Tarantula and his Web Masters

Real Name: ? von Rundstedt Identity/Class: Human mutate Occupation: Criminal mastermind Affiliations: His Web-Masters (Aerial Assassin, Bolas, Crab, Lynx, Mutant, Mygalo, Wolf) Enemies: Storm Force Known Relatives: Klaus von Rundstedt (brother), Baron von Rundstedt (father, deceased) Aliases: None Base of Operations: Active across the world First Appearance: Battle (debuted 24th January 1987); Eagle Powers/Abilities: Able to cling to things like a spider, able to spin a sticky web, has poisonous fangs capable of killing or paralysing victims. Armed with a gun which fires hundreds of tiny but deadly spiders. History: Tarantula is the twin brother of Baron Klaus von Rundstedt, a Swiss millionaire. As young boys on their father's plantation, his larger, slightly older brother would torment him by threatening to drop him into a bath tub full of tarantulas. Only ten years old at the time, the young boy broke loose and ran into the jungle in terror. Although his father and the plantation workers searched for days, no trace was found of him, and he was believed dead. However the youth survived, and developed a growing fascination with the arachnids around him, mimicing their hunting techniques and eventually becoming more spider than man. He gathered around him a force of men he had trained or mutated into his Web Masters, and set off to destroy the world. Comments: None The Web Masters

Aerial Assassin

Real Name: Unknown Identity/Class: Human mutate Occupation: Assassin Affiliations: Tarantula's Web-Masters Enemies: Storm Force Known Relatives: None Aliases: None Base of Operations: Active across the world First Appearance: Battle Powers/Abilities: Able to glide through the air. Usually carries a number of grenades. History: A wind borne assassin who drops grenades on his opponents, gliding around the skies on a parafoil. He is killed by Paco Martinez, a Mediterranean fisherman, in revenge for the death of Paco's shipmates; Paco shoots him down with both barrels from a shotgun. (Killed in the 6th June 1987 issue of Battle) Comments: None.

Bolas Real Name: Unknown Identity/Class: Human mutate Occupation: Assassin Affiliations: Tarantula's Web-Masters Enemies: Storm Force Known Relatives: None Aliases: None Base of Operations: Active across the world First Appearance: Battle Powers/Abilities: He uses a whip like device with twin balls at the end which stick to prey and pull it in. History: Bolas is one of Tarantula's men. He was killed by a grenade explosion and the subsequent collapse of a building on him. (8th August 1987 issue of Battle) Comments: None.

Crab Real Name: Unknown Identity/Class: Human mutate Occupation: Assassin Affiliations: Tarantula's Web-Masters Enemies: Storm Force Known Relatives: None Aliases: None Base of Operations: Active across the world First Appearance: Battle Powers/Abilities: Crab has pincers instead of arms. He has superhuman strength and agility. History: One of Tarantula's Web-Masters, Crab is obsessed with flowers. He was shot dead by two convicts who had been forced to work for the Tarantula, when they finally rebelled.(8th August 1987 issue of Battle) Comments: None.

Lynx Real Name: Unknown Identity/Class: Human mutate Occupation: Assassin Affiliations: Tarantula's Web-Masters Enemies: Storm Force Known Relatives: None Aliases: None Base of Operations: Active across the world First Appearance: Battle Powers/Abilities: Lynx possesses superhuman speed and poisonous fangs. History: One of Tarantula's Web-Masters, Lynx was also shot dead by  the two convicts who killed Crab. (8th August 1987 issue of Battle) Comments: None.

Mutant Real Name: Unknown Identity/Class: Human mutate Occupation: Assassin Affiliations: Tarantula's Web-Masters Enemies: Storm Force Known Relatives: None Aliases: None Base of Operations: Active across the world First Appearance: Battle Powers/Abilities: Superhuman strength, poisonous fangs. History: Mutated by Tarantula to create his perfect agent, based on the jumping spider, the mutation process went wrong resulting a giant monster with little intelligence. He was killed by a grenade explosion and the subsequent collapse of a building on him. (8th August 1987 issue of Battle) Comments: None.

Mygalo Real Name: Unknown Identity/Class: Human mutate Occupation: Assassin Affiliations: Tarantula's Web-Masters Enemies: Storm Force Known Relatives: None Aliases: None Base of Operations: Active across the world First Appearance: Battle Powers/Abilities: Mygalo is extremely strong, able to see in the dark, and his merest touch causes pain and paralysis. History: The tallest of the Web Masters at two metres (at least until the Mutant was created), and the least human (ditto). Another Web Master shot dead by  the two convicts who killed Crab. (8th August 1987 issue of Battle) Comments: None.

Wolf Real Name: Unknown Identity/Class: Human mutate Occupation: Assassin Affiliations: Tarantula's Web-Masters Enemies: Storm Force Known Relatives: None Aliases: None Base of Operations: Active across the world First Appearance: Battle Powers/Abilities: Possessed of incredible speed and poisonous fangs. History: The only one of Tarantula's lieutenant's to survive the rebellion of his convict slaves. Comments: None.

CLARIFICATIONS: Tarantula should not be confused with

• Tarantula, enemy of the Spider

• Tarantula, Atlas / Seaboard

• Tarantula, foe of the THUNDER Agents

Aerial Assassin should not be confused with

• Aerialist, from Dark Horse Presents

Crab should not be confused with

• Crabb, French hero

• Crabbe's Crusaders, teenage crimefighters

Lynx should not be confused with

• Lynx, Golden age hero

• Lynx, Charlton villainess

Mutant should not be confused with

• The Mutant, cloned from the Judge Child

• Mutant X, team of freedom fighters

Wolf should not be confused with

• The Wolf, Canadian Golden Age hero

• Wolf Gang, from Steel Harbor

• Wolf Spider, Top Ten police officer

Any Additions/Corrections? Please let me know.

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