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Where to start with The Spectre?

Started by Metfan1986,

17 posts in this topic

Metfan1986

Metfan1986

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Hi everybody! I am new to the boards and looking for some advice. I have decided to switch my focus from Spider-Man to older DC, Four Color, and X-men. One character that has always interested me is The Spectre. I was wondering if anyone could recommend good starting points or storylines for this character. Thanks!

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ttfitz

ttfitz

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Hi everybody! I am new to the boards and looking for some advice. I have decided to switch my focus from Spider-Man to older DC, Four Color, and X-men. One character that has always interested me is The Spectre. I was wondering if anyone could recommend good starting points or storylines for this character. Thanks!

 

It depends on whether you are looking for good issues to collect, or good issues to read. I don't know that they are the kinds of books that collectors want, but I was always partial to the John Ostrander run as far as reading goes. It's the 1992 series, 62 issues.

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comicjack

comicjack

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John Ostrander's run in the 90's was an amazing read.Also early More Fun's having some good stories and are pretty reasonable now but not for long.Welcome!

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markseifert

markseifert

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"He really did The Spectre, man. For the first time since the '40's, that strip was dynamite. And the first time they looked at what they were publishing, they said, " My God, we have turned loose this lunatic on the world," and they ran him off. And that was a shame because Fleisher should have been kept on The Spectre forever."

 

--Harlan Ellison, part of an interview over which Fleisher ended up suing him (and TCJ).

 

But if that doesn't sell you on Adv #431-440, nothing will.

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Davenport

Davenport

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Hi everybody! I am new to the boards and looking for some advice. I have decided to switch my focus from Spider-Man to older DC, Four Color, and X-men. One character that has always interested me is The Spectre. I was wondering if anyone could recommend good starting points or storylines for this character. Thanks!

 

It depends on whether you are looking for good issues to collect, or good issues to read. I don't know that they are the kinds of books that collectors want, but I was always partial to the John Ostrander run as far as reading goes. It's the 1992 series, 62 issues.

This. (thumbs u

 

That Ostrander run hits all the right notes. Great character, extremely well written, amazing and varied cover art, complete-able at 62 issue run, relatively inexpensive.

 

The 70's stuff too. But if you're going to do Spectre gotta snag an Ostrander run for sure.

 

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Sekowskyfan10

Sekowskyfan10

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The Adventure Comics run in the 70s pushed the boundaries of the Comics Code at the time and was considered graphic for the day.

 

Here's a great article summarizing the run, with choice controversial panels...

 

http://diversionsofthegroovykind.blogspot.com/2008/10/weird-adventure-comics-spectre.html

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Robot Man

Robot Man

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All very good suggestions but why not start from the beginning? Get the hard cover reprints of the early stories from More Fun #52 on. They will blow you away. One of my favorite characters. After that, I would suggest the Adventure run. But before you read the later stuff you gotta know where he came from. One of the best origins in comics and two parts to boot!

 

And welcome to the boards. You will have fun here. Go check out the GA section. Lots written about the Spectre.

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Ken Aldred

Ken Aldred

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I was going to suggest the Golden Age Spectre Archives Vol. 1 myself for the earlier, darker stories, but it appears to be out-of-print and at silly prices on Amazon, and so not that easy and cheap to pick up, unlike the Wrath of the Spectre reprints.

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