spirit # 3 *SPOILERS*

[ultramandingo]

once again cooke wows with the art and design , loved the flash back stuff. ( plus a mention of klink!) he even fleshed out the original 7 page origin and made it work . and a new spirit like villian! cant wait for silk satin next issue.......

[enediol]

DC has a rare gem with Darwyn Cooke - I thoroughly enjoy his stuff each month and I'd follow the man straight into hell.

[Jack Zodiac]

First, the art. It was fantastic. Cooke's art is great, but what he did with the flashback scenes made his already cartoonish art even more surreal. And then there was the story. The first issue of this book was just a lot of fun, even if it didn't introduce The Spirit as a hero or a person. The second issue was great because it fleshed out The Spirit as a caring hero, even when villains (more appropriately, dames) are involved. This one, though... even if you read the archived Eisner Spirit stories, it was moving as hell. Back in the day, heroes used to get their origin and first adventure in the span of eleven pages, but that kind of storytelling doesn't work so well these days.

Cooke took Cobra, the random gunman, and the chemical that put Denny in suspended animation, spun it to make it modern, involved every supporting character in the "birth" of The Spirit, and made his original seven page origin an amazing story in and of itself. And the ending, the gravedigging in the rain, and the revelation that he has a shadow of himself out there somewhere, was incredible.

This book needs a whole lot of push. It's too great to sell less than 30,000 (hell, it should be selling in the neighborhood of 100,000) copies an issue. Cooke's amazing. I mean, it's pretty hard to take something a legend like Eisner created and make it every bit as good for a modern audience, but he pulls it off so well.

[josh straightedge]

I totally forgot this came out this week...the last 2 have been awesome.

[Error_2.0]

I've been meaning to get into a new series and with DC starting up so many new books I checked out the new Atom. I wasn't impressed and so I dropped it. On Friday I picked up the first three issues of "The Spirit" and the team-up book with The Spirit & Batman (written along with Jeph Loeb). I gotta say that "The Spirit" is really, really good. I'm very impressed with it.

[Lunal]

Coming from someone who had no interest in the Spirit, I'll say the book has hooked me in. The latest ish is a great jumping on point for people, so I hope more folks try it out.

[Lunal]

Double post. ack

[LtMarvel]

Each issue has been a great jumping on point.

Great story, but still ranks #3 in the series thus far.

[Infra-Man]

Another good issue, and I was most surprised how Cooke juggled the different narrative points of view in the issue. When I first saw the narration skip from character to character, I thought it would be a mess and wouldn't work, but heck, he did it nicely. Great, great series.

[ultramandingo]

.

Great story, but still ranks #3 in the series thus far.

this issue was my fave , probaly cus it was closest to the original , kinnda ......im still not sure why it has to be hapening now. stuff like this works better in the 30s or 40s

[Jack Zodiac]

I think this one was the strongest issue yet, with the second issue close behind. The first issue wasn't much of an introduction to the character, but it was a fun story with some good action that would've fished along the kind of people who like fun adventure books. The second issue was probably even worse for newcomers to the character, but gave them a taste of drama to go along with that action. And this issue gave you everything about The Spirit you needed to know: who he is, who he was, how he got where he is now, and who helped him get there. Perfect.

[sgt pepper]

Thank god they stopped doing autopsies for murder cases. And shew, good thing they don't use embalming fluid anymore.

Fun issue. Love this series. Didn't like the scratchy flashback art as mch as the rest of you.

[Jack Zodiac]

Yeah, when he says, "The first thing I remember is smiling and thinking, "Thank God they didn't bury me."" I thought, "Really? The first thing I would've thought was, "Thank God they didn't cut open and stuff me full of preservatives."

Didn't detract from my love of the story at all, though, but when you finish reading it that's something you think of.

[ultramandingo]

Thank god they stopped doing autopsies for murder cases. And shew, good thing they don't use embalming fluid anymore.

.

" stuff like this works better in the 30s or 40s " - see , told you.......

[stealthwise]

If people didn't like this issue, they won't like the series, as it had it all. Great story, excellent art, and a nice payoff at the end: a nemesis for the Spirit.

[josh straightedge]

Having known nothing at all about the Spirit prior to this series, I've really enjoyed it.

Pretty much anything Cooke does is great.

[rerun]

It's a fun read. Not continuity heavy, not "important", just fun and entertaining.

[JKCarrier]

I enjoyed it, although I didn't quite get why the Spirit was so worked up over the resurrection of some minor thug. It's not like he's going to be any more of a threat now than he was in the first place.

