In this edition of The Full Run, we look over DC Comics‘ The Spirit #6, written and drawn by Darwyn Cooke, inked by J. Bone and coloured by Dave Stewart.
After dealing with a bout of unevenness, The Spirit #6 is a return to form with a story that touches on the music industry, parental pressure, and addiction. This is also arguably the weirdest entry of the series to date, which is fitting as Eisner’s original series was known for experimentation and taking creative chances. Although this issue never quite gets as weird and experimental as Eisner’s, Cooke instead balances contrasting elements with great storytelling.
The Spirit #6 sees Darwyn Cooke play with non-linear storytelling by primarily having the issue told in flashback, with the present interaction of The Spirit and the blue-skinned Adelia recounting the events of the issue until it ends with their meeting, which is what kicks off the issue. This is by no means a groundbreaking technique, as it’s been used in countless media for decades, but it remains effective when executed properly such as here. Adding to the effectiveness once again are the changing color palettes deployed by Dave Stewart, contributing to the colorists’ 2008 Eisner win.
It does seem hypocritical of Cooke to center an issue on drug use, when he has often railed against the presence of adult themes in a medium originally intended for children. Though in fairness, his position is primarily aimed at the proper Marvel and DC universes, and despite his style The Spirit is not for kids. And like the Spirit’s creator, Cooke was a master of the medium and was able to push beyond its initial conceits. The downfall of the titular Blue and the collateral damage in his wake is as fascinating as it is tragic. While past issues of The Spirit have had a steady balance of crime-busting derring do with humor, “Almost Blue” is a somber affair even with the bizarre addition of extra-terrestrial elements.
The title of the issue, “Almost Blue”, resonates throughout the issue. Of course, it does refer to the aforementioned color of Adelia’s (and as we find out, her bandmates’) skin. But more pointedly, it’s referring to the main subject of the issue, a musical prodigy August Blue. The issue recounts Blue’s story from musical child prodigy to leader of a bar’s house band, and the tragedies along his journey. There is much material ripe for exploration, including but not limited to parental pressure on children, bullying, and the impacts of trauma on psychological development. Cooke instead passes up all of those in speedrunning Blue’s life to adulthood, where his rekindled love for music (specifically punk rock) would ultimately set him on the path to drug addiction.
Of course, being The Spirit means that this isn’t your run-of-the-mill drug like heroin or cocaine. Instead, the secretions of a blue rock are the cause of Blue’s addition. There is no explanation of where the rock comes from other than “space”, the cause of the blue secretions, and the true effect the rock has on people. The story is better for it, as getting hung up on those details would distract from the meat of the story, that being the destructive impact addiction can have on a person, as well as those in their periphery. It’s a fascinating tragedy that unfolds that culminates in an unfortunate finale. And while Blue’s journey is the focus, Cooke does an even better job making the reader invested in Adelia and her bandmates, who are caught up in Blue’s wake and become collateral damage to his addiction.
The Spirit #6 is arguably the best issue of Cooke’s run to date. It is not the melding of genres and tones that fit the mold of The Spirit, but it is instead a serious and unsettling look at the impact of drug addiction on the user and their loved ones. But in the spirit of, well, The Spirit, isn’t breaking the mold one of the series’ hallmarks? If so, then The Spirit #6 is a great fit for the series by doing something wildly different.
