Which of Ostrander's Spectre issues should I buy?

[Ozymandis]

I keep hearing how great John Ostrander's work on the Spectre was and I'd like to get some of them. Any suggestions as to what issues I should pick up?

[Expletive Deleted]

It's pretty consistent over the course of the run, quality-wise. I'd say start from the beginning and see if you like it.

[The Shadow]

All of em!

They're that good

[Apathy Boy]

Yep, the entire run of the book is priceless. The first 36 issues rank as some of the best comics ever written. The quality took a small dip during the year-long "Haunting of America" arc, but rejoined the ranks of the phenomenal after that.

Read 'em in order, because you do NOT want to have the major, earth-shattering (and I mean that literally) events of issues 12 and 13 spoiled by subsequent issues.

Man, the one-two sucker-punch of those two issues still leaves me gasping in shock.

[Expletive Deleted]

Man, I'd forgotten all about #13! That was a jaw-dropper, wasn't it?

[Psychoweasel]

Yep. :)

I personally liked #14...but I've always liked Nabu...

[Dr. Hfuhruhurr]

A lot of great issues in Ostrander's run and, I agree, it's hard to single out one or two. One of my favorites was the follow up on the death of the original Mr. Terrific (sorry, don't recall the issue number offhand), as the JSA-JLA team-up way back when was one of my favorites. Also, Ostrander created Michael Holt, the new Mr. Terrific, one of the better characters in the new JSA.

[tk421atpost]

Personally, the highlight for me was the last year of the book, the last few issues in particular really stood out.

[matewan1990]

Every single issue of Ostrander's run was better than nearly everything else on the stands. The Spectre was a Vertigo book without all the cursing and Ostrander, Mandrake and friends created a book on par with Gaiman's Sandman and Robinson's Starman. Hey, while you're at it, check out Ostrander's Martian Manhunter. Heck, everything Ostrander's done at DC has been great ... let's see, there's Suicide Squad, Firestorm, Manhunter and many, many others.

[marshal99]

Ostrander is a writer i respect , he closed a open casefile of the JLA/JSA teamup that was left hanging for over 20 years - the mr terrific murder and finally closed the chapter on that event and found out what happened after plus the debut of the new mr terrific (which we can see in every issue of JSA nowadays).

As mentioned , there was a lull in the middle of the series but it was still pretty good. Mandrake's art was pretty consistent throughout and the fill-in issues art by Ridgeway( i think) was pretty good as well.

It was miles better than the JMS mumbo jumbo Hal Jordan spectre series for sure.

[Slam_Bradley]

Yep, the entire run of the book is priceless. The first 36 issues rank as some of the best comics ever written. The quality took a small dip during the year-long "Haunting of America" arc, but rejoined the ranks of the phenomenal after that.


I agree with everyone above. One of my favorite series' of the 90's. I did get a little tired of "Haunting of America" at the time, but it reads a whole lot better in one or two sittings as back-issues.

[Shellhead]

Ostrander is still a good read. Check out the new Grimjack #1 at your friendly neighborhood comic book store.

[cactusmaac]

The one with Superman and the Spear of Destiny.

[matewan1990]

The only issue of The Spectre (Hal Jordan) that I enjoyed was the Ostrander-scripted issue. Who cared about how the Spectre was now trying to redeem people. We all wanted to see him cut people up with big scissors and put them through a woodsaw. And how lame was the mask and Green Lantern circle staying on the Hal Jordan Spectre? Gosh, did anyone even think that Hal Jordan would be the Spectre for long and would never return as Green Lantern? Now, if only we could get Ostrander and Mandrake back on the Spectre and get that series going again ...

[Ozymandis]

I'm gathering that I should just get any issues I can find. Thanks for the suggestions.

[FanboyStranger]

This is probably my favorite DC series of all time, and I agree with everyone that says just pick up the whole series. Unfortunately, some of the earlier issues are hard to come by, and spoiling the conclusion of the first year will take bit out of the story if you pick up those issues later. However, two suggested storylines:

24-31(?-- not precisely sure on the issues)-- The final battle with Azmodus. This is as big and cosmic as a comic book story gets without crossing over into cheesy Starlin territory. They're practically throwing planets at each other. The pace is so frantic, the plot so huge, and still done with the great characterization and wicked sense of humor.

51-62. The "Haunting of Jim Corrigan". The final year of the book, where Jim's past and anger come back to haunt him, is brilliant. Corrigan begins to question everything, and even crap like Byrne's Genesis is turned into a thing of beauty for one issue. And the final issue is one of the most poignant moments in DC history.

[Dr. Hfuhruhurr]

I'm gathering that I should just get any issues I can find. Thanks for the suggestions.

And Shellhead is dead-on when he says pick up Grimjack. If you like Ostrander's writing, I think Grimjack is some of his best stuff ever.

[Slam_Bradley]

And Shellhead is dead-on when he says pick up Grimjack. If you like Ostrander's writing, I think Grimjack is some of his best stuff ever.

And then pick up The Kents. Great western with faboo art by Truman and Mandrake.

[AlanScott606]

Like everyone else has said, the entire series is worth reading but IMHO it's the first 13 or 14 issue's that really stand out. I always wondered why this book didn't have the Vertigo imprint on it. It certainly had the feel of it.

