In this edition of The Full Run, we look over DC Comics’ The Spirit #3, written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke, inked by J. Bone and coloured by Dave Stewart.
A hero’s origin is a critical element of not just superhero stories, but storytelling in general. It serves as a mission statement on who the character is and what drives them moving forward. With Spider-Man, it’s a sense of power and responsibility. Batman is driven by vengeance. Robin Hood steals from the rich and gives to the poor. With The Spirit, it’s as simple as fighting for what is right, though what that means has evolved over time. That evolution continues in The Spirit #3, as Darwyn Cooke provides his updated take on how Denny Colt became The Spirit.
Compared to other costumed heroes, The Spirit’s origin is far from sacred. Will Eisner himself retooled his origin multiple times (notably June 1940, January 1946, and October 1966). The 1987 television movie offered its own take that remained relatively faithful to the comics. And the 2008 Frank Miller movie… makes choices. Cooke’s version in The Spirit #3 remains faithful at its core while introducing both updated elements and a new wrinkle that will serve as a throughline for the remainder of Cooke’s run.
It is that setup which is perhaps the most remarkable part of this issue. The first couple issues of this series (plus the Batman crossover), were excellent self-contained stories. Having established this world and the overall tone, Cooke’s ambition begins to shine as he breaks the mold of classic Spirit stories with an overarching, multi-issue story. Here, The Spirit’s origin is retold in flashback, where the investigation into a crime family murder is used as a framing device. Both storylines tie together and will ultimately drive the direction of the series going forward.
As part of his investigation, The Spirit heads to a cemetery which results in Cooke rendering some of the most beautifully illustrated rain in recent memory. The centerpiece of this is naturally this issue’s jaw-dropping take on The Spirit logo. Building the logo into a wrought iron fence, Cooke and his collaborators fill the space with so much texture that are fully immersed into a cold, windy, and rainy night.
From here, the story dives into the origin flashback, and as stated previously it’s fairly faithful to all of Eisner’s original takes. Denny Colt is a cocky and headstrong private investigator. He has close ties to the police, and now he’s already in a relationship with Commissioner Dolan’s daughter, Ellen. More than anything else though, is that he is portrayed as a person who genuinely wants to do good. While this does lack a degree of complexity or pathos modern audiences seem to crave [especially at the time of publication, which saw big events like Identity Crisis and Civil War], it’s also refreshing today to come across a hero who wants to do good because they’re simply good at their core.
The one fairly significant change that Cooke makes to the origin unfortunately plays right into the argument that The Spirit should remain as a period piece rather than updated for today. In the original, the overconfident Denny Colt busts into the villain’s lab, announcing that the jig is up, only to end up doused in chemicals that make him appear to be dead. Here, he’s discovered sneaking around because his cell phone rings. Both scenarios have the same end result, but the modern take makes a character known for a bit of slapstick antics veer to straight up incompetence. Because the rest of the series – and even this issue – is so good, it makes this whiff even more pronounced. With that said, Cooke can’t be fully faulted for trying to do something different.
Speaking of something different, this update on the origin includes the introduction of this series’ spectre of death: Alvarro Mortez. His first appearance in the issues is completely forgettable – and that’s the point. He’s initially a disposable security guard, no more important than the faceless stormtroopers or red-shirts of certain Star-based franchises. However, he is revealed to be more than that as Cooke gives him a unique personality with agency in the story. That is, before he too succumbs to the same chemicals as Denny. Even with the ending of this issue being telegraphed by the flashback sequence, it remains impactful as the implications are a clear driving force for future stories.
The Spirit #3 serves as a showcase for colorist Dave Stewart’s versatility. The present day murder investigation plays to The Spirit’s noir roots. Dark shaded colors playing nicely with J. Bone’s heavy inks. In short, it’s appropriately moody. But when the issue transitions to the origin flashback, Stewart uses a vibrant, psychedelic palette that pops and grabs the reader’s attention. Contrasted with the present day investigation, the colors are applied in an unrealistic but deliberate manner. It is visually reminiscent of the original colors (and superior) to The Killing Joke. Like in that tale it transforms this issue into a fascinating piece of pop art while effectively adding a layer of otherworldliness and uneasiness to the story’s tone.
Overall, The Spirit #3 continues Darwyn Cooke’s winning streak. Although there is a notable misstep in revising the hero’s origin, it is nonetheless an enjoyable read from cover-to-cover. Even picking this up to admire the artwork alone is a worthwhile endeavor, as The Spirit has an incredible art team at the peak of their abilities. Meanwhile, the Mortez mystery is an interesting development to see play out in the coming issues.
