Let's pick things up in the winter of 1941. The Spirit sections seem to be finding an audience and Will Eisner's gamble seems to be paying off. Eisner was always assisted in creating the Spirit stories. The stories here among others were colored by a very young Joe Kubert. The strip is still developing its character and most of the most famous characters haven't yet been introduced, but we are about to meet a few. Let's dive into volume two.
The Black Bow January 5, 1941
The Black Bow is a criminal who preys on the people from an Eastern European country which long suffered under the cruel hand of his ancestors. He uses his weapon without remorse and the Spirit takes more than a few hits before he can bring this dashing but vile baddie down. Basil Rathbone came to mind as I read this as a possible influence for the Black Bow. The movie serial The Green Archer had shown up in the cinemas the year before. That serial was most certainly an influence here and on DC's Mort Weisinger creation Green Arrow as well.
The Silk District Beat January 12, 1941
When a proud young cop fulfills the family tradition and takes to the streets as a policeman he is immediately tempted by graft. He rejects it soundly and so is beat up and make to look as if he was drunk on his beat as some furs were stolen. The Spirit is on hand to see what's up and eventually turns the tables on the baddies with the help of a strange blind man. This is a legendary splash page, one of the best ever in the long run.
Pancho de Bool and Peppi Tamale January 19, 1941
Homer Creep returns and this time he has married Peppi Tamale. But her brother Pancho de Bool, a renowned gangster is determined to put an end to the marriage and Homer. The streets are alive with both cops and criminals as they await the appearance of the legendary crook. But it's Ebony who discovers the strange truth first. This is a full-blown comedy, with all the characters living in awe of a man who possesses strange secret. I am glad to see that Home found someone after Ellen dumped him so summarily in favor of the Spirit.
The Conquistadores January 26, 1941
The Spirit heads south to the small country of Santa Vera to confront a small army who dub themselves "the Conquistadores". Their leader is a typical arrogant knob who imagines he should be the master of other men's lives. This one has a delightful side story featuring a young boy who brings news of these enemies to his small village, but they cannot be roused enough from their siesta to care. If Eisner is suggesting something larger about real world affairs, I'm not certain.
Davy Jones Locker February 2, 1941
When a disgruntled sandhog gets a few of his mates to set up shop at the bottom of the river and start blowing up ships to get their booty, it's a problem for the city and Commissioner Dolan. The Spirit steps in and find himself at the bottom of the river with a few cops in a terrific struggle. The ending shows how well Eisner understands human nature, and what men might do when faced with the ultimate end.
The Substitute Spirits February 9, 1941
It's thought that the Spirit is dead after the previous story, so three unusual fellows don a mask to get to bottom of a psychic's racket. The men are Dolan, a cop named O'Rourke, and a tall lean character named Finnegan. Finnegan has been in more than a few of the Spirit's adventures, always seeming mostly effective but always silent. He speaks for the first time in this story. I always got the feeling Finnegan was Eisner's spin on Dick Tracy's Fearless Fosdick, at least visually.
Radio Station WLXK February 16, 1941
A radio station comes under threat from fifth column forces and it brash and brave lady owner refuses to kowtow, even after an explosion which nearly destroys the station. The Spirit comes to her rescue and with the aid of Dolan defeat the evil forces. When she wants a kiss from the Spirit, then he turns chicken and runs. One can feel the clouds of war in real world increasingly affecting the series.
Invasion from Argo February 23, 1941
In a truly strange one, a humble man named Sam is accosted by two seeming aliens from the planet Argo in his apartment. They tell him they have been sent to check out the Earth as a possible place to conquer in a thousand years' time. Despite his doubts he goes to the authorities and is locked up in a mental ward. When he gets out, he decides to take matters into his own hands and the Spirit is on hand to help. This one struck me because the Spirit played such a relatively small role. Eisner is getting his groove.