[K'Nort]

I enjoyed it, although I didn't quite get why the Spirit was so worked up over the resurrection of some minor thug. It's not like he's going to be any more of a threat now than he was in the first place.

But if people find out why the thug isn't dead, they'll figure out that Denny's still alive too.

[Jack Zodiac]

But if people find out why the thug isn't dead, they'll figure out that Denny's still alive too.

That, and if he figures out how he survived, he'd realize that Denny's still alive, too. Any way you look at this, the fact that he's still alive isn't good for Denny or The Spirit.

[K'Nort]

That, and if he figures out how he survived, he'd realize that Denny's still alive, too. Any way you look at this, the fact that he's still alive isn't good for Denny or The Spirit.

Wouldn't that have played out sooner, though? He's been wandering around alive as long as Denny has.

[Jack Zodiac]

No? Maybe? Does it matter? We can suspend disbelief to the point of accepting that Denny wasn't autopsied or embalmed, why not accept that this new villain's biding his time, or that at least Cooke is biding his time for him?

[Billage]

Love this series so far.It's so simple and non cluttered with details from outside the book.I wish there were more books like this,especially books showcasing the characters from Quality.

[stealthwise]

No? Maybe? Does it matter? We can suspend disbelief to the point of accepting that Denny wasn't autopsied or embalmed, why not accept that this new villain's biding his time, or that at least Cooke is biding his time for him?

Well, two things here:

1) Spirit knows that Elvarro was involved in the same accident as him, and sees what Elvarro did to the men in the restaurant. Could he be worried about the after-effects of the drug? The witness said that the guy looked really sick.

2) Hearing that name brings back a traumatic experience for Spirit that causes him to reflect upon his new existence and what it COULD have cost him, namely his life, and Ellen.

[K'Nort]

2) Hearing that name brings back a traumatic experience for Spirit that causes him to reflect upon his new existence and what it COULD have cost him, namely his life, and Ellen.

On the other hand, it was Ellen who nearly cost him his life. The fact she's still in his life proves what a nice guy he is.

[Jack Zodiac]

I like how the only reason Denny was screwed in that scenario was because of technology that didn't even exist when Eisner created the character. It's just kinda' funny.

[sschroeder]

On the other hand, it was Ellen who nearly cost him his life. The fact she's still in his life proves what a nice guy he is.

I'd say that most of it is on him anyway for not silencing his ring.

[Winslow]

I'm really enjoying the series. I normally wait for trades, but it looked too fun to pass up (an I love Darwyn Cooke}.

A couple of questions:

1) How close is this issue to the origins of Eisner's Spirit?

2) Did the near death experience of the gas give the Spirit any kind of Super powers?

[Jack Zodiac]

This was almost exactly like Eisner's origin story, except that it goes a lot deeper and looks at more than just Denny's angle. Also, the gunman's a new character, pretty sure. I obviously haven't read every single archived Spirit book ('cause I ain't made of cash), but I'm pretty sure he's Cooke's injection of something new to the mythos.

And unless something's changed, he's just a normal guy who came back to life. No superpowers.

[K'Nort]

I obviously haven't read every single archived Spirit book ('cause I ain't made of cash), but I'm pretty sure he's Cooke's injection of something new to the mythos.

Library. That's how I started working through them, but then grad school got in the way. I should revisit them.

There are almost 300 libraries nationwide collecting the set. If your branch doesn't have them, they can order them from a system that does.

[ultramandingo]

Did the near death experience of the gas give the Spirit any kind of Super powers?

eisner never said he had "powers" , but if any - he can take a heck of a beating , hes pretty much impossible to kill , being a "spirit" and all

[Winslow]

This was almost exactly like Eisner's origin story, except that it goes a lot deeper and looks at more than just Denny's angle. Also, the gunman's a new character, pretty sure. I obviously haven't read every single archived Spirit book ('cause I ain't made of cash), but I'm pretty sure he's Cooke's injection of something new to the mythos.

And unless something's changed, he's just a normal guy who came back to life. No superpowers.

Thanks Jack.

I'm amazed at Cooke's versatility in terms of mood or theme. This book has an entirely different "feel" than his previous creations.

The coloring is also more animated, which gives it a light more fun 'feel."

Library. That's how I started working through them, but then grad school got in the way. I should revisit them.

There are almost 300 libraries nationwide collecting the set. If your branch doesn't have them, they can order them from a system that does.

Great idea. I think I'll check out the online data base.

eisner never said he had "powers" , but if any - he can take a heck of a beating , hes pretty much impossible to kill , being a "spirit" and all

Good to know. I'm enjoying the character. He's like Batman without the dark angst.

