The Spectre Appreciation Thread

[Savage Savant]

I finished reading Gotham By Midnight & I thought it was ok. I was glad Fawkes removed that Wrath of God hogwash, however I wasn't too keen on the ending or the separateness that still seemed to be present regarding the Spectre. Basically one of my problem with the Wrath of God idea is that it makes Corrigan separate from the Spectre when Corrigan & The Spectre should be the same person/spirit. I'm not very keen on characters that are reliant on external things to have powers (i.e. Green Lantern, old-school Iron Man, etc.), I like heroes whose powers are a part of their biology (in this case spirit) or in the case of magic, skills they acquired.

I've read that Roy Thomas' first issue of his magazine Alter Ego had a story he had written where basically it was

Thomas's proposal for a new version of the Spectre, as a man divided into two characters representing good and evil, ego and id: the Spectre and Count Dis.

*from wikipedia & also according to this book called "Bending Steel",

Thomas' Spectre story in Alter Ego also had Lovecraftian themes involving dark, unspeakable terrors seeping into and destroying modern urban culture

That IMO is far superior to the whole Wrath of God hogwash that Alan Moore gave the character & that Ostrander ran with (I'd argue Roy Thomas is just as good a writer as Moore himself & also had a solid understand of the Cthulhu Mythos just like Moore did as well). I mean it doesn't make the Spectre a separate entity from Corrigan & it adds the Mythos to the character as well. I still stand by Siegel being the definitive Spectre writer but if the character had to have a revision, Thomas' revision would've been leaps & bounds superior to the lame Wrath of God hogwash.

[Trey Strain]

I just think the idea that the Spectre is something that needs a "host" is hogwash. It's one of those long running blunders as if, you know, somebody besides Kent Nelson should be Dr. Fate.

[Trey Strain]

Something else -- he should lose the body stocking, gloves, boots and mask, and just be a cowled skeleton, like the Grim Reaper.

[Savage Savant]

I just think the idea that the Spectre is something that needs a "host" is hogwash. It's one of those long running blunders as if, you know, somebody besides Kent Nelson should be Dr. Fate.

Oh I totally agree man, I was just making a point & commented on something I read about. I still believe Siegel is the best Spectre writer ever. The Spectre should always be the ghost/spirit of Jim Corrigan period. Siegel's run (with some nods to Fleischer's run) should be the blueprint for how to write the Spectre.

Also regarding Spectre costume, I actually really like it even though it looks a little hokey by today's standards. I wouldn't mind artists using the Kingdom Come look where it's just Corrigan in a hood & cape but I still dig the classic look nonetheless.

[Savage Savant]

Any news on the character with DC's Rebirth? I hope there'll be a new Spectre title, Gotham By Midnight was alright but I wanna see this character gain more exposure, I honestly believe Spectre could become as popular as Dr. Strange if written & marketed properly.

[Trey Strain]

I said recently in another thread that Action Comics should become an ongoing starring Superman and Guy Gardner. I've changed my mind about that though. Now I think it should become and ongoing starring Superman and the Spectre.

[David Walton]

I've been re-reading the Ostrander-Mandrake Spectre, easily one of the best runs in comics history as far as I'm concerned. Thoughtful, intelligent, and visually compelling.

I wish the Fleischer, Moench and DeMatteis runs were available on comixology. I haven't read any of them but would love to!

I'm flexible as far as the interpretation goes. I really liked the Showcase Presents short film from a while back featuring The Spectre. I imagine that falls closer to the Fleischer run, but couldn't say for sure.

I've read some of the Spectre's appearances in the New 52, and wasn't quite sure if this Jim Corrigan's history was the same as that of Post-Crisis, Pre-Flashpoint. I don't recall him ever mentioning being from the 1930s, so it seemed like it was left up in the air. Haven't read Gotham by Midnight though.

[gwangung]

I just think the idea that the Spectre is something that needs a "host" is hogwash. It's one of those long running blunders as if, you know, somebody besides Kent Nelson should be Dr. Fate.

Personally, I think these are too nostalgic tinged to be workable for me. I just don't see the Spectre or Dr. Fate to be inherently tied to a single entity like a Batman or Superman is.

I simply liked the Wrath of God conception to be flexible enough to have a protagonist that can wrestle with unique issues tailored toward their basic character; once they've resolved their big questions, they can lay the mantle down and give it to a new character who has new questions and new issue to deal with.

