I think the Spectre can become a popular (perhaps A-list) character

[Savage Savant]

Title says it all. I think this character has so much potential & it's ridiculous how DC isn't trying to get this character to the forefront (especially with that Dr. Strange flick coming out soon). A lot of people say that the character is too powerful to write or tell a story with but that's bullshit honestly. All you have to do is look at the Jerry Siegel stories & go from there. Don't write the character as some entity or Spirit hogwash because the character loses all appeal that way since you basically remove Jim Corrigan from the equation. I mean, why invest in a character if any smuck can wear the suit?

Anyway with the Spectre writers could explore philosophical topics like the nature of reality, consciousness, substance dualism, etc. Not to belittle the Dr. Strange character but Spectre is just as compelling as that character & predates him as well (I like Strange but from a story-telling perspective there wasn't much original going on in those stories. It's not like Spectre or Fate didn't have similar adventures or even Moorcock's Elric of Melnibone traveling the multiverse & using sorcery to battle weird foes both mortal & god alike).

I just believe this character is totally awesome and is multi-dimensional. One can tell adventurous horror stories with this character that explores the nature of reality without touching upon any religious nonsense like the Ostrander run. Basically think the Siegel & Fleischer runs (where the character was the spirit/ghost of Corrigan mind you) combined with some Hellblazer esque social commentary & philosophical discussions & it's a recipe for success.

The character is not hard to write at all. Just a BS comment made by people with a lack of imagination.

[MadFacedKid]

I liked the showcase Spectre got in Crisis of Two Earths. Wish they made Showcases for the newer stuff as well. On topic though just basing it off the Showcase I could definitely enjoy a movie written like that or a TV show if that can make it work.

[Inhuman X]

It'll take a good writer with a long run and several good stories in mind willing to really peg down the character into something cool and relatable. But the big thing to me will be actually developing a rogues gallery we care about too as a hero in comics isn't much in stories without good villains to play off of. In some ways, a good villain is more important than the hero in a typical comic. Anti-heroes have it so much easier lol.

[Lairston]

I know you said you didn't but I really enjoyed the Ostrander run. I do have a BA in Biblical Studies so that could explain why I enjoyed the religious aspect of the run.

But I can't believe the character is not used.

If I was writing him I'd probably have the Spectre reason for being attached to Corrigan to be the result of God(or gods) attempt at toning down the Spirit's ability to punish. Perhaps claim there's been many Spectre hosts since the time of Sodom and Gormorrah because God(or gods) felt he went to far and Corrigan is the latest who's job is to keep the Spirit under control. But it would probably be too gory for DC because those Corrigan believe deserve the utmost wrath would get it.

And I'd probably have to put in a story where the Spirit manages to suppress Corrigan's influence and goes to town. Because nothing beats an omnipresent being of wrath.

[Trey Strain]

If i wrote it for the first two years and showed them how to do it, then yes, it really would not be hard to turn the Spectre into a hit comic. But I honestly don't think anyone at DC would know how to get ir rolling. Nothing that I've seen suggests that. I think everyone there sees it as a niche title and not a breakout that's waiting to happen. They think small with it, and they get small results.

[byrd156]

If i wrote it for the first two years and showed them how to do it, then yes, it really would not be hard to turn the Spectre into a hit comic. But I honestly don't think anyone at DC would know how to get ir rolling. Nothing that I've seen suggests that. I think everyone there sees it as a niche title and not a breakout that's waiting to happen. They think small with it, and they get small results.

Why don't you work for DC then?

[LifeIsILL]

It'll take a good writer with a long run and several good stories in mind willing to really peg down the character into something cool and relatable. But the big thing to me will be actually developing a rogues gallery we care about too as a hero in comics isn't much in stories without good villains to play off of. In some ways, a good villain is more important than the hero in a typical comic. Anti-heroes have it so much easier lol.

Ostrander had a good long run with this character.

I think DC needs another A-Lister, maybe Flash or Aquaman. Flash seems more likely though.

[BrianT]

The Spectre was the star of the recently canceled GOTHAM BY MIDNIGHT. I recommend the second volume, for sure.
http://www.examiner.com/article/excl...-by-midnight-7

I've enjoyed both the Ostrander and Fleischer collections.

I think one thing they need to stop doing is having Spectre grow big to defeat all of his adversaries like a kaiju. Seems like they go to that well every time since CoIE.

[Adekis]

I think the Spectre is potentially an awesome character. He could totally be an A-Lister, yeah.

Someone did a fan-pitch for a series where Spectre just wanders about the trippy universe of deep space and the celestial sphere enforcing justice, and that's an idea I really liked. But obviously, he's most tied to Earth.

[whiterabbit]

Spectre is a great character but writers need a clear and good vision of what to do with him. Jim Corrigan transforming junkies into his fingers and injecting drugs into his arm? That is a good vision.

[Dr. Cheesesteak]

If it didn't happen after Kingdom Come, doubt it'll ever happen.

(plus in reality, we're talking A-list? On the same merch-pushing level as Superman, Batman, Wolverine, Spider-Man, etc? Again, doubtful, no matter what DC can do to push him)

[Dispenser Of Truth]

If i wrote it for the first two years and showed them how to do it, then yes, it really would not be hard to turn the Spectre into a hit comic.

Oh, don't start getting modest now. You could do that for anything, and thanks to you we all know that. At length.

Whether Spectre could become A-list largely depends on your definition. Unless Neil Gaiman did it, definitely not in any traditional sense - what I've read of Lucifer is better than what I've read of Sandman, but the latter is the one-in-a-million hit, because it was the trailblazer. Otherwise, the 'core audience' could care less about that kind of comic. In the critically acclaimed, bankable secondary franchise sense like Constantine? Sure. I'd love to see what, to throw a dart, Tom King and Marco Rudy would do with it.

[batnbreakfast]

I liked the showcase Spectre got in Crisis of Two Earths. Wish they made Showcases for the newer stuff as well. On topic though just basing it off the Showcase I could definitely enjoy a movie written like that or a TV show if that can make it work.

Yep, second that. We need more Showcase short movies AND more Jim Corrigan OR Crispus Allen without stories being too religous or making him too powerful

[Outside_85]

Tbh I dont think the Spectre could be turned into an A-list character, not without making so many changes to it that you might as well have just created a new character.
And you know what? Thats fine. Keeping him from being A-list leaves him free to do what he does best: Killing sinners in the most imaginative and gruesome ways.

If i wrote it for the first two years and showed them how to do it, then yes, it really would not be hard to turn the Spectre into a hit comic. But I honestly don't think anyone at DC would know how to get ir rolling. Nothing that I've seen suggests that. I think everyone there sees it as a niche title and not a breakout that's waiting to happen. They think small with it, and they get small results.

Keep dreaming.

[Trey Strain]

Tbh I dont think the Spectre could be turned into an A-list character.

There's never any future in saying something can't be done. You're already defeated when you say that.