Origin

On Earth, Stephen Neal Kove was a professor of ethics at Harvard University. His controversial lectures on collectivism and socialism and his belief that humanity's future was in communal sacrifice got the attention of Better World, who offered him the opportunity to test his belief by becoming the warden of the cooperate society of spiders on Exodus.

Creation

Arachne first appears in Rook: Exodus #3 by Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok.

Major Story Arcs

The World Engine

The man in the spider helmet was unfortunately overpowered by his super intelligent spiders. They trapped him in a spider-like mech suit and puppeteered his body (rather than force him to give in to the instinct influence). Piloting his body, the spiders sabotaged the World Engine, so the human population of Exodus would either leave or die off. Better-World corporation left behind a number of the workers, including the other wardens. These wardens eventually sought out the world engine to try and fix it, only to fall into a trap laid by Arcahne's spiders.

Character Profile

• Height: 6'
• Weight: 173 lbs.
• Eyes: Brown
• Hair: None
• Age: 34 (at the beginning of Rook: Exodus)
• Occupation: Warden of tegenaria domestica; formerly Harvard University professor

Powers and Abilities

Neural Network Helmet: As a Warden, Arachne was given a special helmet that allowed him to control a particular group of animals to help terraform the planet of Exodus. In his case, it was arachnids.

• Communication: They come equipped with two-way communicators to other Wardens
• Instinct Influence: The neural connection is two-way, and the animals can sometimes influence their own instincts on to their wardens. The scientists who developed the tech believed that the animals would be too weak minded to have a significant effect on humans.

Mech Armor: Arachne uses a large spider shaped mech armor.

• Militarized: A former military exosuit, his armor comes with rotary machine guns, flame-throwers, annd reinforced armor plating.