Spectre Questions

[Captain Smith]

1. The current hero set are not aware that Crisp is the Spectre? Batman has had indications of it but has he made the connection.

2. They do know he is active as Bats has seen him as have many folks in Gotham.

3. The Blue Beetle interacted and was easily turned off although the kid was huffing and puffing that his suit could put out something that would affect the Spectre

4. Why are folks sometimes unaware of him when he manifests. He has had some major feats that would affect world history (if they are still in continuity):

a. Destroyed Nazi Fleet in WWII
b. Wandered around and destroyed major chunks of cities quite a few times. The fight with Billy probably is on Youtube in the DCU.
c. Had a slug fest with a water spirit in Japan that was on the tube
d. Got on CNN after zapping some schmuck in a court room
e. Destroyed Brautwurstia (or whatever) when he was annoyed with both parties.

5. Why aren't folks trying to get him to take down Prime? The GLs and Hal know he is out there - how about a hand for old times sake? The Spectre has intervened with OA generated crisises like the COIE and Zero Hour.

It could be that since old Green Pants tends to go nuts, perhaps no one wants him in the Prime fight. We don't see the Phantom Stranger either.

[NDHorse]

I think writer's aren't trying to use him just because he is so damn powerful. How can any bad guy be that scary when you can just call Spectre to take care of it. if you start using Spectre to solve all of the big problems, it takes any suspense out of big scary situations because you will know that Spectre will just solve it.

it's like the old Silver Age Superman problem. How is any situation ever in doubt for a guy who can juggle planets.

Spectre was best used in the 90s Ostrander series. When you try to make him fit into regular DCU continuity too much, it can get goofy.

[marshal99]

5. Why aren't folks trying to get him to take down Prime? The GLs and Hal know he is out there - how about a hand for old times sake? The Spectre has intervened with OA generated crisises like the COIE and Zero Hour.

It could be that since old Green Pants tends to go nuts, perhaps no one wants him in the Prime fight. We don't see the Phantom Stranger either.

Considering just not so long ago , he was one of the problem in infinite crisis , why would they want to go to him now ?!

It's superman and green lantern problems , not the spectre.

The spectre has never really intervened in human affairs much. He wasn't involved in OWAW , wasn't involved in a lot of the DCU crisis over the years.

[Captain Smith]

He didn't intervene in Invasion (PIS from the Phantom Stranger, IIRC) or OWAW. However, he did cuddle up with Gaea and kept the world from freezing in Final Night. He did intervene in COIE and the Zero Hero.

In fact, God yelled at him for not stopping the COIE as he could have.

I grant you that he is dangerous but I was just wondering.

[marshal99]

Let's list down the spectre's participation in DC various crossovers.

COIE - Spectre played a big role

Legends - spectre not involved

Millenium - spectre not involved directly (although his title was involved with the crossover)

Invasion - spectre not involved directly (although again , his title was involved in the crossover and he was shown trying to stop dr. fate after the metabomb went off)

Armageddon 2001 - Spectre not involved. (The spectre was a prime player in the Armageddon : Inferno mini though where the JSA were rescued from limbo.)

War of the Gods - Spectre not involved

Panic in the sky (a superman event) - spectre not involved

Eclipso : darkness within - spectre not involved. (He was involved much later on in removing eclipso from earth in eclipso's own title and then his own title where he destroyed eclipso's palace on the moon but the initial crossover he wasn't involved at all)

Reign of supermen - spectre not involved though it involves death of million of innocents.

Bloodlines - spectre not involved

Zero hour - spectre was involved due to the plea of Jay but wasn't a big participant after Parallax defeated him.

Underworld unleashed - spectre was involved but superficially as the spectre force was under the thumb of Neron. Not involved in the main storyline.

Final Night - spectre was involved superficially since his title was tied up with the crossover. Not involved in the main storyline.

Genesis - likewise , spectre was involved superficially as his title was again tied up needlessly with the crossover.

Millennium Giants - spectre not involved

DC one million - spectre not involved

Day of Judgement - spectre heavily involved as Hal becomes spectre

OWAW - spectre not involved

identity crisis - spectre not involved

infinite crisis - spectre was involved as one of the crisis problem.

More often than not , the spectre stayed out.

[Eumenides]

I think writer's aren't trying to use him just because he is so damn powerful. How can any bad guy be that scary when you can just call Spectre to take care of it. if you start using Spectre to solve all of the big problems, it takes any suspense out of big scary situations because you will know that Spectre will just solve it.

Ah yes, the old poverty of imagination problem in modern comics... "Geez, I can't come up with credible problems for a nearly omnipotent character, even though that's what I'm paid thousands of dollars to invent; I guess I'll just give up and write something easier. Vigilantes are easy: it's just sickos shooting people. Yeah, I'll write that instead."

it's like the old Silver Age Superman problem. How is any situation ever in doubt for a guy who can juggle planets.

And still they managed to come up with new stuff every month (twice, since Super had two titles) and sold great. That's also why these days I spend more money buying the Showcase Presents volumes than DC's modern tpbs.

[Captain Smith]

There is a touch of a pattern, though. Universe, Multiverse revamp and he is involved - as in Zero Hour and COIE. Local crap it is hit or miss.

BTW, his involvement in Genesis was hysterical. Goes through the Source Wall, and zaps by the Heroes saying: Hi, I got to go!

I would think that except for writer's and editor's decisions, the actions of Prime would bring him in. But that's life.

I also had a question of why the world isn't really up on him as he seems an unknown in the Blue Beetle. Someone who wipes out countries isn't really an unknown.