The Golden Age Spectre Archives #1

([May] 2003)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 1)

foreword, introduction, preface, afterword / 1 page (report information)

Script

?

Letters

typeset

Synopsis

Brief, introductory essay to the volume.

Indexer Notes

Text piece on the front inside flap of the dustjacket.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 2)

The Spectre / credits, title page / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Bernard Baily

Inks

Bernard Baily

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Indexer Notes

The title page, illustrated with the encircled Spectre figure from the cover from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #60 (October 1940) with the lower half of the circle originally behind him altered to come in front and cut off the image across the upper legs.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 3)

credits, title page / 1 page (report information)

Letters

Bernard Baily ("Spectre" logo); typeset

Synopsis

A list of DC's senior editorial staff, the copyright notice & standard legal disclaimers, plus cover art credits & interior color credit.

Indexer Notes

The "Spectre" logo is the one seen on every story from More Fun Comics #57 (Sequence 17 here) through #65 (Sequence 35).

Table of Contents (Table of Contents: 4)

The Spectre / table of contents / 2 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Bernard Baily

Inks

Bernard Baily

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

typeset

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Indexer Notes

List of contents of this volume with newly created titles ("for reader reference") and basic creative credits specified for each story (each cover repro is covered within the entry for its issue's story). Illustrated with the headshot of Spectre page 7, last panel from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #67 (May 1941) at the top of the first page.

Foreword (Table of Contents: 5)

The Spectre / foreword, introduction, preface, afterword / 5 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Bails

Pencils

Bernard Baily

Inks

Bernard Baily

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

typeset

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Synopsis

Comics fan and historian Jerry Bails describes the circumstances of the creation of "The Spectre" and then discusses various aspects of these early stories.

Indexer Notes

Illustrated with the headshot of Spectre from page 7, panel 5 from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #59 (September 1940) at the top of the first page.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 6)

The Spectre / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Bernard Baily

Inks

Bernard Baily

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #52 (February 1940) [colored incorrectly]

Indexer Notes

The Spectre's originally blue "costume" and gray "skin" are "corrected" to the subsequently standard green and white.

The Spectre: Introduction (Table of Contents: 7)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Det. Jim Corrigan] (introduction, origin); Det. Wayne Grant (introduction); Clarice Winston (introduction); Mrs. Winston (introduction); "Gat" Benson (introduction, villain); The Voice (introduction)

Synopsis

Detective Jim Corrigan and his fiancee, socialite Clarice Winston, are kidnapped by the "Gat" Benson gang in retaliation for his breaking up a criminal operation. Jim is murdered, but sent back to Earth by a higher power, as a powerful ghost with a mission to battle crime.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #52 (February 1940)

Indexer Notes

This story's given title, unlike all the others in this volume, is not an arbitrary, after-the-fact, editorial choice. It is actually a combination of the logo and the opening to a lengthy caption box that explains who and what this "new" character is, both in the splash panel. The Spectre as such appears in only that, rather generic, splash illustration and in an iconic pose in a blurb after the final story panel, with his originally blue "costume" and gray "skin" herein "corrected" to the subsequently standard green and white.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 8)

The Spectre / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Bernard Baily

Inks

Bernard Baily

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #53 (March 1940)

Indexer Notes

The Spectre's originally gray "skin" is "corrected" to the standard white (his "costume" WAS green in the original publication of this cover).

[The Spectre Strikes] (Table of Contents: 9)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily

Inks

Bernard Baily

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

Jim Corrigan [The Spectre] (origin); Clarice Winston; "Gat" Benson (villain); Det. Wayne Grant

Synopsis

The ghost of Jim Corrigan subdues Benson and his gang, rescues Clarice, breaks off their engagement, alibis "surviving" his murder, and creates the "costumed" identity of The Spectre.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #53 (March 1940)

Indexer Notes

While the Spectre's initially blue "costume" became green at this point in the original run (and therefore was always so in actual in-story appearances; it is seen here on the final page only, with the story's action beginning in the splash and depicting Jim Corrigan there), his "skin" remained gray and was "corrected" for this presentation.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 10)

The Spectre / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Bernard Baily

Inks

Bernard Baily

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #54 (April 1940)

Indexer Notes

"Swiped" by Murphy Anderson for the Spectre's Silver Age revival in Showcase #60 (January-February 1966), specifically page 3, panel 3. The Spectre's originally gray "skin" is "corrected" to white here.

