MISC. MANGA, *Tarantula

Very much inspired by the Mexican Luchador films of the 1960s, Tatantula is a one-shot full-color hardcover graphic novel by Ad House Books with some serious anime overtones. Writer Fabian Rangel Jr. and artist Alexis Tritt had worked together before on the trippy Space Riders, and then got together again to collaborate on this grindhouse experience.

Set in 1978, scantily-clad masked heroine Tarantula seeks help from her former mentor, Senor Muerte, intending to team up with the masked manhunter known as Sombra. The three amigos unite to uncover a conspiracy between the crystal-headed Dr. Quarzo, the corrupt Mayor Villalobos, and the monkey-controlling Dr. Mandinga in an attempt to conjure up the demonic Penumbra. Help from the masked police detective Santos brings the bizarre clash between the forces of vigilante justice and the gory underworld.

Tarantula is a psychedelic voyage into darklight rock posters and exploitation flicks. If you were a fan of gritty Bronze Age anime like Devilman, Captain Harlock, or Gatchaman, this works as a great poke at the unorthodox but creative media during the 70s.