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Cover of the November 1933 issue

The Spider was an American pulp magazine published by Popular Publications from 1933 to 1943. Every issue included a lead novel featuring the Spider, a heroic crime-fighter. The novels in the first two issues were written by R. T. M. Scott; thereafter every lead novel was credited to "Grant Stockbridge", a house name. Norvell Page, a prolific pulp author, wrote most of these. Unlike some contemporary pulp heroes, The Spider was willing to kill criminals, and when he did so he left a red spider inked on his victims. Page in particular wrote stories with violent storylines, often with science-fiction plot devices. Continuity from novel to novel was often disregarded, with characters killed in one issue appearing unscathed in later issues. Each magazine also featured short stories, occasionally including elements of horror fiction. Most of the cover art was painted by John Newton Howitt or Rafael de Soto. The magazine was cancelled in 1943 due to a paper shortage caused by World War II. (Full article...)

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Did you know ...

Abolitionist caricature of the caning of Charles Sumner

... that American abolitionists co-opted the concept of Southern chivalry (caricature pictured) as an insult against pro-slavery white Southerners?
... that Shagdarjavin Natsagdorj's remarks at an academic conference led to a communist purge and contributed to the Sino-Soviet split?
... that Pujol and Quintonil are the highest-rated restaurants in Mexico's first Michelin guide, with two Michelin stars each?
... that football player Peter Bowden only started long snapping to help his cousin, a punter, produce film in high school, and both are now in the National Football League?
... that the adjacent Jennings and Sloane Houses comprise New York City's largest single-family residence?
... that Arthur Fulton was a sniper in the First World War and described as "the most famous rifle shot the world has ever known"?
... that the Asyikin–Brugman Treaty was revoked 11 days after being signed?
... that Shirley Warde not only starred in theater and movie productions, but also wrote playscripts and short stories for magazines?
... that in Thailand and Cambodia, cats are used in a procession to ask for rain?

In the news

Saulos Chilima

A fire in a residential building in Kuwait City's suburb of Mangaf kills at least fifty people.
A plane crash near Chikangawa, Malawi, kills nine people, including Vice President Saulos Chilima (pictured).
In tennis, Iga Świątek wins the women's singles and Carlos Alcaraz wins the men's singles titles at the French Open.
In the Indian general election, the National Democratic Alliance, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is re-elected with a reduced majority.

On this day

June 14

Killing of Sudbury and Hales

1381 – During the Peasants' Revolt in England, rebels stormed the Tower of London, killing Simon Sudbury, Lord Chancellor, and Robert Hales, Lord High Treasurer (both pictured).
1644 – First English Civil War: Prince Maurice abandoned his siege of Lyme Regis in Dorset after learning of the approach of a Parliamentarian relief force.
1934 – The landmark Australian Eastern Mission concluded after a three-month diplomatic tour of East and South-East Asia.
2014 – War in Donbas: An Ilyushin Il-76 transport aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force was shot down by forces of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, killing all 49 people on board.

Leonidas Polk (d. 1864)
Emmeline Pankhurst (d. 1928)
Heike Friedrich (b. 1976)
Moon Tae-il (b. 1994)

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St Catherine's College Bicycle Store

In England, buildings of particular architectural and/or historic interest can be given special protection through listing. Around 500,000 buildings are listed, at one of three grades; Grade I, the most important and applying to only 2.5% of all listed buildings, Grade II*, the next highest, and Grade II. The age of a building is relevant; very few buildings built less than 30 years ago are considered suitable for listing. Thus, no buildings completed in the 21st century have yet been listed. Those completed in the 20th century and given Grade I listing include cathedrals, churches, chapels, war memorials, houses, bridges, factories, galleries, university structures, animal enclosures and a bike shed. The most recent building to be designated Grade I is Colin St John Wilson's British Library, constructed between 1982 and 1999 and the newest designation is for the New House, Wadhurst Park by John Outram, listed in July 2020. The architect with most Grade I 20th-century buildings to their name is Edwin Lutyens, followed by Arne Jacobsen. (Full list...)

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Al-Hajj is the 22nd chapter (surah) of the Quran, describing the pilgrimage to Mecca known as the Hajj. This Chinese scroll in ink, watercolour and gold on paper was produced in the second half of the 19th century, contains the full text of the chapter in Arabic, and is now part of the Khalili Collection of Hajj and the Arts of Pilgrimage. Almost five metres (16 feet) in length, the scroll's illustrations include a map entitled "Routes of the Hajj", a view of the Great Wall of China, and views of Mecca and Medina, as well as diagrammatic depictions of the stations of pilgrimage and Jerusalem, including the Kaaba. The illustrations are captioned in Chinese.

Calligraphy credit: 'Abdallah; photographed by the Khalili Collections

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