[The Spiritualist] (Table of Contents: 11)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

Jim Corrigan [The Spectre]; Clarice Winston; Mrs. Winston; The Voice

Synopsis

At Clarice's request, Jim investigates and exposes a phony "medium" who is swindling her mother. The Spectre is about to foil a retaliatory murder attempt on Clarice when he suddenly finds himself before The Voice and given one opportunity to chose eternal rest. To save his ex-fiancee's life, the spirit of Jim Corrigan refuses the offer and is doomed to remain earthbound, where he dispatches the swami and his henchman.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #54 (April 1940)

Indexer Notes

This and the two previous stories were "remade" by writer Roy Thomas and artist Michael T. Gilbert in Secret Origins (1986 series) #15, June 1987, where it was "revealed" that the swami had hired "Gat" Benson to kill Corrigan. The Spectre's originally gray "skin" is "corrected" to white here.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 12)

The Spectre / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #55 (May 1940)

Indexer Notes

The Spectre's originally gray "skin" is "corrected" to white here.

[Zor] (Table of Contents: 13)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

Jim Corrigan [The Spectre]; Det. Wayne Grant; Zor (Introduction; Villain); Clarice Winston; The Voice

Synopsis

The simple arrest of an embezzler is complicated by his protective entity Zor, another earthbound spirit whose powers seem even greater than the Spectre's.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #55 (May 1940)

Indexer Notes

The Spectre's originally gray "skin" is "corrected" to white here.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 14)

Doctor Fate / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Bernard Baily (Spectre vignette); Howard Sherman

Inks

Bernard Baily (Spectre vignette); Howard Sherman

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre (vignette); Wotan; Inza Cramer; Doctor Fate

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #56 (June 1940)

[Terror at Lytell's [sic]] (Table of Contents: 15)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily

Inks

Bernard Baily

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]

Synopsis

The Spectre exposes a fur wholesaler's attempts to force a retailer to do business with him.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #56 (June 1940)

Indexer Notes

Despite the spelling in the selected-decades-after-the-fact title ("...Lytell's"), in the story the retailer's name is rendered "Lytel's Department Store." The Spectre's originally gray "skin" is "corrected" to white here.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 16)

The Spectre / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Bernard Baily

Inks

Bernard Baily

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #57 (July 1940)

Indexer Notes

The Spectre's "skin" was originally the familiar white as of this issue.

[The Return of Zor] (Table of Contents: 17)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; Zor; Det. Wayne Grant; Clarice Winston; The Voice

Synopsis

Zor escapes from the doom in which the Spectre had previously imprisoned him (in the story from More Fun Comics #55), and seeks vengeance.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #57 (July 1940)

Indexer Notes

Beginning with this story, the feature opened with the same half-page splash panel each issue.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 18)

The Spectre / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #58 (August 1940)

[The Arsonist] (Table of Contents: 19)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]

Synopsis

The Spectre discovers that an attempt to kill a businessman while burning down his warehouse is his partner's way of covering up his embezzling.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #58 (August 1940)

Indexer Notes

The Spectre's melting of one thug here inspired Michael Fleisher to write a similar scene for his first Spectre story in Adventure Comics #431 (January-February 1974).

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 20)

The Spectre / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #59 (September 1940)

[The Fur-Hijackers] (Table of Contents: 21)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; The Police Chief (introduction)

Synopsis

A series of fur shipment hijackings turns out to be an inside job, specifically insurance fraud.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #59 (September 1940)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 22)

The Spectre / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #60 (October 1940)

Indexer Notes

"Swiped" by Murphy Anderson for Showcase #60 (January-February 1966), page 3, panel 4.

[The Menace of Xnon] (Table of Contents: 23)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; Det. Wayne Grant; The Police Chief; The Voice

Synopsis

A series of crimes apparently committed by the Spectre are actually the work of Xnon ("pronounced Ecksnon"), an extra-dimensional criminal whose super-science enables him to control the Spectre, but the Voice gives the Ghostly Guardian the Ring of Life which frees him and allows him to defeat Xnon.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #60 (October 1940)

Indexer Notes

The Ring of Life would make several more "deus ex machina" type appearances after this, as well as being the means of restoring life to the body of Jim Corrigan in More Fun Comics #75 (January 1942). In All-Star Squadron #28 (December 1983), Roy Thomas would indicate that it was the same ring that appeared out of nowhere to immobilize the Spectre in his solo chapter in All-Star Comics #5 (June-July 1941), and that both its gem and Sargon the Sorcerer's Ruby of Life, introduced in All-American Comics #26 (May 1941), were cut from the same stone.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 24)

Doctor Fate / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Bernard Baily (Spectre vignette); Howard Sherman

