The Quality Companion Companion: August 2015

You too can read The Spirit—for free!

The Spirit shared the spotlight with Plastic
Man several times in 1943: cover of Police
Comics #23 (1943); art by Jack Cole.

When I was writing the Spirit's profile for the Quality Companion, Cat Yronwode's Spirit Checklist was an invaluable help. (The original Checklist can be found at Wildwood Cemetery, a site which has fallen into disrepair. It was updated by Wes Tumulka, PDF.)

But scans of the original Spirit Section Sunday are still quite spotty at the public domain collection at the Digital Comics Museum.

As an alternative, you can begin reading the strip by downloading the comic books in which the Sunday strip was reprinted — in Quality Comics' Police Comics and The Spirit. Within these titles, the character's Sunday adventures are well-represented through 1946, but they were not reprinted in perfect chronological order. This Index helps you rearrange the reprints in order.

Sadly, it was after 1946 when The Spirit's most lauded tales were written, and when Eisner and his assistants (don't be fooled, there were many) more finely honed the look of things.

If you find yourself going ape for the character, see Further Reading.

STEPS:

To read digital comics, I use Comic Book Lover (Mac only). Also, Comical (Windows & Mac).
Register with the Digital Comic Museum and download specific issues of Police Comics and The Spirit. (And if you're nice, give a contribution to the site!)
Read your digital comics in the order presented below...

How to Read the Checklist

The following list arranges all of the reprints of the original Spirit Section appearance that appeared in either Police Comics or The Spirit comic book. The reprints did not adhere to the original publishing order. Police Comics reprinted about 25% (one per month) of the original weekly installments into 1947. Notes about the creators are truncated from the original Checklist.

The first number is the episode number, followed by the original publish date, and title. On the next line, bulleted lines give the issue in which it was reprinted.

Police Comics

Spirit Sections 1–100

Scripts, pencils and inks largely by Will Eisner

Cover of Police Comics #16
(1943); art by Gill Fox.

1. 2 June 1940: The Origin of The Spirit

Police #11

3. 16 June 1940: The Black Queen

Police Comics #12

5. 30 June 1940: Johnny Marston

Police Comics #13

7. 14 July 1940: Mr. Midnight

Police Comics #15

8. 21 July 1940: Eldas Thayer

Police Comics #14

9. 28 July 1940: Palyachi, the Killer Clown

Police Comics #16

10. 4 August 1940: The Death Dolls

Police Comics #26

12. 18 August 1940: The Morger Boys

Police Comics #22

13. 25 August 1940: The Orphans

Police Comics #17

16. 15 September 1940: Ebony’s X-Ray Eyes

Police Comics #23

17. 22 September 1940: Gang Warfare

Police Comics #18

18. 29 September 1940: Oriental Agents

Police Comics #21

21. 20 October 1940: Ogre Goran

Police Comics #20

25. 17 November 1940: Dr Prince Von Kalm

Police Comics #25

26. 24 November 1940: The Kidnapping of Ebony

Police Comics #24

28. 8 December 1940: The Haunted House

Police Comics #19

33. 12 January 1941: The Silk District Beat

Police Comics #29

34. 19 January 1941: Pancho De Bool & Peppi Tamale

Police Comics #39

36. 2 February 1941: Davy Jones’ Locker

Police Comics #38

37. 9 February 1941: The Substitute Spirits (refried in 422)

Police Comics #27

38. 16 February 1941: Radio Station WLXK

Police Comics #28

39. 23 February 1941: Invasion From Argos

Police Comics #40

40. 2 March 1941: Dead Duck Dolan

Police Comics #36

43. 23 March 1941: Boombershlag aka Dipsy Dooble

Police Comics #31

44. 30 March 1941: Captured aka Captured by the Underworld

Police Comics #30

50. 11 May 1941: A Dull Week

Police Comics #37

52. 25 May 1941: Thomas Hawkins

Police Comics #32

60. 20 July 1941: The Jewel of Death aka The Spirit in Damascus (partially refried in 509)

Police Comics #41

62. 3 August 1941: Wanted Dead or Alive: The Spirit

Police Comics #34

71. 5 October 1941: Sphinx & Satin

Police Comics #33

72. 12 October 1941: The Genius

Police Comics #35

Spirit Sections 101–128

Scripts, layouts (plus some pencils and occasional inks) by Will Eisner, finished Art by Lou Fine with various assistants, except for Sections 119, 120, 121 and 125: Scripts by Manly Wade Wellman, Pencils by Lou Fine, Inks by John Belfi.

