The Spider (British comics)

The Spider
The Spider, art by Reg Bunn
Publication information
Publisher	IPC Magazines
First appearance	Lion 26 June 1965
Created by	Ted Cowan (writer) Reg Bunn (artist)
In-story information
Alter ego	Unknown
Team affiliations	"Professor" Pelham; Roy Ordini; Society of Heroes
Notable aliases	"Alfred Chinard" (in Jack Staff and Albion); Spiderman, Blackman (last two in France)
Abilities	Exoskeleton, web gun, gas gun, jet pack

The Spider is a British comic book character who began as a supervillain before becoming a superhero. He appeared in Lion between 26 June 1965 and 26 April 1969 and was reprinted in Vulcan. He was created by writer Ted Cowan and artist Reg Bunn. Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel took over the writing of the character with his third adventure, and would write the bulk of his adventures.

The Spider first appeared in The Lion from 26 June 1965 to 26 April 1969, as well as in Lion Annuals from 1967 to 1971. He would later be reprinted in Vulcan from 1975 to 1976. New material was also included in Fleetway's Super Stupendous Library series from 1967 to 1968.

His adventures were also reprinted in other countries, such as Germany (in Kobra), Spain, Italy, France, and others.

2000AD published an "Action Special" featuring The Spider (as well as other characters from the same era) in 1992, but this version (written by Mark Millar at the start of his career) is ill-thought of by most fans, turning The Spider into a cannibal, and tends to be ignored.

An older, retired, more benevolent version of The Spider has appeared in UK writer/artist Paul Grist's Image comic book Jack Staff. Grist has created a name for the character, Alfred Chinard, and the majority of fans consider this version a true, faithful revival of The Spider. The elderly Spider continues to appear in Jack Staff, although at IPC Media's request, he is identified merely as Alfred Chinard (as "The Spider" name is IPC Media copyright).

The Spider, along with other IPC characters, appeared in the Albion mini-series from the Wildstorm imprint of DC Comics. This incarnation of the character, while different to the version appearing in Jack Staff, is also named Alfred Chinard.