, and was such an exhibitor favorite that Columbia