Tarantula is a graphic novel created by Alexis Ziritt and Fabian Rangel Jr. The book is a Lucha Libre-inspired, supernatural pulp about cleaning up corruption, coming in at 96 full-color pages made up of four chapters and published by AdHouse books.
The story opens with a masked vigilante woman with a whip, Tarantula, who is in disguise. Tarantula interrupts a re-election celebration of the crooked politician Mayor Villalobos as she tries to uncover who is Penumbra. This is a mission she can not take on by herself, however. Tarantula seeks the help of her former mentor Señor Muerte who has also been investigating Penumbra.
Their investigation leads Tarantula and Señor Muerte to a new ally, Sombra. Sombra’s life has been negatively affected by the crooks and thieves that have plagued their city thanks to Penumbra. Sombra has agreed to use everything in his power to rid the city of Penumbra, and he isn’t alone.
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Detective Santos is also trying to get to the bottom of who Penumbra is. The policia have become dirty because of the dirty mayor, and Detective Santos can’t sit by any longer and watch his town fall to evil. Detective Santos joins Tarantula, Señor Muertes, and Sombra to bring an end to the corruption and evil Penumbra has brought upon the city.
The book is a psychedelic collage of colors that work well with the supernatural and pulp elements of the story. Using heavy influences from the Lucha Libre style of movies from the ’60s and ’70s as inspiration, you’re taken to a world not often represented in American comics but fits right in. There are cults, anthropomorphic gangsters, mutants, and of course, Lucha wrestling.
If you’re a fan of grindhouse cinema, Hellboy comics, or Lucha culture, this is a book I highly recommend.