[Winslow]

I'm aware of the controversy regarding Eisner's graphic characterization of Ebony.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Cooke does with the Spirit's relationship with Ebony.

[Jack Zodiac]

I'm amazed at Cooke's versatility in terms of mood or theme. This book has an entirely different "feel" than his previous creations.

The coloring is also more animated, which gives it a light more fun 'feel."

I think J. Bone and Stewart are the most perfect matches for Cooke's art and writing. Every issue has had its own feel, so far. The first issue was fun and the inking and coloring made the action even more intense and every scene more interesting, and the second issue was more dramatic, sad for people who know P'Gell prior to this relaunch, and the art, the inking, and coloring capture that so well.

This issue was everywhere. Every point of view, in the present and the past, and ranged from dramatic to fun to chilling, especially the final page, and the art was on the !@#$ing ball every page. These guys make an incredible team and I hope DC has the good sense to give this book a chance, push it even more, and keep it going for as long as it can go.

I'm aware of the controversy regarding Eisner's graphic characterization of Ebony.

I'm looking forward to seeing what Cooke does with the Spirit's relationship with Ebony.

I'm already impressed by it. He's a kid, but he's a mature kid, as opposed to Eisner's Ebony who was almost... a young adult? Maybe a teenager. And instead of depicting him stereotypically, he's using other characters to play off Eisner's previous characterization. Like the first issue when Ginger and Denny get picked up by him, she makes some weird, psuedo-racist remark about the kid and Ebony pipes back with a really sharp, witty line about how much he loves the company The Spirit keeps.

He's pretty much nailed it, but yeah, I can't wait to see even more done with their relationship.

[Captain Jim]

This book needs a whole lot of push. It's too great to sell less than 30,000 (hell, it should be selling in the neighborhood of 100,000) copies an issue.

I'm all for pushing the book (it's great), but I was pleasantly surprised to see that issue #2 placed at 72 on the January sales list. For a non-traditional title of this nature, I thought that was pretty darn good (not to mention "safe"--at least for the moment).

[ultramandingo]

how many issues did captain america #25 sell ? , cus we allredy got a "dead" classic american hero ( with child side kick! ) .if only he wore buccaneer boots and little wings on his hat

[edhopper]

This is from memory, so I may be wrong.
I believe in Eisner's original, Denny Colt was a police rookie, not a P.I. as in Cooke's new version. Also he was more of a do-gooder than the brash, glory hound in this issue.
Not a complaint, I like what Cooke is doing.

[Jack Zodiac]

I'm all for pushing the book (it's great), but I was pleasantly surprised to see that issue #2 placed at 72 on the January sales list. For a non-traditional title of this nature, I thought that was pretty darn good (not to mention "safe"--at least for the moment).

EDIT: Apparently my memory is total !@#$. Still, I'm glad it only lost a few thousand sales. Considering you don't even get an origin for the character until issue three. If they'd have promoted that issue, it would've been perfect for sales on this "new character's" book. It's doing well, though, and I'm glad.

[ultramandingo]

This is from memory, so I may be wrong.
I believe in Eisner's original, Denny Colt was a police rookie, not a P.I. as in Cooke's new version. Also he was more of a do-gooder than the brash, glory hound in this issue.
.

no , your right . crazy thing is, i read cooke fought to have "new frontier" set in the silver age (!) dc wanted it set "nowish" , so it wouldent confuse us dumb readers . but with the the spirit he figured an updated would be ok , cus its "timeless " or something . i say its more "noir", and noir dont work with laptops, cellphones and 24 hour news . but watdo i know.......

[Captain Jim]

If you had asked me beforehand, I would have said leave it in the 1940's. But now, I really can't complain about anything that Cooke has done in setting it in the present.

The thing is, even if you'd left it in the 40's, there would still have had to be changes. For instance, you still would have had to eliminate the racism.

[ultramandingo]

If you had asked me beforehand, I would have said leave it in the 1940's. But now, I really can't complain about anything that Cooke has done in setting it in the present.

The thing is, even if you'd left it in the 40's, there would still have had to be changes. For instance, you still would have had to eliminate the racism.

yea, thank god that whole racism thing is over with ...........i could put one of those stupid smiley face emotocons here , but y'know......

[Captain Jim]

Well, I'm referring specifically to the overt racism in the original depiction of Ebony White.

[ultramandingo]

i love " old " scool ebony , as did eisner . and how much cooler would it be to have a black hero , circa 194? , yknow when everbody in the funny pages was whiter than white