A spider will prey, its web taut with schemes but cannot escape the Sandman's dark dream. 
Sandman Mystery Theatre #2 is an issue of the series Sandman Mystery Theatre (Volume 1) with a cover date of May, 1993.
Synopsis for "The Tarantula (Act II of IV)"
Commissioner Irving Davis meets with homicide detective Ross O'Donald and Lieutenant Tony Burke to discuss the recent Tarantula kidnappings. They theorize as to the true motive of the kidnapper, and ponder whether Catherine van der Meer is still alive.
Meanwhile Dian Belmont has discovered the Sandman inside the restroom at the police station. The Sandman pushes past her and escapes out the window. Dian takes a few steps outside the room, and then passes out. When she comes to, her father informs her that they have recovered one of the Tarantula's victims. Dian asks to identify the body to see if it is Catherine. Despite the fact that the body is mutilated, Dian can ascertain that this particular victim is not her friend.
Meanwhile in a darkened dungeon, the hooded Tarantula inspects Catherine van der Meer. He keeps her suspended from a row of pipes by a length of chain. Bruises and abrasions cover her body. The Tarantula goes upstairs where he converses with another – a mysterious woman whose face is disguised by a dark veil. It is this woman who governs the Tarantula's actions.
Later, Wesley Dodds meets Dian outside of the police station and offers her a ride home. Along the way he becomes visibly distraught over the recent murder and begins to lose his composure. Excusing himself, he drops Dian off and returns home.
At the Goldman brownstone, Albert Goldman chastises his daughter, Celia, for her lascivious lifestyle. This is not the actions of a protective father however, but rather a jealous one. Albert has been conducting an affair with his own daughter for the past several years. It becomes apparent though, that Celia is the one truly in control of their twisted relationship.
That evening, Lt. Burke and Lt. O'Donald go to the apartment of Charlie Malloy – the cab driver who dropped Catherine off at her home. They want to question him concerning last night's events, but as Burke climbs the stairs, he finds that the Sandman has arrived before him. The Sandman questions Malloy at length, and then knocks him out with a dose of his sleeping gas. Burke enters the upstairs apartment just in time to find Malloy unconscious on the floor. He eventually rouses Malloy who tells him that an Evergood milk truck was seen outside of Catherine's apartment the morning that he dropped her off. Burke reports back to O'Donald who tells him that Evergood went out of business three years ago.
Meanwhile, the Tarantula continues to torture Catherine.
Appearing in "The Tarantula (Act II of IV)"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Dian Belmont
- Larry Belmont
- Leslie Humphries (Behind the scenes)
- Tony Burke (First appearance)
Villains:
- Tarantula
- Miriam Goldman
Other Characters:
- Albert Goldman
- Celia Goldman (Albert Goldman's daughter)
- Carlo (one of Celia Goldman's boyfriends) (Single appearance)
- Catherine van der Meer
- Charlie Malloy (Final appearance)
- Irving Davis (New York City police commissioner)
- Ross O'Donald (a police detective)
- Judge Thomas Schaffer
Locations:
- New York City
- Algonquin Restaurant
- Grand Hotel
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- Sandman Mystery Theatre is an ongoing series published under DC Comics' Vertigo imprint. Each issue is marked with a "Suggested for Mature Readers" warning.
- This issue is reprinted in Sandman Mystery Theatre: The Tarantula (trade paperback).
See Also