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Infinite Crisis (Collected Editions)
Infinite Crisis Aftermath: The Spectre
Written by Will Pfeifer Art and cover by Cliff Chiang It's the rebirth of a hero in this eerie volume collecting the 3-issue miniseries that links the events of INFINITE CRISIS to the present and the future! The supernatural spirit of vengeance has joined with a new host: Detective Crispus Allen from the Gotham City Police Department. But Allen wants nothing to do with the Spectre or his holy mission - even if it means jeopardizing the mission!
Collects CRISIS AFTERMATH: THE SPECTRE #1-3 and TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED #1-3.
Collects CRISIS AFTERMATH: THE SPECTRE #1-3 and TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED #1-3.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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About the author
Will Pfeifer
311 books23 followersWill Pfeifer was born in 1967 in the town of Niles, Ohio. He attended Kent State University and graduated in 1989. He has resided in Rockford, Illinois since 1990, with his wife, Amy.
Pfeifer, along with his comic writing duties, is the assistant features editor at the Rockford Register Star. He also writes a weekly DVD column for the Sunday paper.
Pfeifer, along with his comic writing duties, is the assistant features editor at the Rockford Register Star. He also writes a weekly DVD column for the Sunday paper.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 11, 2010
God's justice is black and white, as DC Comics says in The Spectre, one of a number of graphic novels its Infinite Crisis Aftermath series. The Spectre, a spirit requiring a host, is also the hero who brings about God's justice, or rather God's punishment for sins.
With the Spectre's purpose, it is somewhat difficult to view him as a superhero, which might make one wonder why DC Comics would tell this story. Well, the story is compelling, beginning with the origin of the Spectre's host, a cop named Crispus Allen who is murdered by one of his own to the events that unfold as a result of that murder. After Allen agrees to host the Spectre, he finds he has no problem rendering punishment for some sins, specifically murder.
But what of those sins that may call for mercy? What about the gray between right and wrong? Here, Allen struggles to fulfill his new role, which makes delivering justice a more complicated matter for him (and any reader) and this graphic novel a page-turner.
With the Spectre's purpose, it is somewhat difficult to view him as a superhero, which might make one wonder why DC Comics would tell this story. Well, the story is compelling, beginning with the origin of the Spectre's host, a cop named Crispus Allen who is murdered by one of his own to the events that unfold as a result of that murder. After Allen agrees to host the Spectre, he finds he has no problem rendering punishment for some sins, specifically murder.
But what of those sins that may call for mercy? What about the gray between right and wrong? Here, Allen struggles to fulfill his new role, which makes delivering justice a more complicated matter for him (and any reader) and this graphic novel a page-turner.
June 24, 2024
Another bargain box find. I wasn't sure how much I'd like this since it's not the original Spectre, but I enjoyed this immensely. I have never read any of the DC Crisis crossovers yet was able to follow this with ease due to the clarity of the writing, with the only question unanswered in the book being why Jim Corrign gave up being the Spectre in the first place. I am sure that this is likely common knowledge among the DC faithful and I am just showing my ignorance of the DC Universe, but there you have it.
The Spectre is such a good character, and Crispus Allen has a different angle to his vengeance from beyond the grave than his predecessor did. He is conflicted and has a desire to retain his humanity, at least for the time being. I have no idea where to go to follow this character any further. Perhaps some of the DC loyalists out there can point me in the right direction.
The Spectre is such a good character, and Crispus Allen has a different angle to his vengeance from beyond the grave than his predecessor did. He is conflicted and has a desire to retain his humanity, at least for the time being. I have no idea where to go to follow this character any further. Perhaps some of the DC loyalists out there can point me in the right direction.
October 11, 2022
Will Pfeifer's take on the Spectre is pretty good. The character works best when he's being written as a Weird Tales character. The acknowledged influence of Lovecraft and Poe helps steer the tone of these stories in the right direction too. However, I think that there are places where Pfeifer and Cliff Chiang go too far. There's a little too much blood to make certain moments effective, and there's far too much text in this story. The panels feel overcrowded with information and somewhat hard to read. This seems to be a problem that a lot of mainstream comics have. So as far as a mainstream comic book goes, this one is pretty good but could easily be better.
June 8, 2019
Puntaje: 4.4.
La verdad, tenía mucho recelo de leer esta mini serie. El personaje de Spectre nunca me había llamado mucho la atención y no quería dedicarle mucho tiempo.
Sin embargo, el hecho de que esta mini serie tenga solo 3 cómics me motivo a leerla para continuar con la cronología de DC.
Honestamente me arrepiento de no haberla leído antes, creo que es una historia que representa mucho al DC Comics del principio de los 2000, en donde los cómics tenían historias mas fuertes y oscuras.
A seguir con la cronología!
La verdad, tenía mucho recelo de leer esta mini serie. El personaje de Spectre nunca me había llamado mucho la atención y no quería dedicarle mucho tiempo.
