In this edition of The Full Run, we look over DC Comics’ The Spirit #2, written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke, inked by J. Bone and coloured by Dave Stewart.
While not as well known as Batman’s or as colorful as Dick Tracy’s, like other masked heroes the Spirit has a long, well-established list of rogues. The differentiating factor, however, is that The Spirit’s rogues gallery is primarily made up of femme fatales. This is one of the few things the terrible Frank Miller movie got right, but even then it overlooked the most prominent of them all, P’Gell. From her first appearance in The Spirit Section #332 (October 6, 1946), she made an immediate impression thanks to her striking beauty, which Cooke gives a modern update in The Spirit #2.
Before proceeding any further, the character of Hussein must be discussed. Islamophobia was rampant in the post-9/11 world of the Bush Presidency. As a result, it would be easy for this character to be a racial caricature and no one would bat an eye. Given their introduction on the issue’s very first page, that may be the initial impression given. He’s smarmy and vile, but also depicted in such an unserious manner where readers feel he can be dismissed out of hand. But as the story unfolds, Hussein proves again and again to be a worthy foil to The Spirit – while also being much more than he initially presents himself.
The issue’s end when he and the Spirit walk off together in a Casablanca homage is Cooke’s exclamation point on this character’s inclusion – that the rampant and accepted Islamaphobia of that time was just as wrong as the offensive depiction of Ebony in the original Eisner comics. A welcome addition to The Spirit lore, Hussein would resurface throughout the duration of Cooke’s run.
While Hussein plays a significant role throughout this issue, it is P’Gell’s story through and through. Cooke’s The Spirit is a fully fleshed out and established world, meaning readers don’t need to go through the paces of an origin story and a first encounter with every one of the classic rogues. Although this is P’Gell’s first (and only) appearance in Cooke’s run, it is understood that there is a past between her and The Spirit. Cooke provides readers just enough information to establish their history without inundating them with exposition. There is trust in the readers to connect the dots with regard to their past, which allows for greater emphasis on the emotional weight of this story.
The story beats at play – a rushed wedding, revenge, and a previously unrevealed backstory that ties it all together – do feel familiar given the noir trappings of this issue. In fact, if you’re quickly flipping through the pages here may find these elements cliched and eye-roll inducing. However, Cooke and his collaborator’s grasp of the medium, the genre, and these specific characters elevates The Spirit #2 beyond its face-value appearance.
The flashback sequence is a highlight for each member of the creative team, as their collective talent shines here. From Cooke’s pencils and layouts, J. Bone’s inks, Dave Stewart’s colors, and even the underappreciated letters of Jared Fletcher make this sequence both visually striking yet comfortably at home with the rest of the issue. The flashback is so compelling, that it causes readers to – like the Spirit himself – develop a false sense of security that what comes next is unexpected (though it should have been expected).
For all the good that this issue has, it is admittedly a step down from the previous one. While it is undeniably well executed, adding a sympathetic backstory to one of The Spirit’s well known rogues is an unnecessary change, and may have been better served with an original creation. This alteration to P’Gell is very much aligned with the modern trend to explain the “why” of bad guys, rather than just letting them be bad. And yet, Cooke can’t be completely faulted for trying something new, as tweaks and changes to characters over time has allowed the likes of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman to remain relevant over decades.
The Spirit #2 is a wonderful, if imperfect, noir adventure. Like the previous issue, this can be read on its own, so readers should jump on it should they happen upon it in the back issues of their local comic shop. Though a step down from the first issue, it remains head and shoulders above traditional superhero fare.
