WTF Did I Just Read? The Spectre #1

The Spectre #1 "The Sinister Lives of Cap'n Skull"
Written by Gardner Fox
Art by Murphy Anderson
Published by DC Comics
Released 1967

Comics sure have changed a lot over the years haven't they? Wow. I really cannot prepare you for the plot of this issue, so I'll just introduce the Spectre. Honestly I'm mostly familiar with the Post-Crisis DC universe, so going back into the Silver Age is definitely different. Needless to say in this version of reality the Spectre seems to be just a ghostly crime fighter who works alongside Jim Corrigan, a police officer. I'm used to him being the vengeance of god made flesh possessing old Jimmy, but the 60's were a simpler time. Mostly appearing in random one off appearances in anthology comics this was the Spectre's first solo series. While it only lasted ten issues, today we are going to talk about just the first.

Before getting started proper, if you're reading this you aren't having to suffer through the long exposition that is older comics, but my god, it is incredible how long these writers could ramble on about unnecessary information. Maybe that was more appropriate before the jump? Oh well! The first issue of the Spectre starts off... strange. An ambassador, Joeseph Clanton, is shot in the head by a would be assassin. Lying in critical condition in a seemingly inoperable state a doctor confesses he has a risky procedure in mind, his fellow doctors convince him to try it anyway. Hours later they emerge from surgery saying all that is left for them is to pray. Just then a pirate bursts out of the operating room shouting pirate things. The doctors search all around but Clanton cannot be found.

Soon after Jim Corrigan happens upon this pirate stealing a pirate costume from a store. He tails him, and notices that he appears to possess some mastery of supernatural powers. When he confronts the pirate he is easily dealt with, but before the killing blow can be struck the Spectre emerges. Immediately he notices some absurd power surrounding the pirate, a megacyclical energy (yeah, no, that shit isn't real) and if he were to so much as touch this pirate even the Spectre would surely be torn asunder. The pirate is merely toying with him and eventually gets away, not before showing off incredible (and ill-defined) powers.

The Spectre ventures into the astra-dimensions to consult cosmic forces. They explain that, and I apologize to all right minded readers, the psychic consciousness of this pirate has somehow managed to propel itself forward through his ancestors and possess Clanton, of course gaining this mysterious megacyclical powers along the way. While these powers can destroy the Spectre, only the Spectre can defeat Cap'n Skull lest his reign of terror go unchecked with nothing to stop him. Simultaneously Jimmy did some digging of his own and came to similar conclusions.

The next day Cap'n Skull attacks a plane by literally running at it mid flight. The pilots panic, but Spectre appears and crushes Skull between two boulders. Sadly this doesn't even phase him, but the Spectre just creates a whirlwind with his cape so strong it opens a rift in time and space sending them back to the time where Skull belongs. Coming to the realization that he will lose all of his powers if he's returned to his own body (for unexplained reasons) he manages to go further back in time and possesses a knight who was his ancestor. There he imbues his fellow knights with his power and leads armies. Spectre takes this opportunity to possess one of his own troops and uses his own megacyclical powers against him. Temporarily stunned he attempts to bring Skull back to his own time.

Skull awakens though and escapes into the body of a gladiator ancestor of his. While fighting in the arena the Spectre easily knocks him out again and drags him back through time. Cap'n Skull struggle continues though as he breaks free into the body of another ancestor, this time a Trojan warrior. Spectre waits, and when the time is right punctures a natural gas vein  hidden in the ground knocking out Skull, unaware of the concept of natural gas.

Finally Skull grows tired of these games as he summons... motes of cosmic powers as well as cosmic winds to finish off the Spectre. Overwhelmed by these... motes... and wind.. the Spectre... ugh... stretches up to a nearby (relatively speaking) sun. He thrusts his hand into the center of a Quasar which grants him his own mastery of this megacyclical energy. For some reason it is at the center of suns, and it doesn't hurt Spectre if isn't in a malignant entity upon touch. The Spectre faces Skull one last time and with a single perfectly planned punch sends him back to his own body and his time.

Upon returning to the present Spectre finds Clanton returning to his own form and healing any wounds acquired during their fights. Back at Jim Corrigan's pad he discusses with Spectre that while his ancestor's may have been rotten, Clanton is finally doing some good for the world. The Spectre thanks fate for him acting as an ambassador of good as the comic comes to an end.

Yeah. Needless to say this is simultaneously a horrible beginning to an on-going and a beautiful train wreck. So much of the dialogue in this is beyond ridiculous, rife with made up terms and insane logical reasoning. It was a treat as much as it was a total groan fest. I can't honestly recommend this to anyone outside of people searching for something to have a decent chuckle. And even then only fans of absurdist humor need apply.

Cap'n Skull was never seen from again, neither was Joeseph Clanton. Which is honestly a bit of a shame, I was kind of hoping he would make some obscure return. Either true to his decent nature in this as a fighter for justice, or as secretly succumbing to the whims of his past lives growing increasingly corrupt. I would love if a new Spectre series dealt with that.

Overall, this is pretty par for the course with silver age comics. If you're a fan of that style of story telling this might be worth looking into, if you're seriously looking for a jumping onto point for getting to really know the Spectre as a character I would highly recommend looking elsewhere. Really all that is left to say is to ask, what the fuck did I just read?