Inks

Bernard Baily (Spectre vignette); Howard Sherman

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre (vignette); Doctor Fate

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #61 (November 1940)

[The Golden Curse Deaths] (Table of Contents: 25)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily

Inks

Bernard Baily

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; The Police Chief; Clarice Winston

Synopsis

A man shows the police a death-threat note he had received, signed with the name of the Spectre, then turns into solid gold right in front of Corrigan and his chief. Subsequently, Clarice tells Jim that her father has been assured the same fate if she does not surrender herself to the Spectre! Knowing he is innocent, the Disembodied Detective investigates, rescues his former fiancee, and uncovers the true culprit, a mad scientist who claims his victims had cheated him out of the profits from his earlier discoveries.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #61 (November 1940)

Indexer Notes

Corrigan's town is incorrectly called "Center City" several times in this story; Jerry Siegel had previously established "Cliffland" in a Spectre tale for All Star Comics #1 (Summer 1940) (published at that time by All-American Comics, then a separate company from National/DC, which was responsible for More Fun) and would make regular use of it here beginning with the next issue. Perhaps not coincidental to this story's error, when the Spectre appeared in Brave and the Bold #72 (June-July 1967), his Earth-2 base of operations was given as the similar "Central City," even though his solo series of that era called it "Gateway City."

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 26)

The Spectre / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Bernard Baily

Inks

Bernard Baily

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #62 (December 1940)

[The Mad Creation of Professor Fenton] (Table of Contents: 27)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; The Police Chief

Synopsis

A scientist's experiment to free a human brain from the limitations of its physical body results in a menace to the world that even the Spectre cannot defeat, until he calls on the Ring of Life.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #62 (December 1940)

Indexer Notes

Corrigan's city is referred to as Cliffland for the first time in More Fun (after the previous issue's mistaken usage of Center City).

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 28)

The Spectre / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

?

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #63 [Without Canadian Price] (January 1941)

[Trigger Daniels' Death Curse] (Table of Contents: 29)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; The Police Chief

Synopsis

As convicted murderer "Trigger" Daniels is placed in the electric chair, he assures everyone involved in his arrest and conviction that he will kill them all. Shortly thereafter, his ghost does indeed launch a vendetta, but as Detective Corrigan was the arresting officer and is on Trigger's hit list, the Spectre soon intervenes. However, it takes the Ring of Life to destroy the spirit of Daniels.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #63 (January 1941)

Indexer Notes

There is not so much as a hint as to how "Trigger" Daniels knows with absolute certainty that his execution will not be a final death.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 30)

The Spectre / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #64 (February 1941)

[The Ghost of Elmer Watson] (Table of Contents: 31)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily

Inks

Bernard Baily

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; The Police Chief; Det. Wayne Grant

Synopsis

Despite the best efforts of Det. Grant, Elmer Watson, chief witness against a corrupt politician, is killed before he can testify. However, his ghost is imprisoned on Earth until he exacts vengeance on those responsible. It takes the Spectre and the Ring of Life to see that some of the gang survive to stand trial.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #64 (February 1941)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 32)

The Spectre / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #65 (March 1941)

[Dr. Mephisto] (Table of Contents: 33)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; The Police Chief

Synopsis

The performances of a stage magician, Dr. Mephisto, are repeatedly disrupted by a mysterious entity calling itself the Blue Flame, who robs the audiences. The chief immediately assumes it is a new guise for the Spectre, but the Grim Ghost soon exposes the culprit as Mephisto himself.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #65 (March 1941)

Indexer Notes

At a high society "lawn fete," one attendee appears to be Clarice Winston, but she is not expressly identified.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 34)

The Spectre / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #66 (April 1941) [grey shading removed]

[The World Within the Paintings] (Table of Contents: 35)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily

Inks

Bernard Baily

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; The Police Chief; Mr. Winston (I); Clarice Winston

Synopsis

Giant monsters terrorizing and committing destruction throughout Cliffland are in fact from another universe bridged via a painting in a public museum. The Spectre's intervention sends them running back to their world and he follows. There, he discovers its hunchbacked ruler, who wants to conquer all. The Ghostly Guardian returns to Cliffland, destroys the painting, and saves Clarice and her father from thugs out to rob the Winston family of a valuable gem.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #66 (April 1941)

Indexer Notes

The standard half-page splash panel is dropped as of this story. In his "Foreword," Jerry Bails incorrectly states that Jerry Siegel did not write this installment.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 36)

The Spectre / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #67 (May 1941)

Indexer Notes

This was the last time that the Spectre would be given More Fun's cover spotlight.

