The Spider, Master of Men! #5

by Grant Stockbridge, Norvell W. Page

Two novels, originally published in June 1940 as "Judgment of the Damned" and in November 1937 as "Master of the Flaming Horde" in the pulp monthly publication The Spider, Master of Men!

Genres: Pulp

317 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1937

About the author

Pen Name asociated with the pulp hero The Spider.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume collects two Spider adventures, Master of the Flaming Horde which appeared in the November, 1937 issue of the magazine, and Judgement of the Damned from June, 1940. I read a different edition of the older story a couple of years ago, so I only read Judgement of the Damned this time. It features a really creepy villain and some interesting characters, such as the well-meaning son of a crook that The Spider killed some years before. He's out for vengeance and won't admit that his father might have been evil. Also, Littlejohn is introduced as Kirkpatrick's assistant, lending a bit of relief to Kirk's Lois Lane-like blindness to Wentworth's dual identity. Nita figures well in the opening of the story, as does Ram Singh, but both fade away near the end and leave Wentworth on his own. The villainy is particularly brutal and graphic this time around, and Judge Torture lives up to his name. Both stories were written by Norvell Page under the Stockbridge house name. It's all pure pulp fun, with madness and derring-do on every page.

[Ed Wyrd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been a sucker for pulp action heroes since I was a teen. There's just something about them that grips you and won't let go. Non-stop action for the most part with larger-than-life heroes. The Spider falls easily into that category. Somewhat akin to The Shadow, same dark outfit, same kind of mocking laughter, only much more violent (and probably less well-written. Seems Grant Stock bridge loves! his! exclamation! points!). The Spider #5 contains two action-packed novels, "Judgment of the Damned" and "Master of the Flaming Horde."

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Norvell Page. Nothing else needs to be said.