Customer Reviews

Golden Age Spectre Archives, Vol. 1 (DC Comics Archives)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Most of the early war comics from the late 30s and early 40s tend to be the same story told over and over again. While a number of The Spectre stories follow a pattern, they are told with a panache lacking in most other comics of the day.

The Spectre is a slain police detective whose spirit is returned to earth to rid it of crime. The very concept makes it the most original character of its time. Jerry Siegel, half of the duo that created Superman, uses this extraordinary concept to explore the idea of a hero with no real limitations and takes us places no other writer in the 40s thought of. The Spectre faces his enemies with an amazing battery of powers, sometimes just willing them out of existence. He travels to other planets, even other dimensions.

Bernard Bailey's illustration, while not spectacular, holds up to just about any other artist of the day, with the possible exception of Bill Everett. The costume he created for The Spectre is unusual, break the unwritten rule of the era. Heroes were always dressed in primary colors and villians in seconday. The Spectre is garbed in green and white. It is suitably erie for a rather creepy character. (Green Lanten would later break this rule as well, dressed in a tacky orange, green and purple ensemble.)

This is actually some of the best the golden age of comics has to offer.

_I used to avoid reading Spectre stories as a boy- they creeped me out. Don't get me wrong, I used to read the most graphic and disturbing of the old horror comics and magazines, but the Spectre was something different. On some level I knew that the ghouls, zombies, monsters and vampires in the other mags were make-believe, but the Spectre, well, he was the Old Testament Wrath of God. Even as a boy I knew that He was real....

_I found these stories from the early forties were a joy to read. Some of the artwork from this period can be pretty crude by today's standards, but I was pleasantly surprised by co-creator Bernard Baily's drawing. Just about every panel is drawn to a competent standard. In fact there are images, backgrounds, and panel work that are clearly ahead of their time. Some of it borders on the surreal. Even the old over-heavy inking style tends to add rather than detract from the supernatural darkness of the story line. As for the color, it is bright, garish- and perfectly done for stories of this era. I know that many people have a problem with the costume design of the classic Spectre, but for me it works perfectly. The character looks like a fish-white corpse in a shroud- which I remember is one of the things that helped to creep me out as a kid.

_However, it was Siegel's writing that makes the character. Here is a spirit sent back to earth to battle crime and uphold justice- until it is totally obliterated from earth. I didn't realize it, but Spectre was called back to the gates of eternity early in his mission because "the Voice" who assigned him his mission decided that it was too much for one man. Yet, in order to return to earth to save an innocent life, Jim Corrigan refused eternal rest to return to earth to fight evil for eternity. No longer strictly human- and barred from heaven for eternity- by his own choice to protect the innocent. That sums up the isolation and nobility of the character. As for "harshness" of the techniques that the character uses against the wicked, well, these are the most sociopathic of the old-style gangsters. Nothing less would be justice- and the Spectre as a mind reader knows exactly what these monsters did- and why. One other thing- in the very first story Jim Corrigan goes into the "streaming light" to encounter a Higher Force at the gates of eternity that sends him back because his mission on earth is unfinished. This was in 1940- long before near-death experiences had been popularized...

_The book itself is a thing of beauty with its black leatherette finish; heavy, glossy paper; and high quality printing. This is truly archive quality work, as it should be, for these stories should last forever.

I'm a sucker for DC's supernatural characters, such as The Phantom Stranger, Etrigan the Demon and The Spectre, so it was with great excitement that I bought this book. I mean: the original stories of one of my favorite characters, what's not to like?
I wasn't disappointed either. Sure the stories are simplistic by today's standards, but at the time I'm quite sure they were extraordinary. The introduction states that with The Spectre, Jerry Siegel was hoping to establish a third archetypal hero, after Superman and Batman. Do I think he succeeded? Yes and no. While, he indeed create a new style of character, it never seemed to have caught on quite the same way Superman and Batman did.
If you really want to see The Spectre at his best, then pick the Ostrander/Mandrake issues from the 90s. Great stuff.

The Spectre reminds me of Little Nemo in Slumberland. Anything can happen and often does in the Spectre. From throwing stars at a villian the size of a world to talking to the recently dead on a huge stairway to heaven the images stay with you long after you close the book.

A haunting read!!!

Most of the Golden Age DC Archives are to be admired for their historical significance in a pleasing format.
Honestly, a lot of the Golden Age stories are rather primitive and repetitious and a bit difficult to struggle through.

This is one of a few exceptions. It's thoroughly entertaining.
(Golden Age Starman is the best looking, art-wise with fun SciFi tinged tales; Golden Age Black Canary is fantastic female solo character and just plain fun. I'm surprised Wonder Woman took off with this kind of competition!)

Golden Age Spectre is nutty, borderline insane, great art to look at, and is the most "out-there" of the DC offerings. That's what's so great about it. He's creepy. He's dead. He wears a hooded cape and panties. LOL.

Interested in the DC Archive Editions? Start your collection with this one. You'll be hooked.

The DC Archives are a great way for a comic fan to "read" the books, which you cannot do with the originals either because of scaricity or "fear" of damaging the original through handling.

I have been "replacing" my collection with Archive Editions and look forward to new releases and continuing the process.

Jerry Siegel's writing is energetic and fast-paced, and Bernard Bailey's art gives The Spectre a simultaneously bright and creepy feel. As stated in the previous review, The Spectre himself was a truly original idea for the time. He dresses unlike any other hero of his day, and his powers are almost limitless.

This is, however, my main complaint with this collection. How do you create difficult, dramatic situations for a character with seemingly ultimate power over the entire universe? Why does he not just blink every gangster on earth out of existence? If he can heal the sick and bring back the dead, why not end all disease? And so on... While often providing entertaining scenarios to read, this collection never really answers those questions. Comics historian Jerry Bails tries to justify this in the foreward, but with limited success. Basically, he just says read it and don't think about that kind of thing.

Overall, this is a collection to be appreciated for its scope and ambition above its practicality. If you're a fan of the golden age, I'm sure you'll enjoy this. If you're not, this may even make you one. But either way, I'm not sure you'll end up with a satisfied grasp of the character or his place in the DC universe.