Gerry Conway and Ernie Chan created Eric Needham, first appearing in Detective Comics #463 in September 1976. He was a small-time crook who was addicted to heroin. He robbed his father’s liquor store and killed him in the process. After being arrested, he kicked the habit and vowed to wage war on the drug trade in Gotham City. He donned a costume and became the Black Spider, a self-styled vigilante who killed drug dealers with guns and explosives. He believed that he and Batman shared a common goal, but Batman disagreed with his lethal methods and tried to stop him.

Needham’s equipment and missions as the Black Spider was funded by a man secretly involved in narcotics and wanted to eliminate the competition. When Needham learned of this, he turned against his former sponsor and was captured by Batman. He later escaped and continued his crusade, but his wife and son were killed by a drug lord who discovered his identity. Enraged, Needham attacked the drug lord’s headquarters and blew himself up along with his enemies.

However, Needham somehow survived and resurfaced years later, dating Lyta Hall, a former superheroine. He also changed his objective and started working with other costumed villains like Deadshot, Monocle, and Merlyn. He claimed he wanted revenge against Batman but may have also been motivated by money or thrill. He joined the Secret Society of Super-Villains and fought against heroes such as King Faraday, Nightshade, Green Arrow, and Black Canary. He also became a member of the Suicide Squad, a team of imprisoned criminals who performed high-risk missions for the government in exchange for reduced sentences.

Some little-known facts about Eric Needham are:

– He has a tattoo of a spider on his chest.
– He is skilled in martial arts, athletics, weaponry, marksmanship, and thievery.
– He has used different versions of his costume, some of which had mechanical arms that enhanced his strength.
– He has a counterpart on Prime Earth, a parallel universe where he is known as Derrick Coe.
– He has appeared in other media, such as the animated series Young Justice (voiced by Josh Keaton) and the video game Batman: Arkham Origins (voiced by Nolan North).

Some important storylines that feature Eric Needham are:

– The Spider Strikes (Detective Comics #463-464): His first appearance and encounter with Batman.
– The Last Spider (Batman: Shadow of the Bat #5): His apparent death after killing his family’s murderer.
– The Spider’s Web (The Sandman #57): His relationship with Lyta Hall and involvement in her dreams.
– Identity Crisis (Identity Crisis #1-7): His alliance with Deadshot, Monocle, and Merlyn during a murder mystery involving superheroes.
– Kicked in the Teeth (Suicide Squad Vol 4 #1-7): His membership in the Suicide Squad and participation in various missions.