The Spirit Of 76!

I've been immersing myself in all things Spirit this year and as a consequence I chanced upon a reasonably priced copy of The Overstreet Price Guide for 1976 which features an outstanding image of the Spirit with Commissioner Dolan, his daughter Ellen and the Spirit's trusty assistant Ebony White decked out as the patriotic trio in Archibald Willard's The Spirit of 76 first displayed at a centennial in 1876. 

This image has been used across the years in advertising. It's also been appropriated by some comic book companies as well.  

Norman Rockwell created his own version of the image as one of his many Boy Scout projects. 

Jack Davis created a raucous image for the movie Kelly's Heroes. It appeared on the cover of the soundtrack and on posters as well. 

Disney made thorough use of the image starting way back in 1936. The war-supporting cover from 1945 was utterly transformed by Gladstone when that image was reprinted. 

(Joe Romita)

The Spirit returned to The Overstreet Price Guide with the forty-fifth edition in 2015. He was rendered this time by Dave Johnson. 

I have no particular interest in this one, but if I found it nice and cheap one never knows. 

On this Fourth of July it's crucial that Americans realize what makes this country a value for the world  -- the offer to all peoples of a chance to be free. I see that value slipping away in the short term, and I don't expect we'll ever be what we were or imagined ourselves to be. But we will be better in time. 

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