The Spectre (1987 series): worthwhile?

[shaxper]

Hey folks,

I'm new to the boards here and see that some of you are Spectre readers. I'm a huge fan of the older incarnations of The Spectre. I've read all the silver age appearances and devoured the Fleischer Adventure Comics run in the bronze age. Now I've heard great things about the 1993 Ostrander series and have already picked up such essentials as Green Lantern Rebirth and Day of Vengeance. But no one really talks about the 1987 series. Is it worthwhile? Do I need to read it to understand later events? Would anyone recommend it or specifically not recommend it?

Thanks in advance.

[Agentum]

it's a ok run, but not like the newer one by Ostrander.
The 87 series is about a spectre that has lost alot of his power and Corrigan work with paranormal cases like a privat eye.
Nothing to write home about but not the worst i have read and its only like 32 issues long or something like that.
It's cheap to pick up on ebay so i did that.
Don't compare it to the newer run, it's something totaly different.
And Moench has done better comics in his days.

[Gingold]

It's a mixed bag. The supporting cast that Moench built up was good, but the series never quite delivered. I didn't like the less powerful Spectre in that series. I don't recall the art being spectacular, but it was serviceable. It's nowhere near the quality of the Ostrander/Mandrake or Fleischer/Aparo series, (but compared to the Hal Jordan/Spectre series, it's Shakespeare).

[Agentum]

(but compared to the Hal Jordan/Spectre series, it's Shakespeare).
very true :D

[shaxper]

Thanks for all the great info.

So, if I skip this series entirely, would I be missing any important Spectre moments for later reference?

[Agentum]

If you only read comics that is important to continuity then you can skip those books.
Spectre is on a low powerlevel but somethings he does is cool.
There is an lovestory for Corrigan with a unexpected ending.

But nothing will be referenced to later what i have seen, and Corrigan is probably never coming back again so what could be important with him.
A have read that some people don't like the paranormal detective firm, and i can understand that, it's a bit to easy way out.
I like the Spectre just because it's so diffrent a character that must be very hard to write and to keep the intrest for more than a couple of issues.
Thats why a don't believe that we ever again will se a spectre comic like the Ostrander/Mandrake run, they made the Spectre very powerful and intresting, when the easy way would be to power him down.

[shaxper]

The Fleischer issues will probably always be my favorite. He kept The Spectre powerful and still managed to maintain my interest for all but a few of the final stories that seemed to lack the normal gusto. Aparo's artwork was an amazing compliment to this. I understand Otrander was a former theologian and therefore brings a fascinating new angle to the Spectre. I can't wait to read it, but he's got a serious legacy to live up to.

And I do so hope that Corrigan comes back one day. The owner of my local comic shop is betting that Sue Dibney will be the next Spectre.

[Shellhead]

The Fleischer issues will probably always be my favorite. He kept The Spectre powerful and still managed to maintain my interest for all but a few of the final stories that seemed to lack the normal gusto. Aparo's artwork was an amazing compliment to this. I understand Otrander was a former theologian and therefore brings a fascinating new angle to the Spectre. I can't wait to read it, but he's got a serious legacy to live up to.

And I do so hope that Corrigan comes back one day. The owner of my local comic shop is betting that Sue Dibney will be the next Spectre.

The owner of your local comic shop hasn't read Infinite Crisis #4 yet?

[shaxper]

Actually, I haven't read Infinite Crisis #4 yet.

[Apathy Boy]

Recently picked up a bunch of issues from Moench's SPECTRE run and they were surprisingly decent. Interesting supporting cast and Moench had a good handle on Jim Corrigan as detective/regular joe in over his head (though that's not the take on the character that I prefer).

The Moench issues aren't necessary reading for Ostrander's brilliant run on the character. But it was neat to see how Ostrander managed to incorporate the seemingly contradictory Moench stories into his revised Spectre continuity, though.