Eight Legged Freaks (2002)

It would be so easy to use the obvious choice for today, but we’re gonna go with a very underrated movie in a comic book adaptation form to celebrate National Spider Day.

Eight Legged Freaks is described as a monster comedy action film. While that may hit all the highlights, there is a charm that can only be experienced by enjoying the feature.

Starring in the movie were David Arquette, Kari Wuhrer and a young Scarlett Johansson with voice work by Frank “Fred Jones” Welker.

The film met with mixed reviews, though Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave it a three out four.

Eight Legged Freaks (2002)

Eight Legged Freaks began as a 1997, 13-minute short entitled Larger Than Life. Director Ellory Elkayem parlayed it into a full-length feature film originally to be called Arach Attack. Its eventual moniker would come from an Arquette ad lib from the movie.

Wildstorm Productions would option the rites for a comic book adaptation with script by Marv Wolfman and pencils by Joe Phillips. The movie would be retold over 60 pages with production notes as a follow up.

To address the unspoken question, why have a day championing something so many people are afraid of?

Spiders are part of the ecosystem. They chow down on pesky bugs, allowing us a better way of life.

Okay, that may be overplaying the situation, but we’ll give ‘em a break since it is officially National Spider Day.

In North America, very few spiders pose a health threat. Only widow spiders and brown spiders are potentially dangerous to healthy people. Those with compromised immune systems may have difficulties from spider bites, but not often.

Many cultures recognize the spider as a good luck symbol. Mythologies have used them in creation stories and fables.

So, rather than squash the next one you see, maybe scoop it up and set it free in the wild; let nature take its course in the battle of survival of the fittest.

Then, sit back and watch a copy of the movie in question followed by a spirited read of Amazing Spider-Man. Maybe an issue or arc where he battles the Tarantula for a double dose of arachnids.