The Amazing Spider-Man #436

Name: The Amazing Spider-Man #436
Brand: Marvel
Availability: InStock

Jul 1998 · Marvel · 1.99 USD; 2.80 CAD

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“In Final Battle with the Black Tarantula”

★ 1st appearance — Fabian LaMuerto

About this Issue

Amazing Spider-Man #436 serves as the climactic payoff to the multi-month Black Tarantula arc that ran through the final stretch of the series' original 35-year volume. The issue delivers the first appearance of Fabian LaMuerto — the toddler son of Carlos LaMuerto (the Black Tarantula) and Mary Jane's college friend Marina Caches — a character who would eventually inherit the Black Tarantula mantle and resurface decades later in Ghost-Spider. The issue also provides the clearest articulation of the Black Tarantula mythos: that the title is a hereditary criminal dynasty passed father to son across generations, a concept that gave the villain unusual narrative depth compared to typical street-level antagonists. Published just five issues before the entire original volume concluded and was rebooted, it represents DeFalco's effort to plant lasting mythology in the waning pages of a 35-year run.

In "In Final Battle with the Black Tarantula," Spider-Man confronts the returning Black Tarantula in a showdown that uncovers the villain's hidden motive and reveals the true identity of the mysterious Rose. Written by Tom DeFalco and illustrated by Joe Bennett, with inks by Bud LaRosa and colors by Bob Sharen, this 1998 issue delivers a pivotal moment in the ongoing conflict, all wrapped in a striking cover by Joe Bennett.

writer Tom DeFalco · artist Joe Bennett · inker Bud LaRosa · colorist Bob Sharen · letterer RS · letterer Comicraft/KS · cover Joe Bennett

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CGC 9.8 · 67 in census $70

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CGC 8.5 · 2 in census $20

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CGC 6.5 · 1 in census $20*

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History

Tom DeFalco had returned to Amazing Spider-Man with issue #407 (January 1996) after a gap away from the title, steering the book through the end of the Clone Saga fallout and into new villain territory. The Black Tarantula character had been created by DeFalco and artist Steve Skroce in earlier issues of the same run, with the Carlos LaMuerto version first appearing in #419 and making his first full appearance in #432. By #436, penciler Joe Bennett had taken over the art duties from Skroce, and the issue carried a gatefold summary page — a standard Marvel production feature of the era meant to orient new readers mid-arc. Ralph Macchio served as editor, and the issue arrived with only five issues remaining before Marvel shuttered the original volume and relaunched the title as volume 2 in January 1999.

Trivia · 8 facts

First appearance of Fabian Caches (Fabian LaMuerto), the toddler son of Carlos LaMuerto (Black Tarantula) and Marina Caches — he later grows up to inherit the Black Tarantula identity in 2024's Ghost-Spider series.
Written by Tom DeFalco; penciled by Joe Bennett; inked by Bud LaRosa; colored by Bob Sharen; lettered by Richard Starkings; edited by Ralph Macchio. Cover date: July 1998.
The issue is the climax ('Final Battle') of the extended Black Tarantula arc, revealing that the Black Tarantula title is a hereditary dynasty — the firstborn child of each generation is groomed to succeed their father as the next Black Tarantula.
The story reveals Carlos LaMuerto's origin connection to Mary Jane's world: he had married Marina Caches (a friend of Mary Jane from Empire State University) while attached to an Argentine diplomatic mission, and he came to New York partly to reclaim his heir.
Spider-Man is unable to defeat the Black Tarantula outright — the villain overpowers him physically — but Black Tarantula voluntarily stands down when his son's emotional wellbeing is invoked, demonstrating the moral complexity DeFalco built into the character.
The Rose (Jacob Conover) and Don Fortunato also appear, with Conover attempting to execute Fortunato during the chaos before Spider-Man webs him up.
Published just five issues before the conclusion of Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1 at #441 (November 1998), after which Marvel rebooted the title as Vol. 2 #1 (January 1999).
The issue features a newsstand edition in addition to the standard direct-market edition — both carry the July 1998 cover date.