Wings of the Black Death (The Spider #3) (1933)

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by Grant Stockbridge (AKA Norvell Page)


This is the first Spider story by Norvell Page, who would soon become the character’s defining voice. 

Norvell Page

A mysterious masked criminal known as the Black Death unleashes a strain of bubonic plague upon New York City, demanding one billion dollars ransom. 


There is a significant body count--more than 1,000 people die, including children, pretty hard-core stuff. 


The story blends super-scientific menace with grim street-level action. There’s a constant tension between law and vigilante justice as Richard Wentworth battles both the villain and the police who think he’s the culprit. Nita Van Sloan is given quite a bit of agency, and she’s given the spotlight for much of the novel’s conclusion, following clues, uncovering the Black Death’s method, and proving as courageous as any pulp hero. She even pilots a plane during the action-packed finale. Her role moves well beyond the standard damsel trope—she’s as vital to solving the crisis as the Spider himself. Page wasn’t afraid to “go big,” and the result feels almost apocalyptic in tone, closer to horror than adventure at times. The writing is fast, vivid, and grim. It’s the best installment yet, and the Spider is on track to rival Doc Savage as my favorite pulp hero.

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