Dead Duck Dolan March 2, 1941
Dolan's long-lost father turns up in the city for a visit, to see his son and meet his granddaughter for the first time. Dead Duck Dolan is or was a sheriff in the West and he's proud that his son has grown up to be the police commissioner. But he's outraged that Dolan is forced to consider political forces when confronting a gangster. He prefers the Spirit's more direct approach and tags along as the Spirit brings in some more baddies.
Toy Planes March 9, 1941
Drones are used to attack industrial plants by saboteurs from a vaguely named foreign land. The Spirit and Ebony capture a couple of spies, but they reveal how committed they are to their cause. The Spirit decides he and Ebony will foil this plot by using toy planes full of nitro to take out the drones before they have a chance to strike. One nifty trick is that the Spirit uses a gliding suit in this story to help him rout the villains.
Introducing Silk Satin March 16, 1941
We meet one of the major femme fatales from the series in this story which introduces Silk Satin. In this story she is attempting to steal a valuable golden amulet and is assisted by two cronies. During the course of the battle between the Spirit and Satin they kiss, and she falls in love with our masked hero, so much so that she takes drastic steps to save his life in the end. This one felt like a fully mature Eisner story, full of emotion, danger, and fun.
Dipsy Dooble March 23, 1941
Dipsy Dooble is a boxer who is treated with a strange chemical which makes him imperious to pain. The plan as far as I can make out is to set up a boxing event and make a bundle with the fix. They decide weirdly to do this at a police convention. Ellen has decided to become a boxing promoter and has found and a large and loquacious fighter to serve her needs. There are some great moments of character and fun in this one, but the plot rather bewildered me.
Captured by the Underworld March 30, 1941
The mob realizes they will have to join forces to rid themselves of the Spirit and they do just that. They lure him into a trap and capture him. It's up to Ebony to save the save with some sound tricks. As is is often the case in these kinds of situations the reader is left to wonder they didn't just shoot the Spirit when they had him in a cage, since rubbing him out was the point. We do get to see how some folks respond when they think that the Spirit is well and truly gone.
Introducing Scarlet Brown April 6, 1941
Ebony finds love, but to prove himself to his new sweetheart he must get to the bottom of a mystery which eventually does cost her father his job. The reader is hardly fooled that the bearded man who skulks behind Ebony and helps him in crucial moments is the Spirit himself. After it's all settled the man gets his job back and Ebony gets his sweetheart. Eisner is really feeling strong to allow the strip to put so much emphasis on Ebony at this time. The Spirit is in very panels, a trend that continues in the next story.
Croaky Andrews' Perfect Crime April 13, 1941
Croaky Andrews and his moll Poison Maggie escape the Spirit after a big robbery by means of a boat which turns into a submarine. Andrews has spent months preparing and has an island all to himself and Maggie and protected from the encroachment of the Spirit. The Spirit for his part feels defeated. But unbeknownst to him Croaky's paranoia overwhelms him with tragic consequences. Again, this is a Spirit strip in which the titular character is hardly around, save in the mind culprit. This one has a nice dark tone.
The S.S. Raven April 20, 1941
The S.S. Raven is the third story in a row in which the Spirit's role is diminished. Mostly our salty narrator tells us of a ship which has killed men and been the cause of misery and pain since its creation. No captain lives beyond a year and even the U.S. military gives up on it. But that's not the end of its litany of terror as it eventually passes onto the hands of a gambler, one who robs banks. We're left to wonder if the Spirit will be the Raven's latest victim. The identity of the narrator offers up a nifty twist as well.
The Ellen Dolan Detective Agency April 27, 1941
Ellen Dolan is a detective and is drawn into a deadly game when she is hired to find out what has become of Professor Ravel's latest explosive. The Spirit is on the trail as well, but finds it difficult to give Ellen the help she'll desperately need when he gets conked on the head. Both the Spirit and Commissioner Dolan try to talk Ellen out of her latest career choice as the story closes. This is a very clever splash, showing Ellen through what seems to be her office door.
