Issue Description

The Story begins with the Tarantula breaking up a few crimes. As he comes in he speaks to Olga. Olga is his maid and costume maker. After she remarks that she should have stayed home in Germany. Jonathan Law the man who is Tarantula disagrees even if he doesn’t say so. Not only would he not have a costume but it would be likely that Olga would have ending up in one of Hitler’s concentration camps. He then realizes that where he is surprised that the All Star Squadron has allowed him in and has told them how they got their start. He then decides that maybe it is the time to tell the Origin of Tarantula.

His childhood was lonely. He grew up reading the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Until the pages begin to fall out. He enjoyed tinkering with machines and inventions so that he could better understand how things worked. He also collected spiders. When he was Grown up he moved to New York. The first book he wrote was sold not only to a publisher but became a number one best seller. As Mr. Law rises in being a best author. During this time Olga his maid comes into his service. He states that she was one of the only purchases worth the effort. A year before this issue in comic book time is when Mr. Law first saw him. Sandman. A chance meeting as he saw him beat up a few thugs. Hooked he went to Olga he had an idea.

Dian Belmont would come and greet him. She gave him a concept to a costume. She was of course making light conversation. It is revealed that Dian knows seven of the mystery men and the secrets that carries. She asks him to keep the drawing because he’ll need it more then Sandman ever will. It then goes into a training Montage. Dan has trained with weights to increase his strength. He tinkered with objects in his lab to produce weapons could be used. Following Olga surprise at seeing him upside down she sets to work on his costume. The costume bearing a striking resemblance to the Sandman’s.

The costume finished he begins. The first case is a dock fire. As it appears to be associated with the mob. To his surprise the Sandman is also on the scene. As the Two heroes who are wearing the same costume fight the mob. When it’s all said and done both Sandman and Tarantula begin to look for Dian Belmont. They found her but it’s to late. She is dead. Sandman blames himself stating he should have been in town sooner. Unable to depart the Sandman leaves carrying her body with him.

Jonathan has a problem with Dian’s death. However with a underworld contact he hears about Ace-Deuce. As the Ace tries to pull a Movie Theater heist. The Tarantula breaks up the robbery. As he ties up Ace Deuce up in his web. The Ace doesn’t take to kindly to being tied up. The Ace Deuce threatens Tarantula who freely tells her his name saying he shall get twenty to thirty. As he is ready to leave two cops try to catch him. At first they want to arrest him thinking that he is with a rival mod. As he escapes to the rooftop the cops change their tones. Saying they could use something like him on the force.

Ace Deuce escapes. As he quickly plans a robbery for a High Society ball. Tarantula is aware of all that is going on. As he fights with the mobsters at the ball he disarms and takes them all out. As he is ready to take out Ace Deuce. The Ace Deuce attempts to leave with a Plane that has a helicopter rudder. As his tries to escape the Tarantula fires his web gun getting it in the rudder. As the rudder stops moving taken his plane down. As Ace Deuce jumps out with his parachute. A Tarantula follows suit the Ace tries to get away by managing the chute pushing to hard the Ace Deuce falls to his death.

Tarantula then explains that he continued to be a hero. Three months later he got a call from Liberty Belle that he should not Trot. Taken the message to heart he then joined up with the All Star Squadron. As he ripped and destroyed his first suit Olga makes him a new one out of her own design. Jonathan promises himself that one day he’ll get back to writing. End of All Star Squadron Issue 66

All-Star Squadron

Publisher

DC Comics

Volume Description

"Come with us now to Earth-Two, and the awesome origin of the All-Star Squadron!"

Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler, Jerry Ordway (credited here as Jeremiah Ordway!) along with editor Len Wein, letterer John Costanza and colorist Carl Gafford begin the wartime adventures of the Golden-Age heroes of the DC Universe. Writer Roy Thomas is no stranger to World War II, or wartime comic book super-heroes having come off Marvel's WWII super-team, The Invaders.

The world of Earth -2 was at war. In a dimension not unlike that of the Justice League on Earth - 1, the greatest heroes of the 1940s had banded together to form the Justice Society of America, but even that wasn't enough to battle the Axis powers plaguing their society. So, at the behest of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a new, larger team was created to help unite the war torn country. The massive All-Star Squadron was formed, setting up their headquarters in the Perisphere at the heart of New York's World's Fair.

The creative team of writer Roy Thomas and artist Rich Buckler on "All-Star Squadron" offered readers a nostalgic glimpse back in time, albeit through the slightly distorted lens of Earth-2's history. In this popular series that ran for 67 issues, readers were treated not only to the adventures of the more familiar Justice Society, but also to every other mystery man of the time and dozens of minor heroes from DC's Golden Age, including the speedster Johnny Quick, the patriotic Liberty Belle, power houses Robotman and Commander Steel, and the 1940s versions of Batman and Robin.

With Thomas'comprehensive knowledge of the heroes and history of World War II era Americana, the All-Star Squadron was a certifiable hit, even if the Earth - 2 shattering events of DC's tumultuous "Crisis on Infinite Earths" maxi series of the mid-1980s took a toll on the book's continuity.

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