Issue Description

"The Swami and... the Spectre" (Spectre) written by Michael Fleisher, penciled and inked by Jim Aparo and art continuity by Russell Carley."Revolt and Revenge!" (Captain Fear) written by Steve Skeates, penciled and inked by Alex Nino.

The story begins in a seance room where a fraudulent criminal using the name Swami Seelal ends a seance. One of the women present, Mrs. Vandergilt bemoans before the swami that her husband believes the swami is a fake and refuses to pay for any more money for seances. The swami calms her by stating that he will have the spirit world intercede.

A few minutes later, the swami removes his turban and tells his henchman in the scheme that they need to do something about Mr. Vandergilt. Smiley agrees to do something. The next day, Smiley is present at a construction site. Smiley released an emergency brake on a dump truck, and it careens off a platform, killing Mr. Vandergilt. Lieutenant Jim Corrigan arrives and investigates what seems like an ordinary construction accident. Then, a grieving Mrs. Vandergilt told Corrigan about how Mr. Vanderbilt had offended Swami Seelal’s spirits. Corrigan knows that Seelal has a police record as a fake, so he drives to the swami’s business. The swami denies any involvement in the death of Mr. Vandergilt, but Corrigan rattles the swami with a claim that he will watch the swami very carefully from now on.

That afternoon, Gwen Sterling visits the swami’s business. She tells how she wants to be involved with a man named Jim Corrigan, but he is actually a ghost. She asks the swami for help to restore Corrigan’s humanity. The swami thinks that Gwen is a fruitcake, but agrees to help. Thinking that he can take Gwen’s money, then kill Corrigan and Gwen simultaneously, he tells her to ask Corrigan to join her at an abandoned cemetery that following night. The swami warns her not to explain why she wants to meet Corrigan there.

Smiley and Gwen are at the cemetery after dark. Smiley waits to ambush Corrigan as he drives into the cemetery. Smiley hurls a grenade at the car, and it explodes but does not affect the Spectre. As Smiley returns to the spot where Gwen is still kneeling, the Spectre intervenes before Smiley can slit Gwen’s throat with a large knife. Smiley flees, but two ghoulish ghosts capture and subdue Smiley, then drag him into the earth with them.

Jim Corrigan reappears and talks to Gwen. She admits that she had hoped the swami could help Jim so that Jim and Gwen could share a normal life together. Jim understands, but tells her he is not alive and can not have a normal life as long as he is charged with this unearthly mission to avenge other people’s deaths. Gwen watches as Jim fades away.

Mere seconds later at the swami’s seance, the Spectre appears in the crystal ball. Only the swami can hear the Spectre’s words. The swami stammers out a few incoherent words. The other people in the room can not see or hear the reason why the swami is talking, but believe he is talking to spirits. Suddenly, the swami stands and then turns into glass. Then, the glass swami topplies to the floor and shatters.

The story ends with Jim Corrigan walking through the gates of the swami’s sanctuary. He concludes that Gwen sought out the swami as a result of her love for Jim, so he will not penalize her for what had happened at the cemetery.

Notes:

The Spectre story is reprinted in Wrath of the Spectre #1, Wrath of the Spectre TPB and Showcase Presents: The Spectre #1.

Adventure Comics

Publisher

DC Comics

Volume Description

Adventure Comics (Volume 1)

Issues 12-31 are indexed in New Adventure Comics. The series was relaunched decades after its conclusion, with Adventure Comics a series featuring the age-old technique of dual-numbering so that although it began it's own numbering of the series, it also displays the numbering on the cover as if the series were still ongoing from this series started back in '35.

Issues #48-52 are collected in JSA All Stars Archives Vol. 1Issues #103-121 (Plus More Fun Comics #101-107) collected in The Adventures of Superboy Vol. 1Issues #260-280, 282 are collected in Aquaman Archives Vol. 1Issues #306-317 are collected in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 2Issues #318-328 are collected in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 3Issues #329-339 are collected in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 4Issues #340-349 are collected in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 5Issues #350-358 are collected in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 6Issues #359-367 are collected in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 7Issues #368-376 are collected in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 8Issues #377-380 are collected in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 9Issues #435-437, 441-466 are collected in Aquaman: Death of a Prince

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