I hadn't heard of THE SPIDER graphic novel until you mentioned it, C.S.
I read the NATHANIEL DUSK series when it came out. That and another series, SILVERBLADE, were reproduced from Colan pencils and have an interesting look.
The best detective genre material in comics I've seen is a Steranko project from the late 70's, published by Byron Preiss, a CHANDLER graphic novel. Which was reprinted recently as RED TIDE.
It was published originally in two forms, as an issue of FICTION ILLUSTRATED (5" x 7" pulp digest format) and as a larger 8" x 11" offset-printed CHANDLER graphic novel.
Which is also the source of a number of Steranko prints.
