Black Tarantula

Brazilian Crime Syndicate

The current Black Tarantula is the leader of the Brazilian Crime Syndicate. Each Black Tarantula supposedly separates the male heir from the mother at an early age to begin a life of vigorous training. The current Black Tarantula, Carlos LaMuerto, a crimelord in South America and parts of Europe, met his Brazilian wife, Marina Caches, while attending an American graduate school. They had a child, Fabian. Upon discovering her husband’s illegal activities, Marina filed for divorce and fled with her son. Marina settled in New York where she became a criminal psychology teacher at Empire State University and began dating Dante Rigoletto (unaware that Dante was the son of the infamous mobster, Don Rigoletto).

Discovering his ex-wife to be in the New York area, the Black Tarantula launched a campaign primarily to locate his son while establishing a foothold in the lucrative New York underworld market in the absence of the Kingpin of Crime (Wilson Fisk). He dispatched his powerful agent, El Uno, with a gang of his men to violently introduce himself to his competition, the Rose (Jacob Conover).

Humiliated by el Uno, the Rose’s assassin Delilah killed el Uno and returned his severed head to the Black Tarantula. The Black Tarantula dispatched Madam Qwa and the True Believers -- a Korean cult of ninjas who defected from the Hand -- to harass the Rose by killing a former colleague, Daily Bugle editor Joe Robertson, while framing the Rose. With opposition from the Hand ninjas, Spider-Man, and Elektra, the Black Tarantula’s agents failed to kill Robertson. 

The Black Tarantula went to New York to personally attend to matters. The Rose hired the remaining True Believers under Madam Qwa's brother, Master Zei, to resurrect Doctor Octopus as an ally. However Zei intended to turn Doctor Octopus over to the Black Tarantula, but was killed during the resurrection ceremony. As Madam Qwa demanded revenge, the Black Tarantula conceded, breaking Delilah's neck, then having defeated the Rose's enforcer, Delilah, and healed her afterwards. Delilah felt humiliated and swore to pay him back. The Black Tarantula hired Roughhouse and Bloodscream to his dirty work and he drove back the Rose, establishing control over a large part of New York City.

And when the Rose went to Don Fortunado, the most powerful Crime-Lord in New York, for help, the Black Tarantula offered an alliance with Don Fortunado. Don accepted, but Tarantula would have to prove his loyalty first, by killing Spider-Man and bringing back his mask. Black Tarantula defeated Spider-Man, but let him live when he realized he was just trying to save a child.

Spider-Man then took the identity of Ricochet to enter the Rose's organization, and find out more information about the Black Tarantula. When this happened, Spider-Man found out that one Mary Jane's friend, Marina, was the Black-Tarantula's ex-wife.

Furthermore, Marina had a friend, who was Don Fortunato's cousin. They asked Don Fortunato for protection and the Black Tarantula attacked Don Fortunato's mansion. Inside the mansion, Black Tarantula defeated Fortunato's guard and fought Spider-Man. Black Tarantula defeated Spider-Man again, but lost his wife when she confronted him and pointed out that he was scaring his own son. She reminded him what a burden the Black Tarantula title had been on him and Carlos relented. He left, but told her that he would one day come back to take his son

The Black Tarantula was incarcerated in the U.S. and kept depowered in Rykers prison along with Daredevil (Matthew Murdock), the Kingpin (Wilson Fisk), Hammerhead, and the Punisher (Frank Castle) where he was nearly killed by Bullseye.

He is released on because of good behavior and prison overcrowding. On the outside he begins doing detective work for Nelson & Murdock. He is killed by Lady Bullseye and resurrected as an assassin for the Hand.

Powers and Abilities

In addition to being a highly skilled martial artist, Black Tarantula has demonstrated the following powers: superhuman agility and strength, known limit of 25 tons; nearly bullet proof skin; concussive beams from eyes, require several minutes to restore the charge; and the ability to heal near-fatal injuries in himself and others through touch. Superhuman longevity is unconfirmed.

Black Tarantula's origins are clouded with mysteries and missed information. It is said that centuries ago, he used to be European explorer who traveled to Japan and was trained by the Ninja Clan, The Hand. When his training was over, he was awarded with a special potion that gave him superhuman abilities and immortality. But the truth behind Black Tarantula's immortality, is not because of a special potion. Immortality is passed from father to son, inside his family. Although Tarantula not being truly immortal, he does have several superhuman powers. It was his ancestor who drank the potion, and then passed it to him.