The DC Spirit - First Wave Part One!

The Spirit hadn't caught fire for DC but had only simmered. So, the powers-that-be decided to shift Will Eisner's creation into a new pocket universe dubbed the "First Wave". Alongside Denny Colt we find  Doc Savage and his five assistants, The Avenger, Rima the Jungle Girl, and Batman. The series was written by Brian Azzarello and drawn magnificently by Rags Morales. This cadre of misfit heroes must push back against a deadly cabal of rich villains who are seeking to use technology and weapons of massive destruction to bend the populations of the world to do their bidding. I couldn't read this 2010 series without thinking of the modern day when we do indeed find ourselves under assault by the super-rich. This is a great story with pretty good story beats for most of the heroes, though I do think The Spirit seems to get lost in the saga. This is primarily a Doc Savage story in tone and feel. 

Here is a cover gallery with alternative coves as well by the likes of Neal Adams, Geoff Darrow, and Jim Lee among others. The primary covers are by J.G. Jones. 

I recommend the trade which is how I read the story this time again. More of the First Wave Spirit next time. 

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A Tasty Spirit Jam!

Spirit Jam is a 1998 reprint of one of the more impressive artistic stunts of the Indy era. In the 30th issue of The Spirit Magazine from 1981, the folks at Kitchen Sink (spearheaded by in-house Eisner expert Cat Yronwode) arranged for a host of artists and writers to try their hand at a few pages of a single shared Spirit story. The story was kicked off and wrapped up by Will Eisner but in between were all manner of renditions of the 40's comic icon by some of the most potent names of the era.

Pete Poplaski penciled the wraparound cover. It's gorgeous and features the inking of the following talents: Peter Poplaski, Will Eisner, Milton Caniff, John Pound, Denis Kitchen, Richard Corben, and Leslie Carbaga.

Also included in the square-bound reprint was the four-page Cerebus Jam story by Eisner and Dave Sim. Eisner handled the Spirit figures and Sim most everything else.

And to close things off here are two wonderful renderings of the Spirit with some iconic heroes.

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