DC Keeps Ignoring One Of The Most Powerful Heroes Of All (& It’s Time To Bring Him Back)

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DC Comics is known for its incredibly powerful characters. Looking at older Superman comics, for example, shows a hero capable of unbelievable feats – moving planets, traveling faster than light, and more. Over the years, DC has introduced many characters like Martian Manhunter, the Flash, and even villains like Bizarro and the Anti-Monitor, all with power levels that often exceed those seen in other comic universes.

DC Comics has many incredibly powerful characters, but the Spectre often gets overlooked. Originally a detective named Jim Corrigan, he was killed and transformed into the Spirit of Vengeance. While his backstory and powers have evolved over time, the Spectre always excelled in DC’s darker, more horror-focused stories from the late 1960s and 70s. He starred in a fantastic comic series in the 1990s and has become a key force in the DC Universe’s overall cosmic structure. It’s time DC Comics gave the Spectre the attention he deserves.

The Spectre Has Grown Into a Complex and Entertaining Character

The Spectre began as a typical Golden Age hero – he used extreme violence against criminals. But unlike the later version known as God’s Angel of Vengeance, he was initially just a detective brought back to life to avenge his own murder and clean up the city. He was a strong, straightforward character with a memorable white and green costume, and a member of the Justice Society. However, in DC’s Golden Age, which already featured powerful heroes like Superman, Green Lantern, and Doctor Fate, the Spectre didn’t quite stand out. He felt unnecessary, and writers struggled to find a good role for him.

The Spectre continued to appear even after the Justice Society’s return in the Silver Age, but it was during this time that the character began to grow in importance across the DC Universe. In 1966, he moved to the Showcase comic with issue #60, becoming an increasingly powerful force for justice. His popularity quickly led to his own series in 1967, which featured some of the earliest work by acclaimed artist Neal Adams. The Spectre proved ideal for telling horror stories in the relatively restrained comic book industry of the 1960s and 70s. An Earth-One version of the character—as editor Joe Orlando believed—first appeared in Adventures Comics, and he remained a significant power, growing more mysterious over time and eventually serving as an agent of both Heaven and Hell.

After the Crisis event, the Spectre underwent a significant transformation in the DC Universe. He gained a detailed backstory as a divine being, initially a demon who later became an agent of God. This new origin gave him a much larger role in DC’s overall cosmic structure, and he became a prominent figure in the acclaimed 1990s story Kingdom Come, reaching a new audience of readers. The 1990s version of the Spectre, crafted by John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake, was particularly memorable. Their series leaned more towards the mature and atmospheric style of DC’s Vertigo imprint, consistently surprising readers with imaginative stories and dramatic punishments. It was a dark, suspenseful take on the character, mirroring the edgy violence found in other Vertigo comics of that time.

Over the years, the role of the Spectre has changed hands several times – from Jim Corrigan to Hal Jordan, and even being controlled by villains like Eclispo and Alexander Luthor. Most recently, detective Crispus Allen briefly held the power before the character faded into the background. Since the late 2000s, the Spectre hasn’t been a major focus in stories, and currently doesn’t have a defined role. He’s essentially inactive, but remains a powerful character with the potential for compelling stories as God’s Angel of Vengeance.

It’s Long Past Time for the Spectre to Come Back to Prominence

I started reading DC comics in the 1990s, and it always felt like the Spectre held a more significant role in the universe than Marvel’s Ghost Rider. DC really leaned into the character’s original, Golden Age roots – a powerful protector of those who couldn’t defend themselves – and did it exceptionally well. The Spectre series by Ostrander and Mandrake is a true highlight of 90s DC, offering a fresh, modern take that consistently surprised and impressed readers.

It’s a shame we mostly see the Spectre in stories set during his Golden Age origins. Given that comics are now more accepting of the intense, supernatural violence that defines the character, it’s surprising DC hasn’t brought him back as a modern hero. While DC is revisiting many of its Golden Age characters, the Spectre is still waiting for a chance to truly shine. A writer like Ram V would be ideal for a Spectre story, and the character has the potential to be a major force in the DC Universe again. He boasts a fantastic history – including excellent work by Ostrander and Mandrake, as well as early stories by Neal Adams in The Spectre (Vol. 1) and his run in Adventure Comics starting with issue #431 – and it’s time DC capitalized on that legacy.

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2025-12-13 01:15