114. 2 August 1942: Professor Pinx

Police Comics #42

115. 9 August 1942: Shoplifters & Sodas

Police Comics #43

Spirit Sections 129–168

Scripts by Manly Wade Wellman or Bill Woolfolk, Pencils by Lou Fine. Sections 133, 136, 137, 152 and 153: scripts and layouts by Will Eisner, pencils by Lou Fine. Section 168: Script and layout by Eisner.

146. 14 March 1943: Byron’s Memoirs

Police Comics #54

157. 30 May 1943: The Spirit Ain’t Fair

Police Comics #48

160. 20 June 1943: Parrot Puggins

Police Comics #50

161. 27 June 1943: Keep Out

Police Comics #45

163. 11 July 1943: Three Spirit QuWishes

Police Comics #44

168. 15 August 1943: The Last Gang in Rotten Row

Police Comics #55

Spirit Sections 169–185

Scripts by Manly Wade Wellman or Bill Woolfolk, Art by Quality Staff Artists, including Robin King and Joe Kubert.

170. 29 August 1943: Broadway Lily

Police Comics #52

174. 26 September 1943: Murder on the Job

Police Comics #53

177. 17 October 1943: The Magic Drums of the Shonokins

Police Comics #46

178. 24 October 1943: Who Killed Gloria Drake?

Police Comics #51

183. 28 November 1943: The Killer Nurse

Police Comics #47

Spirit Sections 186–220

Scripts by Manly Wade Wellman or Bill Woolfolk or Jack Cole (only on those he penciled). Most pencils by Lou Fine, some by Jack Cole.

187. 26 December 1943: Cloak and Coffin

Police Comics #49

219. 6 August 1944: The Metal Monsters

Police Comics #60

220. 13 August 1944: Smooch & the Baby

Police Comics #92

Spirit Sections 221–290

Scripts by Manly Wade Wellman or Bill Woolfolk, pencils by Lou Fine.

221. 20 August 1944: Miss Meda

Police Comics #69

223. 3 September 1944: Tubbs and Burberry

Police Comics #70

224. 10 September 1944: Jackie Boy

Police Comics #57

226. 24 September 1944: The Case of the Headless Burglar

Police Comics #58

227. 1 October 1944: Big Jake Gooley

Police Comics #56

228. 8 October 1944: The Uncanny Cat aka The Case of the Uncanny Cat

Police Comics #59

230. 22 October 1944: Kingololio

Police Comics #63

232. 5 November 1944: The Case of the Will O’ Wisp Murders

Police Comics #62

235. 26 November 1944: Upside Down House

Police Comics #90

237. 10 December 1944: The Organ Grinder

Police Comics #61

239. 24 December 1944: The Heirs of Dubbs Dombey

Police Comics #64

241. 7 January 1945: The Tenacre Place

Police Comics #88

245. 4 February 1945: The Glossop Heirs

Police Comics #86

247. 18 February 1945: Barney the Beard

Police Comics #73

248. 25 February 1945: This House Must Go

Police Comics #65

249. 4 March 1945: The New Columbus

Police Comics #67

253. 1 April 1945: Beautiful Andrew

Police Comics #72

254. 8 April 1945: Amnesia No. 2

Police Comics #76

255. 15 April 1945: Bond Bratton

Police Comics #87

259. 13 May 1945: The Curse of the Kukri

Police Comics #85

264. 17 June 1945: The Country Cousin

Police Comics #68

266. 1 July 1945: The Amato Gang

Police Comics #84

267. 8 July 1945: Elbows and Cheesecake

Police Comics #82

268. 15 July 1945: The Millionth Customer

Police Comics #66

270. 29 July 1945: Mr Grifty Goes Straight

Police Comics #81

273. 19 August 1945: The Vickram Forgery

Police Comics #77

274. 26 August 1945: Mobar’s Comet

Police Comics #71

276. 9 September 1945: The Durand Gang

Police Comics #79

280. 7 October 1945: Jason Ghor Is Innocent

Police Comics #78

281. 14 October 1945: Jonas Dubrick’s Plan

Police Comics #83

285. 11 November 1945: Triton and Josie

Police Comics #75

287. 25 November 1945: Soapy Keeps It Clean

Police Comics #80

290. 16 December 1945: Derry Mortlock

Police Comics #74

Spirit Sections 291–349

Scripts and layouts by Will Eisner (with a few by Eisner and Klaus Nordling or Eisner and Marilyn Mercer), pencils by John Spranger (with some by Eisner and Spranger or Eisner alone).

303. 17 March 1946: Nylon Rose

Police Comics #98

309. 28 April 1946: Dig a Hole

Police Comics #100

323. 4 August 1946: Who Killed Cox Robin?

Police Comics #97

325. 18 August 1946: Distinguished Men Prefer Borshtbelt’s Buttermilk

Police Comics #99

326. 25 August 1946: Smuggler’s Cove

Police Comics #95

327. 1 September 1946: Olga Bustle in ‘Outcast’

Police Comics #94

334. 20 October 1946: Artemus Peap

Police Comics #101

336. 3 November 1946: Beagle’s Second Chance

Police Comics #96

353. 2 March 1947: A Granule of Time

Police Comics #102

The Spirit series

The Spirit by Quality featured all reprints. Occasionally it printed non-Spirit stories, too. Some issues of Quality's The Spirit contained filler material including "Jonesy" and "Flatfoot Burns."

Cover of The Spirit #1 (1944);
art by Lou Fine.

The Spirit #1 (1944)

149. 4 April 1943: Evil Eye Manders aka The Eyes Have It
150. 11 April 1943: The Dollars of 1804 aka Wanted
151. 18 April 1943: The Grandfather Clock aka A Clock Stops
153. 2 May 1943: Yellow Eyes Janus aka Manhunt
154. 9 May 1943: Dr Plague
155. 16 May 1943: Policewoman Ellen aka Dressed To Kill
156. 23 May 1943: Tony Zacco aka Tony Zacco, Public Enemy No. 1

The Spirit #2 (1945)

165. 25 July 1943: The Spirit Did... aka Framed
176. 10 October 1943: Ellen Dolan, Murderess aka Reserved: One Electric Chair
179. 31 October 1943: Death in the Lion Cage aka Circus Daze
180. 7 November 1943: Fronie Pettigrew aka Brummagen vs. Pettigrew
182. 21 November 1943: On Guard! aka On Guard, Crime
186. 19 December 1943: Druce’s Time Bomb aka Death After Death

The Spirit #3 (1945)

145. 7 March 1943: Class Reunion
148. 28 March 1943: Andy Horgan aka Death Takes Its Toll
158. 6 June 1943: Terrible Terry Gill aka Wanted, One Child
166. 1 August 1943: The Maestro aka Music Hath Charms
171. 5 September 1943: The Art of Making Love Ardently aka An Old Beau Returns
173. 19 September 1943: Killer Sykes aka Stormy Weather

The Spirit #4 (Spring 1946)

164. 18 July 1943: The House of Darkness
169. 22 August 1943: On the Ferris Wheel
184. 5 December 1943: The Auction
222. 27 August 1944: The Children’s Welfare Ball
290. 16 December 1945: Derry Mortlock

The Spirit #5 (Summer 1946)

207. 14 May 1944: Fifi McCoy
210. 4 June 1944: Ebony’s Piano Lesson
213. 25 June 1944: Sad Eyes Sam’s Last Laught
225. 17 September 1944: Who Killed Cop Robin
240. 31 December 1944: The Mystery of the Death Angel

The Spirit #6 (Fall 1946)

190. 16 January 1944: Ebony’s Inheritance
192. 30 January 1944: Circumstantial Evidence
201. 2 April 1944: Who Killed Bob Sydell?
229. 15 October 1944: The Music Box
233. 12 November 1944: The Return of Danny Bibo

The Spirit #7 (Winter 1946)

