Adventure Comics #431 - "The Wrath of the Spectre"
Originally released: February 1974
Written by Michael Fleisher
Drawn by Jim Aparo
A couple of years ago, at the suggestion of multiple comic book bloggers, I was advised to check out Michael Fleisher's Adventure Comics
run that centers on The Spectre (issues 431-440). When I heard it
involved one of my favorite comic artists, the unbelievable Jim Aparo, I
jumped on it.
This is easily one of the coolest, strangely grotesque and original stories I've enjoyed from 70's comics, which really excelled in bringing back horror comics with the relaxation of the Comics Code. Each issue features Jim Corrigan and his ghostly alter ego, The Spectre, coming into contact with and ultimately killing a bad guy or group of bad guys. It's got an excellent noir quality to it, but the real treat is seeing the unique ways Fleisher has The Spectre dispatch his odd foes. He melts them, cuts them in half with giant scissors, turns them to sand and lots of other gruesome methods.
The stories immediately reminded me of the Tales from the Crypt TV show, which was obviously itself originally a comic book. I believe Fleisher cited old horror comics as an inspiration.
And to say something about Jim Aparo's art: it's excellent, as always. Jim's artwork is among the most consistent I've seen in comics. Just like Jack Kirby, you know exactly whose working the pencil by just catching a quick glimpse of the pages.
Jim continued to work on Adventure Comics doing the pencils for the Paul Levitz Aquaman stories, which includes the rather shocking death of Aquaman's baby at the hands of Black Manta (issue 452, I believe). That run treated Aquaman with respect (much like he has gotten since DC's "New 52" launch), which is the best way to handle the character. It's also really good stuff.
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