Spectre III #14 (fb)) -<1300 BC> Nabu served as court magician to the Egyptian pharaohs, seeing Egypt as a beacon of order in a world of chaos. Nabu cautioned the pharaoh against his harsh treatment of the Jews, whom he'd made into slaves, but Ramses heart was hard, and had every male Jewish child drowned to reduce their population. Spectre, the Wrath of God, claimed the pharaoh's life, and even Nabu was not powerful enough to drive him away. Young Ramses became the new ruler of Egypt, and Nabu again caution restraint. Moses came with a message from his god, and demanded the Jews be freed, but Ramses refused. The Presence caused plagues to torment Egypt, but every time Ramses was ready to relent, his heart hardened and he refused to free the Jews. The Phantom Stranger informed Nabu that the final plague was the death of the Egyptian firstborn, and warned him that the murders would be carried out by the Spectre, so he was not to interfere in God's work. Nabu could not stand idly by, and fought the Spectre again, but was humbled. Ramses released the Jews from enslavement, but as Moses and his people were leaving the pharaoh gathered his troops and pursued them. Moses had parted the nile for his people to pass, and when they were safe the Spectre drowned the Egyptians.

(Spectre III #0 (fb)) - Spectre brought down the walls of Jericho. When Jesus Christ was born the Spectre was exiled to Limbo, because God's mercy and wrath could not coexist. When Jesus died on the cross Spectre returned from limbo, and brought the death with him, razing all in his path during the dies irae. Archangel Michael appeared to him, and told him that since the godhead took human form he demanded that hereafter all his aspects be bound to a human soul. The Spectre-Force attacked Michael for getting in the way of his vengeance, but Michael overpowered him. The blood of God was still fresh, so he'd introduce the Spectre to a different belief system. Michael took the form of Kali, and appeared to the recently murdered Indian Caraka, who demanded vengeance not only for his own death, but for that of his wife and son. Kali told him he could reach Nirvana, but Caraka said he'd never belong there with such rage in his heart. Caraka became the Spectre, and tracked down and killed his killer Beltane, but her soul escaped his grasp. He found the souls of his family that Beltane was keeping, and freed them.

(Spectre III #25) - <150 AD> Spectre carried out his mission for over a century. Lucifer assembled the lords of Hell, showing them the work of Spectre, the Wrath of God, and said his mission of bloody vengeance was nudging humans to stay on the straight and narrow out of fear. He told the lords they'd each get a chance to destroy Specter, with whoever succeeded being elevated in Hell's hierarchy. Belial took the direct route, serving as the court wizard of the despot Chadhandra, and fighting the Spectre when he came to kill the sultan. Spectre was victorious, and Belial returned to Hell. Shaitan sent his demon Sekuba to tempt Spectre. She showed him the bones of Brahma, and said his gods were dead, but the Spectre thought her a liar. She showed him a leper being stoned, a leper who was the reincarnation of his wife Devi. Her soul was meant to find his and reach Nirvana, but this never came to pass because Caraka became the Spectre. His son Bankim had been reincarnated as the child of an abusive household, and grew up to be a murderous thief. Spectre killed his son, and said that if the gods were not dead they surely no longer cared. He planned to raze the entire world, purifying it of evil, but was confronted by Archangel Michael in his guise of Kali. He stripped Caraka of his power, and sent the Spectre-Force to find a new host. As the price of his rebellion he merged Caraka's soul with that of Sekuba so they could torment each other, and named the new cursed being Azmodus. Azmodus promised to bedevil the Spectre, whoever he was, for all eternity.

(Spectre III #0 (fb)) - <200 A.D.> The Spectre-Force found a host in a woman kidnapped by barbarians, and presented to the reborn Beltane. Spectre turned a barbarian into a wolf and set him against his friends, and Beltane committed suicide so his soul could elude the Spectre's vengeance. Over the next millennia the Spectre-Force found numerous hosts over the years, and clashed with Beltane many times, but never managed to capture his soul.

(Spectre III #61 (fb)) - <1860s> American troops slaughtered slave-holding Cherokees, and the Spectre, now hosted by a Native American, slaughtered all of them except one. The sole survivor, a Corrigan, was told that he was spared death because he hadn't killed, but he had stolen, and he'd live to wonder what Spectre stole from him.

(Spectre III #4 (fb)) - Police officer Jim Corrigan was after mobster Gat Benson, and started collecting information about his illicit activities. Jim convinced several other officers to raid the hideout of Gat's underling McAlister. Some of the cops protested that Jim's evidence wouldn't stand up in court, but Jim intended to gun down the criminals, and hinted that if the arrest went his way they wouldn't have to worry about court. McAlister's men started shooting, and the police mowed them down. Jim told his fellow officer's not to lose any sleep, if they were innocent they wouldn't have shot first. Stoolie Louie Snipe told Jim that Gat himself was going to be at a warehouse robbery, and Jim hoped he'd be promoted to captain. The whole thing was a setup, and Gat's men were waiting for him. Gat told him he was sick of Jim pushing his luck, so he had him stuffed in a barrel, filled it with cement, and pushed into the river. Jim entered Limbo, and cried for vengeance. The Voice from above bound his soul to the Spectre, the Wrath of God, and tasked him with understanding evil, and attempting to recover it. The Spectre arrived at the scene of his death as Benson's men were about to kill his partner Waylon and his fiancée Clarice. The mobsters shot at the Spectre, but the bullets went through him, and he unleashed his powers, killing the henchmen and reserving a painful death for Gats by dissolving him into bone. Clarice had been caught in the crossfire, and her soul was on its' way to Heaven, but the Spectre snatched it away, and restored Clarice to life. Clarice woke to see Corrigan alive, and he said he'd clawed his way out of the concrete barrel.

(Spectre Annual II #1 (fb)) - Still trying to make sense of his new life Jim Corrigan felt drawn to a fortune teller’s shop, where he met Madame Xanadu. She tried to tell him that the power he had as an instrument of God’s vengeance came not from within, but from the Spectre-Force, but he didn’t understand what she was trying to explain to him and walked out in a huff. Madame Xanadu was displeased at not having a chance to be close to the latest incarnation of the Spectre as she had been with previous ones.

(Spectre Annual II #1 (fb)) - Spectre sensed a murder, and when he went to investigate he found Dr. Fate standing over a corpse. Spectre accused him of murder and attacked him, but Fate, who told him he was being presumptuous to think he had any  power of him, used his mystic arts to counter him. They realized they were evenly matched, and Fate told him he’d discovered the murder and was speaking to the dead man. The dead man gave them enough clues to figure out that he’d been murdered by occultist Micah Cole, who was working on the U.S. government program codenamed the Nightmare Codex. Fate and Spectre flew to Washington and the newly constructed Pentagon. Reverend Col. James Powell admitted that the U.S. was in an occult arms race with the Axis. Hitler was seeking the Spear of Destiny and the Ark of the covenant. The U.S. had sent an archaeologist to get to the Ark first, and were using the Pentagon to harness the power of the Elder gods with the help of Micah Cole. Powell said souls were needed to fuel the magic to summon an Elder god, but claimed they were only using the souls of convicted murderers executed in the electric chair. Michah’s murder of an innocent came as a shock to him, and he realized Micah was trying to hijack the project to bend the elder god to his own designs. Micah summoned Koth-Shugoth, and Fate and Spectre combined their magic to keep it from fully emerging from a dimensional gateway. Spectre killed Micah, turning him into a dusty skeleton, and pushed Koth-Shugoth inside the gate, finding himself in the dimension God had exiled the elder Gods too. He felt insignificant and powerless before Koth-Shugoth, but the Spectre-Force took over, telling Koth-Shugoth he’d make an example of him for daring to cross the boundaries in which god permitted him to exist. Spectre returned to the Pentagon, assuring Fate that Koth-Shugoth would nevermore trouble mankind.  On the anniversary of Jim’s death he learned his father was dying, and wanted to torment him with the power of the Spectre before he died, but found his powers didn’t work. The Word warned Spectre that his powers were for God’s vengeance, not his own, and he would suffer greatly if he ever forgot that again.

(Spectre III #20 (fb)) - Several mysterymen were battling a German fleet trying to cross the British Channel, but the fight was going against them until the Spectre arrived. He turned the tide, and every German soldier died screaming. The mysterymen were in awe at Spectre's power.

(Spectre III #20 (fb)) - <1945> At the end of WWII the Justice Society visited Auschwitz and learned the full extent of the Nazi's genocide. Spectre raged, and wanted to destroy every German in sight, but the Justice Society talked him down, telling him he had to rely on the justice of the Nuremberg war trials. Spectre would go on to spend years hunting escaped Nazis.

(Spectre III #20 (fb)) - <May 8, 1945> VE Day; Carter and Shiera Hall celebrated the victory in Europe, but Jim seemed non-plussed. They told him to have a drink, and he said alcohol had no effect on him, just like he had no need to eat, he just did it because it was familiar. Shiera danced with him, but got scared when she realized he was as cold as the grave.

(Spectre III #26 (fb)) - Azmodus fought Spectre, with their battle raging between Limbo and reality. Azmodus caused him psychic amnesia, but his spell also backfired, and they both found themselves in mortal guise. Jim Corrigan became a cop again, and served for 20 years, never questioning why he didn't age. He attended a séance, and the Spectre woke again, and he realized he had a lot of work to catch up on.

(Spectre III #54 (fb)) - Flash contacted Spectre after the Spirit King killed Mr. Terrific, and had the JSA held hostage in Fate's Tower. The Spirit King revealed that his attack on the heroes was just to draw in Spectre, his prize. His master was Shaitan, and he opened up a portal to Hell to consume the Spectre. Mr. Terrific's spirit arrived, and helped Spectre send Spirit King to Hell, closing the gate. Terrific said he always felt outclassed by his teammates, but he knew he was the hero that day, and the JSA said he made upo for his lack of powers with heart and guts.

(Spectre III #21 (fb)) - The Kobra Cult retrieved the Spear of Destiny from the Soviet official who had it, and assasinated him. Kobra wanted to use the Spear to conquer the world, but the Spectre got wind of his plans. Kobra didn't know how to use the Spear to begin Ragnarok, so he pierced Spectre's chest with it, wounding him grievously. Ragnarok began, and the Justice Society was forced to enter Limbo to fight it, and keep the end times from coming to the world.

(Spectre II #7 (fb)) - Spectre sought Madame Xanadu's help, having lost his way in his mission. To create a safe harbor for him she created a new Jim Corrigan from his protoplasm that believed himself alive. She took parts of her own soul and gave them form to help Jim start a new l;ife, starting with Kim Liang, Jim's assistant who Xanadu hoped would show Jim the value of love.

(Martian Manhunter II #23) -  Jim Corrigan pursued Strega and her murderous band of zombies around the country until he came to Denver, where he met the Martian Manhunter and team with him to catch Strega. Spectre tried to kill Strega, but Manhunter stopped him. Strega bound the Spectre-Force to Manhunter, who used his power to go to Mars and try and resurrect his race. His efforts failed because they were against the natural order, and he gave the Spectre-Force back to Corrigan, who erased his memory of the event.

(Spectre III #20 (fb)) - Carter and Shiera Hall contacted Spectre and asked if he could restore their son Hector Hall to life. Spectre said ghe could not, and that was not his place. They asked if he could get them in touch with his spirit, but he again refused, and left in a huff.

(Spectre III #1) - Jim Corrigan visited the Siegel-Bailey General Hospitals where the elderly Louis Snipe was convalescing. Snipe was the snitch whose loose lips let the mob kill him 60 years ago, and the last living person who had anything to do with his death. Jim interrogated Snipe, and said that his search for vengeance seemed to have accomplished nothing over the years. Social worker Amy Beitermann asked Jim what he was doing, so he decided to take his leave. Amy told Jim he sounded like a troubled soul, and he said his problems were out of her league. A drive-by killed innocent bystanders outside the hospital, so the Spectre emerged and killed the gangbangers by injecting them with his own flaming blood, symbolizing the way they were killing their community with drugs. Spectre returned to Snipe, and entered his soul, where Snipe had a great dead of power. After reliving his own death Jim with Snipe as an onlooker, he became the Spectre again, and destroyed Snipe's soul with a mystic machinegun. Spectre was glad to have had his final vengeance, but realized that he still felt hollow.

(Spectre III #2) - Spectre walked the beaches of the Long Island Sound when he saw what he thought was a woman being murdered in ehr house, and raged at anyone having the nerve to commit a crime in front of him. It turned out to be the ghost of Jackie Connelly, who was reliving her death over and over again. Spectre demanded to know who killed her so he could extract vengeance, but her spirit was oblivious. Spectre's fury blew up the house, and since she could not or would not talk to him he decided to use his detective skills. Corrigan interviewed a police officer investigating the house's destruction, and learned that she was the mistress of William Martindale, and that her husband Michael Landau was convicted for her murder. Spectre confronted Landau in his jail cell, and showed him visions of Hell, but he proclaimed his innocence. Spectre believed him, and said he'd prove his innocence, but the encounter put Landau over the edge and he hung himself in his cell. Spectre entered Martindale's soul, and found that he saw himself as a barbarian conqueror of the corporate world, but was not the killer. Spectre proclaimed him pathetic, and left. Jackie's twin sister Judy turned out to be the killer, she thought Jackie was killing her parents by carrying on with a married man. Spectre told her that her excuses meant nothing to him, and he blamed her for Landau's death as well, so he disposed of her. Spectre found that Jackie's soul was still reliving her final minutes on Earth. He realized that she didn't have peace because vengeance was not her motivation, it was his, and he had no idea what would put her soul to rest.

(Spectre III #3, 4) -Jim wanted to talk to Amy, feeling guilty about the Spectre driving Landau to suicide. She initially fled, because the NYPD had discovered the concrete drum containing Jim's remains, and she knew he was a ghost. She reconsidered and they began talking, but a gang tried to assault Amy. Jim began exploding their body parts, but begged him to let them live, so he transformed them into rats. Amy asked when God made him judge, jury, and executioner, and he replied that God chose him when he died. He turned into the Spectre, and invited her to learn his origins. She saw the Voice summon Jim and make him into the Spectre, the wrath of God. She witnessed the initial massacre he caused killing Gats and his goons, and could stand no more. She told him he was filled with as much hubris as when he was alive, and wondered if his concept of justice was skewed. He showed her scenes of man's humanity, and said evil was all around them. He dove into her soul to see if she had evil in hear. After learning her life story it was revealed that her ex-husband had AIDS, and she'd spread the disease to a number of lovers after they divorced. It wasn't until years later that she learned of her disease, but Spectre decided she should be punished for indiscretion nonetheless. She told him to confront his own evil, the violence inside him, before he judged others. Jim realized that his abusive father made him the violent man he grew up to be, and in a vision he beat his father with a strap. Jim apologized to Amy, and she said she'd forgive him if he forgave himself.

(Spectre III #5) - Amy called in Jim to help her friend Lt. Kane solve the kidnapping of Billy Hoffman. The Vega family had kidnapped Billy, and buried him in a graveyard, but died in a car accident before they could collect a ransom drop. Jim agreed to pursue Eddie Vega's soul, and asked Amy to be his tether if he needed to return to the land of the living. He arrived in Hell, where he was exposed to visions of Jebediah Corrigan crucified. The tableau was courtesy of Shathan, who'd rebuilt his body since his last battle with Spectre. Shathan had Vega's soul in his grasp, and refused to hand it over, so they engaged in conflict. Shathan inflicted the punishments Spectre had dealt to his quarry on him, but Spectre rallied, and dismantled the demon. Shathan said there was legend of a prince of Hell who renounced his ways and served God, and wondered if that was who Spectre really was. Spectre had no interest in listening to the lies of a demon, and interrogated Vega's soul before throwing him back into the pits of Hell. Spectre reanimated Vega's corpse to tell the police where the boy was, and Amy helped him return to the living.

(Spectre II #6, 7) - Spectre came across men who'd burned a homelass man to death for kicks, so he punished them in kind. Shathan's words haunted him, so he sought advice from Amy. She reminded him that part of his mission was to understand evil, and suggested that it would help him grow as a person to understand trhe roots in order to prevent future evil. She brought up the casualties from gun ciolence, and told him to find a way to dissuade gangs from using guns. Spectre saved Felipe Gustero, who put away mobster Rojo, from a hail of bullets, possessing the bullets and raining them down on Rojo. he showed a young man the blood that the gun he owned had spilled, and the man decided he didn't want it any more. Spectre broke up a shootout, killing the remorseless, and sparing the remaining few who still had a chance to become good, warning them to choose the right path. Jim retyurned to Amy's apartment and was confronted by the Sepctre. Jim was pursued by Madame Xanadu's sendings Cynner, Hassan Al-Amani, Bug McGrew and Betyty Bumphus, who took the form of wolves, insects and other animals, trying to tear away his power one bite at a time. Xanadu had transported Jim and Amy into a vision of the way the world was when she knew it, a peaceful matriarchy. She revealed that when Spectre first sought her help she took part of the Spectre's protoplasm and fashioned a new Jim Corrigan, creating her sendings to give him the foundation of a new life. She said Spectre had wasted his powers, committing violence without trying to make the world a better place. She knew Amy had AIDS, and told Jim to cure her. He said he fought evil, not, death, and she thought his vision was narrow. Xanadu showed Amy a vision of her own death, butchered by the serial killed Reaver, and said it could be prevented if the world changed. Xanadu claimed the Spectre-Force, but it immediately pushed its own agenda, instead of immediately changing the world she decided to punish those who committed violence against women and nature. She went on a killing spree, and one victim was a businessman who was trying to regulate the pollution caused by his own company. Amy knew Jim didn't have the power to take back the Spectre, but he could convince Xanadu to give it up. Possessing the dead man, Jim told Xanadu that she dealth revenge, not justice, and that if she cared about the environment she could have started cleaning it up instead of killing. He knew she wouldn't because the Spectre had its' own needs, and those needs always involved blood. Xanadu realized that she'd lost control of the Spectre, and gave up its powers. She told Jim he didn't need to take the Spectre back, but he said he had to in order to protect Amy from her impending murder, because he loved her.

(Spectre II #8) - Amy contemplated suicide, although she'd come to peace with her mortality she was in despair over the idea of being murdered. Spectre told her to give up her plan, saying suicides went to Hell. When she said she didn't believe in Hell, he took her there to get a glimpse of souls in agony. Nate Kane visited Amy's apartment, having figured out that Jim Corrigan was a ghost and confronting her about it. Spectre reached inside his soul, unsure if he was destined to by Amy's killer. Kane was a stubborn man, and resisted Spectre's supernatural barrage for a while, until Spectre confronted him with his deceased family members who'd all died of one disease or another. Spectre learned that he was investigating the Reaver serial killings, and had been ordered to hold back information about him targeting HIV positive women. Amy felt betrayed, and said that if HIV positive women knew his MO they could take precautions, and she threatened to go to the press.

(Spectre III #9) - Jim sensed innocent blood had been spilled, and couldn't help the Spectre taking him over and leaving Amy's side. Felipe Gustero, whom Spectre had previously saved, had been tortured and killed, and Spectre followed his killer Dennis Bruzinski, entering his soul. What he found was nothingness, and Azmodus bragged that he had returned to Earth to have vengeance on the Spectre, and knowing he cared about Amy planned to have Dennis kill her. Spectre found the sliver of Dennis' soul that Azmodus had not taken, and freed himself. Dennis was under Azmodus' control, and technically not guilty for his actions, but Spectre could not risk Amy's life and killed him anyway. Amy thought she was in the clear, but Spectre sensed that her true killer was still on the loose.

(Spectre II #10-12) - Jim Corrigan tried to help the police distinguish Reaver killings from the Azmodus slayings, but officer Matthew Taylor wanted to pin everything on Azmodus to downplay the PR storm Amy had caused by revealing who the Reaver targeted. Jim hated his lies, but led him to a dying priest who'd been attacked by the Reaver before he'd claimed his latest victim. Father Tim was rushed to the hospital, but was DOA. Spectre pursued his soul to Heaven, but Archangel Michael barred his way, saying he could never enter Heaven, although Corrigan could be renouncing the Spectre. Spectre said no angel would get in the way of vengeance, and they clashed, with Michael victorious, and Michael sent him back to Earth. Using old-fashioned police work Jim figured out that Daniel Geller was the Reaver, and his next intended victim was Amy. He confronted the Reaver, and was about to kill him, when Azmodus offered him protection in exchange for his shadow. This last sacrifice allowed Azmodus to become whole in the corporal plane, and he whisked Spectre away for battle, while the Reaver made his way into Amy's apartment. Azmodus brought Spectre to a cosmic plane where they used planets as weapons, not the physical planets, but the dreams of what they'd develop into. Spectre kept repeating that he had no time for their fight with Amy in danger, and his distraction led to Azmodus getting the upper hand. Azmodus said he'd tempted Job as the Spectre had killed the the Egyptian first-born, hinting at the Spectre's existence before Jim Corrigan. Madame Xanadu cast a summoning spell, taking Azmodus partially out of the battle, allowing Spectre to defeat him by freeing all the shadows he'd stolen. Spectre was about to finish him off when Azmodus reminded him Amy's life was in danger, and the Spectre returned to the material plane. The Reaver fled, and Amy asked Jim to hold her as she died, but the Spectre was undeterred and went after the killer. Amy yelled to Spectre not to kill in her name, and to confront evil as he said he would. Spectre entered the Reaver's soul, and he saw himself as a hero, killing women because he'd hated them his entire life. Spectre made him see the life and worth of his victims before forcing him to experience Amy's death as the victim. The Reaver realized how worthless he was, and Nate Kane saw his prostrate form and shot him in the head. Spectre and Kane went to the emergency room where Amy had been pronounced Dead, and Kane begged him to bring her spirit back. Amy's soul was on its way to Heaven, and she told Jim to let her go. She said it wasn't goodbye, as she knew Jim had a place there too. Spectre told Kane she was gone, and Kane blamed him, telling him he'd have revenge on him for failing to save Amy. Spectre flew off, and wept.

(Spectre III #13) - After going to Amy's funeral Jim visited confession and talked openly to Father Craemer about carrying out vengeance for the Lord. Craemer said blood would never wash away evil, and asked him to consider the scope of bloodshed in the world, such as the civil war in Vlatava. Jim was intrigued by this idea, but immediately after landing in Vlatva he witnessed refugees killed by a bombing. After destroying some of the armies on both sides he collected Count Vertigo of the ruling class and General Hafza of the rebels, and they both blamed each other. Both sides had spilled blood for years in Vlatva, and Spectre turned to the Earth to tell him who was guilty. The dead arose to fight anew, and declared everyone in Vlatva guilty. He razed the country in hellfire, killing every man, woman, and child, but sparing Hafza and Vertigo. Their punishment was to be given the gift of the destroyed land they'd fought over. A weeping Vertigo asked why his country, when all nations had blood on their hands. Spectre saw something to this argument, and decided that the world might be too old and evil to be redeemed, and in need of judgment.

(Spectre III #15) - Spectre visited the Sinai peninsula, and the dead cried for vengeance. Phantom Stranger appeared and warned the Spectre that he would not be allowed to destroy the world, and Spectre replied that he had not yet made his judgment, but was curious who Stranger thought would stop him. Kemal Saad, a former terrorist turned moderate leader of the Legion of Palestine was in Israel for peace talks, and the victims of his earlier terrorist attacks cried to Spectre. The Israeli superteam the Hayoth were Saad's security, and Spectre made quick work of them. Hayoth member Ramban tried to reason with him that more blood would be spilled if Spectre killed Saad and the peace talks ended, but Spectre replied that he would avenge those future deaths too. Eclipso had possessed Hayoth liason Colonel Hacohen and intended to use him to kill Saad to ignite a new Middle East conflict. Spectre disliked Eclipso taking vengeance from him, and Eclipsoi called him an usurper. Ramban and Spectre were able to force Eclipso back into Hacohen's black diamond. Ramban tied his life essence to Saad, and told Spectre that if he killed Saad he killed him as well, and the wrath of God finally backed off.

(Spectre III #16) - Jim visited a graveyard in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, and was chatted up by the ghost Raffery, showing him that the graveyard, and all of Ireland, was filled with ghosts. Jim saw a man attacked by the IRA for speaking out against them after their bombing claimed the life of his wife and daughter. Rafferty told him he couldn't interfere, and the ghosts held Spectre back, showing him his memories of guilt about his relationships with his father, Clarice and Amy. Spectre would brook no interference, and ripped up the ghosts graves, leaving them without shelter. He raised Eileen and Mary, the women killed by Michael Flood of the IRA, and had them kill him. The man who Spectre had saved revealed himself as Michael Corrigan, and cursed Spectre for taking vengeance away from him, and using the souls of his loved ones to accomplish the task. He cursed Spectre, and said that every spirit of a Corrigan in Ireland would go against him if he returned.

(Eclipso #18) -

(Spectre III #17, 18) - Spectre judged humans to be evil to the bone, but decided to fly to the moon to confront Eclipso, the heart of evil, before making up his mind. Eclipso reminded him that he was the first assigned by God to cast judgment on men, and agreed with Spectre; they were on the same side. Eclipso was able to possess Spectre. Phantom Stranger and his crew Demon, Dr. Fate and Zatanna were hoping that Spectre and Eclipso would destroy each other, or failing that be weakened enough for them to destroy the embodiments of wrath with the heart of darkness. Eclipso, now possessing Spectre's might, was able to shatter the heart of darkness, allowing him to walk the Earth unfettered. Madame Xanadu was taking a different tack, along with Ramban and Father Craemer she summoned the soul of Jim Corrigan, hoping to reach the Spectre's human side, and knowing he'd been unstable since his anchor Amy Beitermann died. Eclipso was now completely in charge of the Spectre. Father Craemer reached out to Jim, and Corrigan realized that he was very tired of his responsibility, and that he wished the world was gone so he could go into eternity. Craemer convinced him that there were other good souls like Amy Beitermann, Jim, revitalized, took back control of the Spectre form Eclipso, and entrapped him in the heart of darkness. He destroyed Eclipso's moon palace, and turned the heart of darkness into dust. The Spectre said his judgment was that he could only judge humanity on a case by case basis, but his human side didn't know how to deal with the genocide he'd caused in Vlatva. The Archangel Michael appeared, and said Spectre had been tested, but passed. He would never have been allowed to destroy the world without God stopping him, as Phantom Stranger had pointed out. Michael deemed the destruction of Vlatva just, even though it was without mercy. Heaven wanted Spectre to continue his work. Spectre realized wisdom in Amy's words that he needed to confront his own evil in order to understand the evil in humanity, and Michael said he could now properly begin his mission. 50 years was a blink of an eye in the time of angels, so Heaven was being patient while Spectre realized his full mission.

(Spectre III #19) - Father Craemer and Jim Corrigan discussed the nature of evil, and Craemer thought that which empowered the soul was good, and that which stunted spiritual growth was bad. This led to a discussion of power and whether it led to corruption. Spectre sensed blood as they entered Pinehurst, Brooklyn. Rabbi Jacob Schulman had been acquitted after a car accident left several black children injured and one dead, and racial tensions were high, with a riot brewing outside the Emeth Enclave. Spectre visited the rabbi, and he blamed himself for Joseph Reynolds death, the act was not intentional, but he knew he was too old to be driving, but was prideful enough to refuse a chauffer. Spectre measured the good he'd done, and found his soul good. Spectre tried to disperse the crowds outside, but their hate manifested as two demons that Spectre had to battle. Azmodus had been inflaming the situation, and told Spectre he had more games to play with him. Schulman begged Matthew's father for forgiveness, but Reynolds was too hurt and angry to listen. Spectre showed both men the pain the other had lived in their life, and they came to a peace, although the strain killed the rabbi.

(Spectre III #21, 22) - Spectre learned that Coast City had been destroyed by Mongul, and millions perished. He asked Father Craemer how he could have been unaware, and Craemer said that maybe the Spectre was not always needed to achieve balance. Spectre sensed his presence was needed when the water elemental Naiad was drowning Tokyo, seeking revenge for her own death. Spectre intervened, and told the elemental she was abusing her power. They could not harm each other on the physical plane, so Spectre entered her soul, only to find that it was missing, her soul had only been a template for Gaea to exercise her power. Gaea appeared to him and said she was very unhappy. In destroying Vlatava Spectre had caused immense environmental damage, but Gaea admitted that Naiad was off-balance, and asked Spectre to help her find her center. The US government had rediscovered the Spear of Destiny, and entrusted it to Superman to control or destroy the Spectre. Superman wounded Naiad with the Spear, also injuring Gaea. Spectre tried to make Superman realize he could badly damage the Earth by hurting Naiad, and told him to back off. The curse Adolf Hitler imprinted on the Spear began to affect Superman, giving him a sense of megalomania, and he attacked the Spectre. Spectre showed him a vision of what would happen if he continued to wield the Spear, with Superman declaring himself soverign ruler of Earth and after being fully corrupted killing all his superhero friends. Superman renounced the Spear, and Spectre promised him he would not repeat the mistake he made in Vlatava. To satisfy Naiad Spectre collected the debris and pollution his destruction of Vlatava caused, and created a tomb for the Spear of Destiny with it before tossing it into space. Jim talked to Craemer, and wondered if he was in Superman's place if he'd have been able to resist the Spear.

(Spectre III #0) - Spectre sensed evil in a nursery ward, and one of the babies was the reborn Beltane, an old enemy of the Spectre-Force. The child communicated telepathically with Spectre, and offered to reveal his origins if he stayed his hand. Beltane revealed that the Spectre-Force was an ancient power, created as the wrath of god, and bonded to a human soul, of which Corrigan was only the latest. The Spectre-Force had clashed with Beltane over millennia, but always failed to capture his soul. Beltane wanted to team-up, seeing a way to end evil forever. Beltane saw free will as a flaw, and had used his necromancy to gain possession of the souls of numerous mortals so they would behave. Spectre was tempted, but said that without evil there was no good, and he was meant to confront and understand evil, not purge it. He seized Beltane's soul, and fed it to the souls of those he'd killed.

(Spectre III #23) - Spectre found celebrity B.J. Thompson after he'd killed his ex-wife and her boyfriend. Spectre knew human justice would forgive him because he was famous, but his vengeance had no such prejudices. He reanimated his victims, and while he was driving away in his Ford Bronco they crashed it, incinerating him. A soul reached out to Spectre through a thread, and he followed it back to the convalescent form of Clarice Martchebank Hale, or as he knew her Clarice Winston. He entered her soul, and it raged at him. She remembered when he left her without explanation. She blamed him for not telling her he was a dead man, and ignoring how completely her life was wrapped up in his. After two loveless marriages she tried to commit suicide, but something always kept her from dying. Jim realized that the power he used to resurrect her after Gats killed her was still there in the form of the thread attached to him, he'd just never noticed it. She begged for death, but he feared that in her current state she'd go to Hell. Her granddaughter Clarissa Marchebank, who saw her as a burden, tried to smother her with a pillow. Spectre switched their souls to teach Clarissa a lesson, and give Clarice another chance at life. Spectre told her to make something of her second chance, and forget about him.

(Spectre III #24) - Spectre saw a young couple in a graveyard who were planning a suicide pact, influenced by the passing of singer Karl Colter. He showed them Karl's soul in Hell, and Karl told them not to give up on life as he had. Percival Popp's spirit called out to Spectre, he'd been wandering a graveyard for decades as a lost soul, and wondered if Spectre would team up with him again. Spectre decided he deserved better than that, he deserved a reward for a life well lived. -Spectre brought Popp to the gates of Heaven, but Michael said there was no room for him, not because he'd sinned, but because he lacked the proper amount of good deeds. Amy Beitermann had some pull in Heaven, and because of her plea the gates cracked open, allowing Popp entry. Popp told Spectre that he now had two friends in Heaven.

(Spectre III #26) - Spectre helped Father Craemer decorate for Christmas, and asked him what he wanted for a Christmas present. Craemer wished that on Christmas Eve there would be no murders for once, or more realistically a Patrick O'Brien novel. Craemer forgot how literal Spectre was, and the Wrath of God announced to NYC that any murderer who killed that night would suffer eternal damnation. A man shot his former employer for firing him before Christmas, and Spectre was furious that New Yorkers were not listening to him, but was pleased when the wounded man was brought to the hospital, and they said he'd live through the night. Eduardo Ramirez was fatally shot in a gang initiation, so Spectre brought his soul back into his body and transferred his pain into the gangbangers. He didn't want to disappoint Craemer, but all the men would be dead the next day. Spectre merged with the city to disable any object used as a weapon, but he strained his powers to the breaking point by entering the soul of every New Yorker, and he was overwhelmed, sinking to the ground. Eduardo's shooter was just a boy, and he went to Craemer's midnight mass, seeking solace from Craemer. Craemer told Spectre the boy was truly penitent, and did not deserve to die. Craemer asked Spectre to save Eduardo's life so he needn't punish Juan, but the Spectre said mending lives was not part of his mission. Craemer told him to try using his powers constructively, and Spectre was moved, saving Eduardo, forgiving Juan, and making the other gangbangers into babies so they'd have a second chance at life. Spectre told Craemer that he had given him the gift of opening his eyes.

(Spectre III #27) -Spectre visited Amy's old apartment, and witnessed a thug gun down innocents. Insensed he killed the thug over and over again in gruesome fashion. A demon from Hell appeared to him, and reminded him that when a damned soul died it belonged to them. Spectre was not finished tormenting the man, and decided to go to Hell, but was forbid by Michael, who impaled him on a flaming sword. Azmodus laughed at how Spectre's masters treated him, and dared him to find Azmodus, hinting that yhe'd put a plan into motion that would teach Spectre despair. He drowned NYC in a wave of blood, evoking Jim Corrigan's death by suffocation. Spectre swallowed the blood and spit it into space, inadvertently hitting the tomb he'd made for the Spear of Destiny. Azmodus showed him visions of past hosts of the Spectre-Force, and said they all came to ruin much as Azmodus had, and promised Spectre would end up becoming like him. Clarissa Marchebank agreed to give her shadow to Azmodus for a chance at revenge, and her infirm form was reinvigorated enough to point a finger at Clarice in her old body for attempted murder. Since Clarissa's form was linked to Spectre Azmodus was able to siphon his energy from it.

(Spectre III #28-30) - Azmodus burned down Father Craaemer's Church of the Holy Sepulcher, saying he wanted everyone Spectre knew to know despair. Bishop Anselm suspended Craemer for being too theologically creative, and Spectre blamed Azmodus for that as well, but Craemer told him not everything was about him. Azmodus activated his army of humans who'd bargained with him, and had them start killing everyone in their path. Spectre slaughtered them, and Azmodus revealed his location in businessman William Martindale's body, and Spectre confronted him at the Sekari International Building. After having Martindale's employees kill each other, he had them commit suicide, screaming that they did it for the Spectre. Nate Kane arrived on the scene, and Azmodus immolated Martindale's body, making it look like Spectre had killed him. Kane shot him with the gun Azmodus had given him, and the cursed bullets wracked Spectre with doubt over his own mission. Azmodus said once he gave in to despair he would become Azmodus, and Azmodus would be able to pass on into nothingness. Kane realized Azmodus had played him, and before the demon left, he introduced Kane to the corpse of Amy Beitermann, which was now possessed by a demon. Azmodus brought Spectre to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher to finish him off. He summoned Clarissa to kill her father and Clarice in front of Spectre, knowing he was too weak to avenge anyone. Craemer made Clarissa realize she was a pawn, and Azmodus opened up a pit to Hell, swallowing Craemer. Spectre reached in and saved him, and Craemer's words did affect Clarissa, who refused to do Azmodus' bidding. Azmodus cast her soul into Hell, and was confronted by Madame Xanadu and her sendings. They occupied him briefly, but he absorbed the sendings into himself, and knowing he couldn't kill Xanadu he turned her into stone. Craemer implored Spectre to enter the souls of NYC as he had on Christmas Eve to regain hope. Azmodus was convinced the darkness he would find would end him, but Spectre said he had to acknowledge the light that fought against the darkness. With his doubts removed Spectre was ready to fight Azmodus. Azmodus moved the fight to Hell, and told Spectre he could defend himself, or try to save his friends from the demons that surrounded them, but would fail at either endeavor. Spectre returned Xanadu to flesh, and she cast a protective seal around Spectre's friends. Azmodus kept drawing strength from Clarice's body, and Clarice asked to be returned to her aged form and go to her reward so Spectre could vanquish Azmodus. Spectre agreed, and severed his bond with the body The soul of Amy brought Nate to Hell, and he shot Azmodus with his own cursed bullets, sowing his doubts and causing Caraka and Sekuba to turn against each other. Azmodus realized that Clarice's soul was his beloved Devi, and realized he'd tormented the one soul he loved. Spectre split Azmodus in two, casting Sekuba into a deep pit in Hell, and allowing Caraka to begin making amends for his actions through the cycle of rebirth. Clarice / Devi promised to find him, and asked Spectre to reunite Clarissa's soul with her body because her final action had been to deny Azmodus. Jim had many reasons for becoming the Spectre, but without Clarice he had one less.

(Spectre III #31) - Spectre crossed the River Styx with Charon to reach Hades and save the soul of Clarissa Marchebank. Cerberus barred his way, but he grabbed the hound's chain, and flung it away. He confronted Shaitan, and told him he had no claim on Clarissa since Azmodus tossed her to Hell. Shaitan said she deserved her spot, and showed him Clarissa's soul crucified on a cross, with Sekuba reminding her of all her sins. Spectre saw he had not buried Sekuba deep enough in Hell, so he turned her into a worm. Clarissa thought she deserved her fate, but Spectre reminded her that Azmodus had corrupted her, and that Clarice wanted her to live. Clarissa found the strength to step away from her own punishment, but said she didn't want to go back to the person she was, so Spectre suggested reincarnation like her grandmother. Shaitan said he overstepped his own mission, so Spectre went to the gates of Heaven, and Michael approved of his actions. Father Craemer stood in front of a tribunal to determine if he'd be allowed to stay a priest. Spectre spoke up on his behalf, and showed the council the visions of Heaven and Hell he'd seen that day to confirm that he was a servant of God. Craemer thanked Spectre, but he realized he couldn't speak his personal vision of God while claiming to represent the Roman Catholic Church, and gave up his collar. He told Spectre he would no longer be his confessor, but he could consider him a spiritual advisor and above all a friend.

(Spectre III #32) - Jim joined the NYPD and got himself assigned as Nate Kane's partner over Kane's vehement objections. Jim said being a cop was all he knew, but he had no idea how modern police officers operated, and he needed something to do besides being the Spectre. Kane assigned him to find the Twilight Man, a metahuman with multiple personality disorder, whose personalities each took different physical forms. Some of the Twilight Man's personalities were killers, and Spectre caught one of them in the act of murder. Twilight Man changed into Cry-Baby, an innocent little girl, and Spectre knew he could not punish her. He entered Twilight Man's soul, but Spectre and Jim were ripped apart. Spectre was willing to kill Twilight Man and all his personalities, but Jim said that wasn't justice, and forced Spectre to merge with him again. Spectre fought off the multiple personalities as he edited Twilight Man's DNA, removing his powers. Spectre told the Twilight Man his punishment was to no longer be special.