Sin embargo, el hecho de que esta mini serie tenga solo 3 cómics me motivo a leerla para continuar con la cronología de DC.
Honestamente me arrepiento de no haberla leído antes, creo que es una historia que representa mucho al DC Comics del principio de los 2000, en donde los cómics tenían historias mas fuertes y oscuras.
A seguir con la cronología!
March 23, 2025
4,5/5. This is how Crispus Allen became the Spectre, and it was a very amazing lesson about why Divine justice don't carry mortal morals into consideration. Here you find allmighty Spectre back with his "fitted" punishments, and a Crispus Allen that walks through life being himself a spectre. How a wonderful way of taking the best from both characters for a beginning story.
February 1, 2020
Dead Again
June 21, 2020
El spectre que antes fue policía y la justicia contra la retribución. Excelentes interiores por Cliff Chiang.
August 30, 2011
I encountered the Spectre first in my early Green Lantern readings when Hal Jordan came back via Geoff Johns and our Emerald warrior's soul was "grafted" to this avenging agent of God.
Since then I was curious about his origin and storyline and when Powerbooks marked this off as less 30%, well how can I not check it out.
Crispus Allen was a good cop and investigator when he was alive but after being killed on the job, God's agent of Justice called the Spectre needed a human host to perform his duty. Crispus was not ready and refused the offer. Without a host, the spirit took its frustration on humankind and went on a magical rampage leading up as one of the events prior to Infinite Crisis.
Since then Crispus had one year to think and after accepting the post, his task as the avenging spirit of justice, punishing sinners and evildoers for their crime begins and he learns that it is not as easy as punishing the guilty as singling them out based on priority or gravity of crime even if it leads to family.
If you want your reading dark, gritty and macabre then try this one for size. :)
Since then I was curious about his origin and storyline and when Powerbooks marked this off as less 30%, well how can I not check it out.
Crispus Allen was a good cop and investigator when he was alive but after being killed on the job, God's agent of Justice called the Spectre needed a human host to perform his duty. Crispus was not ready and refused the offer. Without a host, the spirit took its frustration on humankind and went on a magical rampage leading up as one of the events prior to Infinite Crisis.
Since then Crispus had one year to think and after accepting the post, his task as the avenging spirit of justice, punishing sinners and evildoers for their crime begins and he learns that it is not as easy as punishing the guilty as singling them out based on priority or gravity of crime even if it leads to family.
If you want your reading dark, gritty and macabre then try this one for size. :)
October 17, 2018
DC Comics has really done some things in its expansion of certain stories leading up to and after their epic Infinite Crisis story. Some events are pretty important others are pretty interesting but don’t necessarily develop the story. This is one of the latter.
More or less this story is a reintroduction of the Spectre, the spirit of vengeance in the DC Comics universe. Fulfilling the will of a higher power that operates via a slain human.
This story takes the original incarnation of the Spectre and turns him into a murderer all while the Spectre takes on the form of a Gotham City police officer named Crispus Allen.
I’ve heard of this story and not my favorite of characters to begin with but he’s beginning to grow on me via Jim Corrigan, Hal Jordan and Crispus Allen but I think I adhere to more to Jim Corrigan, having loved how a version of him was done for DC’s Kingdom Come.
This is a decent story though with plenty of good characters and decent writing. C+
More or less this story is a reintroduction of the Spectre, the spirit of vengeance in the DC Comics universe. Fulfilling the will of a higher power that operates via a slain human.
This story takes the original incarnation of the Spectre and turns him into a murderer all while the Spectre takes on the form of a Gotham City police officer named Crispus Allen.
I’ve heard of this story and not my favorite of characters to begin with but he’s beginning to grow on me via Jim Corrigan, Hal Jordan and Crispus Allen but I think I adhere to more to Jim Corrigan, having loved how a version of him was done for DC’s Kingdom Come.
This is a decent story though with plenty of good characters and decent writing. C+
July 1, 2014
First time I have read DC comic's Spectre character. Almost like Marvel's Ghost rider, except a dead homicide detective is asked to bond with the spectre to bring justice to sinners in the name of God.
Very dark, grim and mature with the likes of child abusers, arsonists and murderers getting the justice they deserve, however their is a battle of right and wrong, moral high ground between the cop and the spectre that keeps you thinking, whether it's a worthy cause and who decided who should be punished and how.
I will be wanting to read more of this character.
Very dark, grim and mature with the likes of child abusers, arsonists and murderers getting the justice they deserve, however their is a battle of right and wrong, moral high ground between the cop and the spectre that keeps you thinking, whether it's a worthy cause and who decided who should be punished and how.
I will be wanting to read more of this character.
January 13, 2013
A little bit dark for my liking and it doesn't really have much to do with INFINITE CRISIS story-line. It is a good introduction to the character of the Spectre.
Read
August 10, 2011Nice story about Crispus Allen acceptance of his own death and embrace of the Spectre.
November 23, 2017
This was such an interesting idea that could have been such a great read if DC had chosen a better author or if there had been a better overall vision for the character.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews