Even today, the Phantom Stranger has wildly varying power levels (even if he doesn't do the Scooby Doo thing much any longer). My take on the Phantom Stranger is, his job isn't to stop evildoers, but to help people at moral crossroads. Thus he tends to have exactly enough power to offset whatever evil forces are stacked against them, so they can choose good or evil freely.
That's mostly his solo adventures, when he's battling Tannarak or a random demon. But these days the Phantom Stranger usually shows up when there is major magic that needs to be countered, and he plays a more traditional superhero role. I guess he's allowed to do both.
Heh. Yes, he does. One of the best uses of him in recent years was one story where Hal retreated into a Perfect World he made for himself inside his ring and as he was sitting there on a park bench, the Phantom Stranger walked by to bring him back.
It's funny, HJF, but I've got kind of a similar take on the Spectre. My theory is his power levels wax and wane based on the level of the threat he's facing (or the level of evil). Gangsters and thugs don't require GIANT AWESOME SPECTRE so they get a more restrained version. Still working out the kinks; not ready to publish a paper yet.
I do like the thought of Phantom Stranger not being an instrument of wrath or vengeance or whatever, but more of "God's Fixer." Or you could say he's a representative of Order but operates very low-key so as not to trigger a Chaos backlash, as opposed to Dr. Fate's more high-profile Agent of Order status.
Bryan - perhaps the Spectre goes after the guilty in a way that they best understand their guilt? A gangster who's used to shooting people gets a Spectre who is human sized but immune to bullets. Giving him a Spectre that was more like an elemental force would miss the point.
Back when my man Hal was the Spectre, he used to visit people in their dreams - essentially EVERYONE - to try to help them work through whatever held them back, and he used whatever forms made sense for them. For example, he visited Two-Face in the setting of a courtroom, while he would speak to religiously-motivated terrorists in the tones of their religion. Maybe normal Spectre is like that but the mean version.
In case I don't find the issue, I'll describe it: it was the Hal Jordan "Spectre" series, I think the words "The Mission" appeared large on the cover, and it is in fact the issue that the Phantom Stranger proposes a game of Candyland with Helen Jordan. The issue after that is a Christmas issue and that's where the actual game happens, plus other shenanigans.
Yep the 2001 Spectre series, issue 11. I can't find a complete scan, but maybe you have resources.
The concept of the Hal Spectre series is, we've been misunderstanding the Spectre all along: he is mankind's collective wrath, not God's wrath. What happens if that wrath is bound to a human soul that has turned its back on wrath, and has the will to turn that rage into growth? Hal was a little slow on the uptake of course, so the Phantom Stranger showed up to help him get it.
Ohhh kay. Found two halves of a two-page scan, where a fragment of the Spectre is visiting everyone in Arkham, including Two-Face, and trying to help them. And in Two-Face's case, the Spectre takes the form of a judge. So not a full court setting, but you get the idea.
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Even today, the Phantom Stranger has wildly varying power levels (even if he doesn't do the Scooby Doo thing much any longer). My take on the Phantom Stranger is, his job isn't to stop evildoers, but to help people at moral crossroads. Thus he tends to have exactly enough power to offset whatever evil forces are stacked against them, so they can choose good or evil freely.
That's mostly his solo adventures, when he's battling Tannarak or a random demon. But these days the Phantom Stranger usually shows up when there is major magic that needs to be countered, and he plays a more traditional superhero role. I guess he's allowed to do both.
Plus he plays Candyland with Hal Jordan's niece.
- HJF1
Heh. Yes, he does. One of the best uses of him in recent years was one story where Hal retreated into a Perfect World he made for himself inside his ring and as he was sitting there on a park bench, the Phantom Stranger walked by to bring him back.
It's funny, HJF, but I've got kind of a similar take on the Spectre. My theory is his power levels wax and wane based on the level of the threat he's facing (or the level of evil). Gangsters and thugs don't require GIANT AWESOME SPECTRE so they get a more restrained version. Still working out the kinks; not ready to publish a paper yet.
I do like the thought of Phantom Stranger not being an instrument of wrath or vengeance or whatever, but more of "God's Fixer." Or you could say he's a representative of Order but operates very low-key so as not to trigger a Chaos backlash, as opposed to Dr. Fate's more high-profile Agent of Order status.
Vell... the Stranger is just zis guy, you know?
Bryan - perhaps the Spectre goes after the guilty in a way that they best understand their guilt? A gangster who's used to shooting people gets a Spectre who is human sized but immune to bullets. Giving him a Spectre that was more like an elemental force would miss the point.
Back when my man Hal was the Spectre, he used to visit people in their dreams - essentially EVERYONE - to try to help them work through whatever held them back, and he used whatever forms made sense for them. For example, he visited Two-Face in the setting of a courtroom, while he would speak to religiously-motivated terrorists in the tones of their religion. Maybe normal Spectre is like that but the mean version.
- HJF1
"he visited Two-Face in the setting of a courtroom". !! Citation, please~
In case I don't find the issue, I'll describe it: it was the Hal Jordan "Spectre" series, I think the words "The Mission" appeared large on the cover, and it is in fact the issue that the Phantom Stranger proposes a game of Candyland with Helen Jordan. The issue after that is a Christmas issue and that's where the actual game happens, plus other shenanigans.
- HJF1
Yep the 2001 Spectre series, issue 11. I can't find a complete scan, but maybe you have resources.
The concept of the Hal Spectre series is, we've been misunderstanding the Spectre all along: he is mankind's collective wrath, not God's wrath. What happens if that wrath is bound to a human soul that has turned its back on wrath, and has the will to turn that rage into growth? Hal was a little slow on the uptake of course, so the Phantom Stranger showed up to help him get it.
- HJF1
Ohhh kay. Found two halves of a two-page scan, where a fragment of the Spectre is visiting everyone in Arkham, including Two-Face, and trying to help them. And in Two-Face's case, the Spectre takes the form of a judge. So not a full court setting, but you get the idea.
- HJF1
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQROIEhl1G1z4_RwmYP3NWNTROUzPbrGTGWpb7QvOs0pyD8z_64quOfljU&s=10
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSu_wZ_xcalH0_M-0nd5aYR9M0rSiF39xugl-54BXUfYLBvBzGysPEATs4&s=10
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