[David Walton]

Personally, I think these are too nostalgic tinged to be workable for me. I just don't see the Spectre or Dr. Fate to be inherently tied to a single entity like a Batman or Superman is.

I simply liked the Wrath of God conception to be flexible enough to have a protagonist that can wrestle with unique issues tailored toward their basic character; once they've resolved their big questions, they can lay the mantle down and give it to a new character who has new questions and new issue to deal with.

I do enjoy the idea that different people can bond with the Spectre entity and eventually move toward a resolution of their issues.

I think it would be cool if DC did a Legends of the Spectre anthology book that explored various hosts from the past, present and future. Which would probably sell at least five copies a month!

[FluffySheep]

I think it would be cool if DC did a Legends of the Spectre anthology book that explored various hosts from the past, present and future. Which would probably sell at least five copies a month!

I'd buy that. I've only read the 2 Ostrander TPBs but I loved them and the Spectre fascinates me.

[Outside_85]

I think it would be cool if DC did a Legends of the Spectre anthology book that explored various hosts from the past, present and future. Which would probably sell at least five copies a month!

Didn't they sort of do that in Ostranders series when they discovered Corrigan wasn't the first Spectre? Or was that just a flashback of the first hosts past encounters with the Spectre?

[Lee Stone]

I've been re-reading the Ostrander-Mandrake Spectre, easily one of the best runs in comics history as far as I'm concerned. Thoughtful, intelligent, and visually compelling.

I wish the Fleischer, Moench and DeMatteis runs were available on comixology. I haven't read any of them but would love to!

I'm flexible as far as the interpretation goes. I really liked the Showcase Presents short film from a while back featuring The Spectre. I imagine that falls closer to the Fleischer run, but couldn't say for sure.

I've read some of the Spectre's appearances in the New 52, and wasn't quite sure if this Jim Corrigan's history was the same as that of Post-Crisis, Pre-Flashpoint. I don't recall him ever mentioning being from the 1930s, so it seemed like it was left up in the air. Haven't read Gotham by Midnight though.

I wish the Moench run was on Comixology, too.
I'm surprised the two Millennium tie-in issues aren't available, at least.
Especially since #10 crosses over with Captain Atom, Detective Comics and Suicide Squad, and #11 features Dr. Fate, Deadman, Zatanna, Phantom Stranger and Enchantress (as well as Madame Xanadu, who was a regular).

[David Walton]

Didn't they sort of do that in Ostranders series when they discovered Corrigan wasn't the first Spectre? Or was that just a flashback of the first hosts past encounters with the Spectre?

Ostrander delved a bit into the Spectre's first human host, but other than that, there were just passing mentions of others. A Native American shaman tells Corrigan that one of his people has been the Spectre before, too.

So there's a LOT of unexplored territory there.

[Outside_85]

I've read some of the Spectre's appearances in the New 52, and wasn't quite sure if this Jim Corrigan's history was the same as that of Post-Crisis, Pre-Flashpoint. I don't recall him ever mentioning being from the 1930s, so it seemed like it was left up in the air. Haven't read Gotham by Midnight though.

He isn't but the origins is almost the same. He's a modern hard-nosed Gotham cop who has the poor misfortune of being the Phantom Stranger's first step on the path to redemption... as in luring Corrigan into a deadly ambush. To be honest, the appearances by the Spectre outside of Gotham by Midnight hasn't been that good, because it's all too shaped by his own hatred of the Phantom Stranger who often appears at the same time.

Gotham by Midnight was an interesting book, both visually... and because Fawkes revamped the nature of the Spectre quite severely, though not everyone was a fan of those changes.

[David Walton]

He isn't but the origins is almost the same. He's a modern hard-nosed Gotham cop who has the poor misfortune of being the Phantom Stranger's first step on the path to redemption... as in luring Corrigan into a deadly ambush. To be honest, the appearances by the Spectre outside of Gotham by Midnight hasn't been that good, because it's all too shaped by his own hatred of the Phantom Stranger who often appears at the same time.

Gotham by Midnight was an interesting book, both visually... and because Fawkes revamped the nature of the Spectre quite severely, though not everyone was a fan of those changes.

I had forgotten the Phantom Stranger was tied up with Corrigan's new origin, in spite of having really loved that issue and the confrontation that followed. But I guess I focused more on the fight itself.