http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2010/12/15/pardon-me-while-i-gush-over-the-spirit-for-a-moment/

Jim and I were huge fan of the book “The Shield” from DC.  It had a fantastic character and a really amazing art style. The story just got better as it went along. When it was cancelled, I needed something to fill that hole in my reading.

I caught this article on DC’s Source Blog this morning and wanted to share the love for what the whole creative team is doing on “The Spirit”.  We’ll be talking about this on the show periodically but wanted to give it some quick love here.

This book feels edgy. There constantly feels like real threats to the Spirit and his supporting cast. What I truly like is that the main character isn’t perfect. He makes mistakes. Sometimes it could be in trusting the wrong person. His world is a place that is very dark and filled with corruption and mob warfare. Yet there is also hope. There is this great gang of kids who act as the eyes and ears of the Spirit. Theyare the eyes and ears of the character in this world. For the Spirit, a small clue here and there are crucial to saving a life or bringing down a bad guy. There is an intensity to the crime drama that is laid out here and every time I read an issue, I am really pulled into the well crafted story.

All of the classic players are here but you don’t need to have past Spirit experience to enjoy this. Dolan is back but he is a cop who has accepted that being a part of the corruption is safer and more profitable than fighting it. What happens when the Spirit gradually makes him consider a change of viewpoint? What does this mean for the safety of him and his family? How much of the police force can he trust? These are all elements that are explored.

The art is always sharp. The dialogue is whitty. The characters continue to grow on me as they are fleshed out. This feels like a great crime film and I hope this book is around for a long time.