[JolietJake]

I couldn't agree more with most of you. For me, this series was a star in a void that was 1990's comics. I picked it up with #14, mainly due to the Nabu/ Dr. Fate story and stuck with it through to the end. I especially liked Ostrander's use of supporting characters established in his earlier series like Father Craemer. I also felt that Ostrander's retcons were some of the best there are. He seemed to take an inclusive view toward continuity as opposed to exclusive, which was so popular at DC at that time. Even the "Zero" issue is worthy and advances the plot of the series as a whole

[Naldo]

I got the whole Ostrander series on ebay for $9.50 plus $4.50 shipping.

They're as good as everyone says. This series will make you love the Spectre.

[Psychoweasel]

I got the whole Ostrander series on ebay for $9.50 plus $4.50 shipping.

They're as good as everyone says. This series will make you love the Spectre.

You...it..for how...it..jub..jabibbabibaba...

I'm. buying you. a pizza.



Excellent buy!

[Mister Mets]

I've only read, and enjoyed the first 12 issues. Good stuff, and it tells a fairly complete story.

[Sijo]

Ostrander is one of my all-time favorite writers, and thought the series has dark themes, Ostrander not only managed to make it interesting, but significant and even positive. Definitely some of his best work ever.

Favorite moment: The revelations about Azmodus' origin, and how they dealt with him. Runner up: the Christmas Story.

Best Storyarc: The Haunting of America. Tackled so many true problems America has today...

Recommended, with the caveat that it IS a horror series.

[Slam_Bradley]

This thread, plus another on the Classics Board, prompted me to start re-reading this series. I've read the first 8 issues thus far. The stories are as good as I remembered...but Mandrake's art is just incredible. And, Ostrander does a very good job of fleshing out his supporting cast in a remarkably short period of time.

[The Batman]

Ostrander and Mandrake's Spectre series is probably one of the best series to come out in the last 20 years and it's a shame that it doesn't seem to get wider recognition. during its run this was my favourite books. it took me a while to get together all the back issues i needed so i'm glad that people are able to get the complete run on ebay. i wonder when/if this great series will ever get put together in trades....

on top of the reccomendations people have already made might i suggest Ostrander's great Hawkworld series(another underappreciated series IMO) and his current work on Star Wars: Republic with the talented Jan Dursema

[Shem the Penman]

Ostrander and Mandrake's Spectre series is probably one of the best series to come out in the last 20 years and it's a shame that it doesn't seem to get wider recognition. during its run this was my favourite books. it took me a while to get together all the back issues i needed so i'm glad that people are able to get the complete run on ebay. i wonder when/if this great series will ever get put together in trades....

on top of the reccomendations people have already made might i suggest Ostrander's great Hawkworld series(another underappreciated series IMO) and his current work on Star Wars: Republic with the talented Jan Dursema

I agree entirely. Hawkworld and Hawkman get beaten up on because of the continuity mess (which Ostrander didn't create), but if you can look past that, they're excellent books. They do fall off a bit near the end, though.

[Apathy Boy]

This thread, plus another on the Classics Board, prompted me to start re-reading this series. I've read the first 8 issues thus far. The stories are as good as I remembered...but Mandrake's art is just incredible. And, Ostrander does a very good job of fleshing out his supporting cast in a remarkably short period of time.You're re-reading it too, huh? I've got up to issue 13, which is just as freaky as I remember it.

And geez, were the stories leading up to it ever good. Issues 3-4 ranks among the best superhero origin stories I've ever read; the way Ostrander ties Amy into the mix is brilliant. I also loved the two-parter with Madame Xanadu and the ending where Jim reveals how he feels about Amy, and the tragic choice he makes because of that. And I loved the way everyone's stories come to a head in issue 12.

Man, I can't say enough good things about John Ostrander's work.

[Captain Jim]

I agree entirely. Hawkworld and Hawkman get beaten up on because of the continuity mess (which Ostrander didn't create), but if you can look past that, they're excellent books. They do fall off a bit near the end, though.

See, I'd say he did create it, though I've heard it was by editorial fiat. In any case, Hawkworld invalidated the entire history of the silver-age character (by essentially reworking the original story). Personally, I thought
the original Hawkworld mini-series was okay (and featured very nice artwork, by Truman, I think), but I honestly liked the original silver-age version better.

[Shem the Penman]

See, I'd say he did create it, though I've heard it was by editorial fiat. In any case, Hawkworld invalidated the entire history of the silver-age character (by essentially reworking the original story). Personally, I thought
the original Hawkworld mini-series was okay (and featured very nice artwork, by Truman, I think), but I honestly liked the original silver-age version better.

As far as I understand it, Tim Truman says that he'd originally intended his Hawkworld mini to be set long before Katar came to Earth; the decision to make it Hawkman's new origin story was imposed from above, not something Ostrander came up with.

Ostrander did make an attempt to reconcile the revised history with Hawkman's old continuity, without hitting the reset button, in the first Hawkworld annual. It didn't work, of course -- the divergence was too great -- but it's not like he completely ignored the problem.

[Apathy Boy]

Silver Bullet Comic Books (http://www.silverbulletcomicbooks.com/features/113764296542110.htm) posted a retrospective interview with Ostrander and Mandrake. Not a lot of new information, but a good read for nostalgia's sake. I do find it interesting that the ending of the series was actually in the original series proposal. That help further confirms why I'm relieved DC didn't bring the real Jim Corrigan back as the Spectre.

[K'Nort]

I'm with everyone: Read them all; Haunting of America got old; buy Grimjack!

This site provides a good grouping (http://www.rzero.com/books/Spectre.html) of the various arcs. So if you're not buying at once, you at least know which clumps to buy. At the bottom of the page. Some mild spoilers.

[geordiesteve]

All of them!!! I'm missing about 6 issues to complete the run, but I'll get them one day!