# Spider Kiss > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Spider_Kiss > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Spider_Kiss.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider_Kiss > Source revision: 1354715539 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Novel by Harlan Ellison Spider Kiss First edition (original title) Author Harlan Ellison Original title Rockabilly Language English Genre Fiction Publisher Gold Medal Books Publication date 1961 Publication place United States Media type Print (Paperback) Pages 176 ISBN 9781497604292 OCLC 6953790 ***Spider Kiss*** (originally titled ***Rockabilly***) is a 1961 novel by American author [Harlan Ellison](/source/Harlan_Ellison).[1] A 2007 re-release of the novel printed on the back cover that *Spider Kiss* had the distinction of being the only novel enshrined in the [Rock and Roll Hall of Fame](/source/Rock_and_Roll_Hall_of_Fame).[2] ## Plot A seemingly shy and humble country boy named Luther Sellers is discovered to have a magnificent voice and mesmerizing stage presence. He is given the stage name Stag Preston and after a short time on the "Chittlin' Circuit" becomes a major [rockabilly music](/source/Rockabilly_music) star under the tutelage of a manager who seems to be patterned after [Elvis Presley](/source/Elvis_Presley)'s manager, "Colonel" [Tom Parker](/source/Colonel_Tom_Parker). Over time Luther's success goes to his head and his "Aw, shucks..." demeanor simply becomes a gimmick used to keep his fans, whom he secretly despises, believing that he hasn't really left his country roots and humble upbringing. In reality Stag lives up to his stage name, using his fame and seductive powers to lure any woman he can into his bed, leaving broken hearts and scandals everywhere he goes. The latter are all tidied up by his money-grubbing manager, who doesn't want anything to taint his cash cow. Meanwhile, Stag's growing megalomania eventually has him treating everyone around him like dirt and becoming harder and harder to work with. Eventually he is entangled in a scandal that takes all their power to cover up, and sets into motion the events leading to Stag's downfall. ## 1982 assault In 1982, Ellison assaulted the publisher and CEO of [Grosset & Dunlap](/source/Grosset_%26_Dunlap) after *Spider Kiss* was reprinted and mistakenly labeled as [science fiction](/source/Science_fiction), Ellison knew this would mislead readers. Prior to the assault there was an angry exchange about the incident through the mail. Ellison later said the publisher, "Didn't know me from a [pissoir](/source/Pissoir)."[3] After the assault and before anyone could call the police, Ellison's editor got him out of the building in a freight elevator. Ellison then got a taxi and 15 minutes later arrived at a television studio to [videotape](/source/Videotape) an episode of the [Alpha Repertory Television Service](/source/Alpha_Repertory_Television_Service) talk show *Nightcap* hosted by [Studs Terkel](/source/Studs_Terkel) and [Calvin Trillin](/source/Calvin_Trillin), along with Ellison other panelists included science fiction writers [Gene Wolfe](/source/Gene_Wolfe) and [Isaac Asimov](/source/Isaac_Asimov).[3][4] Ellison was never arrested for the assault.[3] ## Critical reception *[Comics Buyer's Guide](/source/Comics_Buyer's_Guide)*, "I thought it was a good book the first two times I read it. I think it's a great book today."[5] [Green Man Review](/source/Green_Man_Review), "I think that's what makes this book important -- it represents an era of rock that's gone for good now (though not necessarily a better one -- prefabricated music is still prefabricated)."[2] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Ellison, Harlan](/source/Harlan_Ellison) (1961). ["Spider Kiss"](https://books.google.com/books?id=IcQqAwAAQBAJ). *[Google Books](/source/Google_Books)*. [Open Road Media](/source/Open_Road_Integrated_Media). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781497604292](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781497604292). {{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility ([help](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:CS1_errors#invalid_isbn_date)) 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-D_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-D_2-1) ["SPIDER KISS"](https://www.darkhorse.com/Reviews/496/Spider-Kiss). *[Green Man Review](/source/Green_Man_Review)*. [Dark Horse Comics](/source/Dark_Horse_Comics). April 2007. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-L_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-L_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-L_3-2) [Kellogg, Carolyn](/source/Carolyn_Kellogg) (May 6, 2013). ["Harlan Ellison recalls the day he assaulted his publisher"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150108074244/https://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-harlan-ellison-recalls-the-day-he-assaulted-his-publisher-20130503-story.html). *[Los Angeles Times](/source/Los_Angeles_Times)*. Archived from [the original](https://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-harlan-ellison-recalls-the-day-he-assaulted-his-publisher-20130503-story.html) on January 8, 2015. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Kellogg, Carolyn (May 6, 2013). ["Harlan Ellison, Isaac Asimov, Studs Terkel together in 1982 video"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140725115209/http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-harlan-ellison-isaac-asimov-studs-terkel-together-video-20130503-story.html). *Los Angeles Times*. Archived from [the original](http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-harlan-ellison-isaac-asimov-studs-terkel-together-video-20130503-story.html) on July 25, 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["SPIDER KISS"](https://www.darkhorse.com/Reviews/477/Spider-Kiss). *[Comics Buyer's Guide](/source/Comics_Buyer's_Guide)*. [Dark Horse Comics](/source/Dark_Horse_Comics). March 2007. ## External links - [1982 *Nightcap* talk show episode](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZvcKB9vQO0) v t e Harlan Ellison Bibliography Novels and novellas Web of the City Spider Kiss A Boy and His Dog Mefisto in Onyx Short story collections The Deadly Streets Gentleman Junkie and Other Stories of the Hung-Up Generation Ellison Wonderland Paingod and Other Delusions Love Ain't Nothing But Sex Misspelled The Beast That Shouted Love at the Heart of the World Alone Against Tomorrow Approaching Oblivion Deathbird Stories No Doors, No Windows Strange Wine Shatterday Stalking the Nightmare Angry Candy Slippage Can & Can'tankerous Short stories "Adrift Just Off the Islets of Langerhans" "The Beast That Shouted Love at the Heart of the World" "Croatoan" "The Deathbird" "The Discarded" "From A to Z, in the Chocolate Alphabet" "The Function of Dream Sleep" "How Interesting: A Tiny Man" "How's the Night Life on Cissalda?" "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" "Jeffty Is Five" "Paladin of the Lost Hour" "The Prowler in the City at the Edge of the World" ""Repent, Harlequin!" Said the Ticktockman" "Soldier from Tomorrow" "The Whimper of Whipped Dogs" Collaborations Phoenix Without Ashes Mind Fields Television work "Soldier" "Demon with a Glass Hand" "The City on the Edge of Forever" "Paladin of the Lost Hour" "Gramma" "Crazy as a Soup Sandwich" Adaptations I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream "Shatterday" A Boy and His Dog (1975 film) Anthologies edited Dangerous Visions Again, Dangerous Visions Medea: Harlan's World The Last Dangerous Visions Non-fiction Memos from Purgatory The Glass Teat & The Other Glass Teat Harlan Ellison's Watching The Harlan Ellison Hornbook Related The Voice From the Edge --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Spider Kiss](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider_Kiss) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider_Kiss?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.