40 Years Ago Today From DC Comics -- Spectre #2

Spectre #2 (On Sale: November 21, 1967) has somewhat effective cover by Neal Adams.

"Die, Spectre -- Again" is by Gardner Fox and new series artist Neal Adams. This is Neal's second super-hero series at DC and one that I thought he was ineffective with. The supernatural aspect of the Spectre just seemed in conflict with Neal's style. It's like with the Phantom Stranger; Neal did wonderful, evocative covers for the book, but in the one story he illustrated I think the art fell flat.

Jim Corrigan is puzzled by a series of impossible crimes. The Spectre realizes that the crimes are being committed by an ethereal being. When he confronts the spectral criminal, he finds that his powers are not enough to defeat his foe.

The Spectre links the thief to magician Dirk Rawley, but Corrigan saw Rawley at the same time the robbery occurred. The Spectre theorizes that if Corrigan can hit Rawley's physical self at the same moment as he hits the ethereal Rawley, then the villain will be defeated.

When Corrigan and the Spectre attempt to execute their plan, the physical Rawley avoids Corrigan's blow, which allows his ethereal self to imprison the Spectre inside a gem. The Spectre manages to escape, but Corrigan is suspended for the unprovoked attack on the magician. Reprinted in Adventure Comics #495.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.