[The Incredible Robberies] (Table of Contents: 37)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; The Police Chief

Synopsis

Visually bizarre robberies are immediately assumed to be the work of the Spectre, but the Grim Ghost soon traces the real culprit, a mystically-powered man named Deeja Kathoon. Indeed, his powers are so great that he makes the Spectre his slave, until the Ring of Life materializes to free him from Kathoon's control and allow the evil one to be defeated.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #67 (May 1941)

Indexer Notes

The final scene, in police headquarters, includes a character who appears to be Det. Wayne Grant, but he is not expressly identified.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 38)

Doctor Fate / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Bernard Baily (Spectre vignette); Howard Sherman

Inks

Bernard Baily (Spectre vignette); Howard Sherman

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre (vignette); Doctor Fate

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #68 (June 1941)

[Menace of the Dark Planet] (Table of Contents: 39)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; The Police Chief

Synopsis

When the entire population of the nearby city of Lakespur is found dead, Cliffland's finest are assigned to investigate. Then the same thing happens to Brent City, so Corrigan takes over as the Spectre. He soon uncovers a group of extra-terrestrials, in search of life force, who are responsible, and their super-science can paralyze even HIM! With one desperate surge of will the Ghostly Guardian frees himself and pursues the aliens, this time braced against the effects of the paralyzing ray, and soon conquers the marauders.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #68 (June 1941)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 40)

Doctor Fate / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Bernard Baily (Spectre vignette); Howard Sherman

Inks

Bernard Baily (Spectre vignette); Howard Sherman

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre (vignette); Doctor Fate

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #69 (July 1941)

[The Strangler] (Table of Contents: 41)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre [Jim Corrigan]; The Police Chief

Synopsis

When wealthy men receive notes, signed "The Tentacle," threatening their lives if they don't pay out large sums of cash in ransom-like drops, the authorities attempt to protect them. However, despite police surveillance making anyone entering or leaving the premises unobserved impossible, the victims are brutally strangled. The chief assumes that it is the work of The Spectre, but the Disembodied Detective eventually determines that they are being killed by long-tendrilled plants. The horrible horticulturist responsible for them falls victim to one of his own creations.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #69 (July 1941)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 42)

Doctor Fate / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Bernard Baily (Spectre vignette); Howard Sherman

Inks

Bernard Baily (Spectre vignette); Howard Sherman

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Genre

superhero

Characters

The Spectre (vignette); Doctor Fate

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #70 (August 1941)

[The Crimson Circle Mystery [sic] Society] (Table of Contents: 43)

The Spectre / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script

Jerry Siegel

Pencils

Bernard Baily (signed)

Inks

Bernard Baily (signed)

Colors

Lee Loughridge

Letters

Bernard Baily

Genre

superhero

Characters

Jim Corrigan [The Spectre]; The Police Chief

Synopsis

A mutual friend, Dr. Morgan, tells Jim Corrigan that the death of another man, Ralph Granger, in a seemingly innocuous automobile accident came just after he had informed Morgan of a bizarrely delivered death threat. Using the supernatural powers of the Spectre to make the event repeat itself before his eyes, the Grim Ghost sees disembodied hands grab the steering wheel. Returning to headquarters, Corrigan finds another man, Carl Munson, reporting an occult-oriented death threat, made because an organization he joined for fun, the Crimson Circle Mystic Society, demanded a large portion of his income and he refused. The Spectre invisibly stands guard and sees a vaguely human-shaped shadow approaching the man, but another supernatural being intercepts the Astral Avenger as disembodied hands carry out the threat. Corrigan infiltrates the group, but one member recognizes him as a policeman and reports this to the leader, Bandar. An attempt to kill Jim predictably fails, but he conceals this from his assailants and, as the Spectre, trails them back to Bandar, where he overhears conversation confirming that they are responsible for Granger's death. Bandar's astral form, recognizable as the being that prevented the Ghostly Guardian from saving Munson, emerges from his body. The two mystical entities fight, and the Spectre must resort to the Ring of Life to escape and destroy Bandar's physical body before he can return to it, an act which flings his other form helplessly across dimensional space.

Reprints

• from More Fun Comics (DC, 1936 series) #70 (August 1941)

Indexer Notes

Despite the selected-decades-after-the-fact title ("...Mystery Society"), in the story the organization is consistently referred to as the "...Mystic Society."

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 44)

text article / 1 page (report information)

Script

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Letters

typeset

Genre

biography

Synopsis

Capsule text biographies of Spectre artist Bernard Baily and writer/creator Jerry Siegel.

[Back Cover] (Table of Contents: 45) (Expand) /

The Spectre / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)