King Kohl, Emperor of the World May 5, 1941
A gangster gets notions of grandeur and assembles a virtual army of thugs to rob and plunder. Their first target is an armory and despite having an actual tank on their side they are of course frustrated in their efforts. This one is filled with classic action and the flying car is featured. The Spirit and Ebony battle the criminals with all their might as the cops play catch up. The rivalry between the Spirit and Commissioner Dolan his highlighted as well.
A Dull Week May 11, 1941
A dull week of course leads to lots of interesting action as Ebony, the Spirit, and Ellen Dolan all three hit the streets looking for adventure. Their efforts to frustrate crime are to some extent frustrated by each of them in turn. They manage to make a dull week quite interesting indeed. I was pleased to note a specific reference to the previous week's adventure, which sharpened the continuity in the series.
Marta and the Renaissance Primitive May 18, 1941
It's all about forgery in this one. Things are not what they seem inside the frames and outside as well. A famous painting is stolen, and the Spirit is on the case immediately. The museum director seems a bit suspicious and when he kills himself it gets even more confusing. Marta is a gorgeous woman connected to all of this, and she has a stunning secret to share. This one was fun to read with its many twists and turns.
Thomas Hawkins May 25, 1941
Why do criminals commit crime? This story about a safe cracker who has finished his sentence and is released from prison confronts this question. The Spirit puts forth the proposition crime is a disease and society must seek healing. When Thomas Hawkins is rejected by job after job because of his past he is seemingly forced to return to his criminal ways as everyone, even Commissioner Dolan predicted. But the Spirit is there to offer perhaps another way forward. It's clear that Eisner is speaking plainly in this story about what thinks of society and crime.
Killer McNobby June 1, 1941
This story is presented in rhyme and reads more like a fable or tall tale than anything else. Killer McNobby is a deadly menace and only the Spirit is strong enough it seems to confront him. The fight between consumes page after page. Eisner is really playing with the format here, using both words and his drawing to get the reader inside the events. It's a fun departure from the normal story and again shows that Eisner is now confident in what his audience will tolerate.
Five Passengers in Search of an Author June 7, 1941
This one is a confusing yarn, I think intentionally so. We have a story which might be told by a kid but it seems is also real as well. There are murders and spies and all sorts of things in this one which ultimately presents the reader with the mystery of an empty plane. This one also has a fantastic surprise at the end, which I would be remiss to reveal.
Dusk and Twilight June 15, 194
The Spirit is forced to confront perhaps the weirdest menace yet. Dusk is his name and murder is his game, murder by means of his powerful hands as he strangles his victims. Dusk is married to Twilight who likewise is a deranged murderer. When the Spirit is lured into their underground lair it's all he can do to survive. Dusk is presented as totally made killer and reminded me of the Joker, though his preferred means of murder is much more direct.
The Tale of the Dictator's Reform June 22, 1941
When a notorious dictator decides to visit America he confounded by the resistance to his calls for revolution, even among the poorest of the population. He finds himself lost to some extent in a land which makes no sense to him because its people seem to value democracy over power. The Spirit is able to put the dictator on a different path, though it's a tragic one. Reading this one, I could not but be reminded current events which are seeing ascendancy of a power-mad lunatic to the highest office in the land. We seem to have forgotten some fundamental lessons. We will have to learn them again, the hard way it seems.
The Balkan Ball June 29, 1941
This is a wild and wooly story which starts by giving fans a peek into the Spirit's Wildwood Cemetary headquarters. He goes to invite Ellen out but discovers she already has a date with a prince, but a prince who turns out to be bogue. With Ebony's assistance, the Spirit is able to set things right, but it's a wild ride indeed. This one also features a bonus for Spirit fans who has been following the series, a kiss between the Spirit and Ellen, and not just any kiss. Ebony does well too.
In this second archive we have seen the series fully mature. Eisner is using the Spirit series to tell all sorts of stories, and he is not limited by the original noir atmosphere which began the series. We get comedy and romance and horror, it's all here.
More Spirit in a fortnight's time.
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