211. 11 June 1944: The Cellini Dagger
216. 16 July 1944: The Treasure of the S.S. Jackson
218. 30 July 1944: The Case of the Kindly Dragon!
234. 19 November 1944: Cooter Creek
238. 17 December 1944: The Dancing Gang

The Spirit #8 (Spring 1947)

196. 27 February 1944: Who Killed Sam Wright?
197. 5 March 1944: The Charity Ball
208. 21 May 1944: Black Marx
220. 13 August 1944: Smooch & the Baby
235. 26 November 1944: Upside Down House

The Spirit #9 (Summer 1947)

198. 12 March 1944: Double Eagle
206. 7 May 1944: John Magby’s Last Will & Testament
212. 18 June 1944: The Odor of Geraniums
269. 22 July 1945: Caressa
283. 28 October 1945: Death, South American Style

The Spirit #10 (Fall 1947)

188. 2 January 1944: Killer Ketch
189. 9 January 1944: Mrs. Sorrel
199. 19 March 1944: Skelter & Crabb
256. 22 April 1945: Diamonds and Rats
275. 2 September 1945: Cookie

The Spirit #11 (Spring 1948)

194. 13 February 1944: Man O’ War
195. 20 February 1944: In the Moorish Section of Central City
204. 23 April 1944: Rogoff
236. 3 December 1944: Thirteen O’Clock
258. 6 May 1945: Cousin Dora’s Little Egbert

The Spirit #12 (Summer 1948)

265. 24 June 1945: The Whitlock Diamond Caper
272. 12 August 1945: Eye, Feets and Lock
279. 30 September 1945: The Case of the Missing Undertaker
282. 21 October 1945: Nitro
286. 18 November 1945: Skelvin’s School For Actors

The Spirit #13 (Autumn 1948)

261. 27 May 1945: Mr. Exter
262. 3 June 1945: Red Scandon
278. 23 September 1945: Mr Martin’s Pistols
284. 4 November 1945: Vaudeville Vinnie
289. 9 December 1945: The Strange Case of the Two $5.00 Bills

The Spirit #14 (Winter 1948)

250. 11 March 1945: The Masked Magician
251. 18 March 1945: Prominent Executives Vanish
252. 25 March 1945: Belle La Trivet
271. 5 August 1945: The Kuttup Shop
288. 2 December 1945: The Alibi Factory

The Spirit #15 (Spring 1949)

232. 5 November 1944: The Case of the Will O’ Wisp Murders
263. 10 June 1945: Rosilind Ripsley
277. 16 September 1945: Madame Larna’s Crystal Ball

The Spirit #16 (July 1949)

224. 10 September 1944: Jackie Boy
226. 24 September 1944: The Case of the Headless Burglar
228. 8 October 1944: The Uncanny Cat aka The Case of the Uncanny Cat

The Spirit #17 (September 1949)

219. 6 August 1944: The Metal Monsters
227. 1 October 1944: Big Jake Gooley
237. 10 December 1944: The Organ Grinder

The Spirit #18 (November 1949)

294. 13 January 1946: Dolan’s ‘Origin of The Spirit’ aka Who?
295. 20 January 1946: Hildie and Satin aka Satin Returns
316. 16 June 1946: The Bucket of Blood (refried in 599)

The Spirit #19 (January 1950)

304. 24 March 1946: The Last Trolley aka The Man Who Killed The Spirit
308. 21 April 1946: Introducing Mr Carrion aka The Case of the Balky Buzzard
312. 19 May 1946: Carrion’s Rock

The Spirit #20 (April 1950)

296. 27 January 1946: The Siberian Dagger
313. 26 May 1946: Magnifying Glasses
328. 8 September 1946: The Vortex

The Spirit #21 (June 1950)

315. 9 June 1946: Pool’s Toadstool Facial Cream aka Love Comes to The Spirit
317. 23 June 1946: The Rubber Band aka The Grumley Murder aka The Spirit vs. The Rubber Mind
332. 6 October 1946: Meet P’Gell aka P’Gell of Paris

The Spirit #22 (August 1950)

319. 7 July 1946: Dulcet Tone
320. 14 July 1946: Cargo Octopus aka The Postage Stamp
321. 21 July 1946: The Legend aka A Legend

Pages

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

The Spirit Quality Index