(Spectre III #33) - Kane was called in when college students were found with the life essence drained, and Corrigan followed him, threatening to bust heads if he didn't get answers. Kane reminded him that the police no longer operated the way they did in the '30s. They learned that Professor Desmond Baker had been doing experiments splicing the metagene into fetal tissue, but his work was destroyed because it violated federal standards. One sample was missing, and Corrigan suspected his former student Peter Dahlgriev. The creature responsible for the deaths of the students killed Baker, and When Spectre touched her she absorbed some of his essence as well. Spectre and Kane found the creature in Peter's lab, he'd grown her from the fetal sample, but she aged at an accelerated rate and needed to consume the souls of others to survive. He'd create her as a test for cloning himself as a metahuman since he was dying. Spectre destroyed the clone, and when Peter's creature died she released the souls she absorbed, and Spectre had them carry Peter away.

(Showcase '95 #8) -

(Spectre III #34) - Kane and Corrigan were called in when a burned body was found in Central Park. Corrigan revealed that it was the vampire Genevieve Dumont, and he'd been the one who killed her. Kane was irritated, and had to dummy up some paperwork, while Jim said he had to pursue Esteban Cruz, the vampire who turned Dumont. Kane read reports of Cruz secluding himself in his luxury apartment, and decided to get to him before Spectre did to rankle him. Spectre had to save him from Cruz and a golem that a Hollywood cabal of vampires sicced on Cruz because he was attracting too much attention. Spectre wanted the whole cabal gone, and transported them into various horror films, where they died gruesome deaths.

(Spectre Annual II #1) - Jim Corrigan brought Father Craemer to the place where he died to talk. Jim remarked that it wasn’t always a park, and remembered when the area was nothing but waterfront warehouses. He said his desire to return to life was fueled by love for his fiancé Clarice and a desire for vengeance against Gats Benson, but when Craemer asked him what the stronger pull was he couldn’t answer. Jim recounted his origin and the vengeance he dealt, saying the punishments he came up with for criminals were inspired by the sermons of his fundamentalist father. He fit into the role of the Spectre quite easily, until death and vengeance were the only things that fueled his existence. Jim was bringing this all up because his sister Louisa had just died. He visited her just as her spirit left her body, and she asked why he was bothering her, saying she was on her way to glory. Jim replied that he just wanted to see her one last time, and she reminded him he hadn’t spoken to her in 50 years, and he shouldn’t pretend he meant anything more to her dead than when she was alive. Jim told Craemer he wasn’t a good man before he died, and wondered if he’d gotten any better since. Craemer told him he had a hard life, which made him a hard man, but he still had the chance to be good and make friends with people if he was willing to be less hard on himself.

(Spectre III #35, 36) - Neron approached the Spectre-Force with an offer, a chance to be free of its' human host again for not interfering in Neron's plans. The Spectre-Force accepted, and Corrigan cried to Heaven. Archangel Michael told him the Spectre-Force had rebelled before, and if it caused the end of the world now it was foreordained. Jim reminded him that no aspect of God was supposed to walk the Earth without a human host, and Michael said divine edict had not been challenged, but Jim was suspicious. The Spectre-Force sought to raze Jerusalem to avenge Christ's blood, as it had intended to do millenia before. Ramban defended Israel, throwing up protective shields. Corrigan sought Madame Xanadu's help, but she too ahd made a deal with Neron, gaining demonic servants, but she could not control them. Jim fought the demons, allowing Xanadu to banish them. They went to Jerusalem, and aided Ramban in defending the city against the Spectre-Force. Jim suspected that there was a soul within the force, albeit a weak one, and entered the Spectre-Force, instructing Ramban to construct a small golem. Louis Snipe, who'd made a deal to get out of Hell in exchange for helping Neron was the soul, twisted into a worm's body and covered in webs. He wanted out but the Spectre-Force created a spider-avatar to attack Jim. Jim ripped off one of its legs, used it to free Snipe, and cast his soul into the golem. The Spectre-Force was confronted by Archangel Michael, who demanded he bond with Jim, or return to Limbo, and the Wrath of God acquiesced. Jim later met with Father Craemer, and told him he feared using the Spectre's power because he felt it had been corrupted by Neron.

(Underworld Unleashed: Abyss - Hell's Sentinel #1) -

(Spectre III #37-39) - Nate Kane was gunned down, and black suits Special Agents Jefferson and Shadrack took the NYPD off the case. Jim visited Nate in the hospital and entered his soul to learn what happened, but the strain almost killed Kane. Jim decided to do more conventional police work, and learned that Nate had been investigating the disappearance of Rebecca Taylor for years, and had recently received a letter from her that had been sent decades ago. He'd taken whatever was in the envelope to Professor Nicodemus Hazzard, and Spectre found him traveling the Dreaming on the Iconic Level. Hazzard revealed that Kane had given him a piece of America's talisman that formed the mythic legend of the country. The talisman summoned Brother Jonathan, a primal version of Uncle Sam, and he attacked Spectre as an intruder. Jonathan's power equaled Spectre's in the realm of icon, and soundly defeated him. Hazzard managed to wake up, only to find the special agents pointing a gun at him. Shadrach tried to shoot Hazzard, but Spectre saved him. He confronted the agent, but after seeing the void behind his eyes he felt powerless, and Shadrach made off with the talisman. Hazzard wanted to return to the Dreaming to investigate the talisman more, and Spectre said he'd watch over him. Jim came to talk to Father Craemer, convinced after seeing Shadrach's void of a soul that there was no reality, only his own delusions. Craemer said he was the most self-obsessed human he'd ever met, and if nothing else proved it it was that he shouted at God after his death, not trusting in the Lord's ways. Craemer said that as a spirit he likely saw a more real reality then he did in corporal form. Hazzard was battling Shadrach in the Dreaming, and Spectre learned he was a legal entity, existing simultaneously in the physical and dream planes. He reached across both worlds to destroy Shadrach, and vowed not to let his masters the National Interest collect the rest of the talisman.

(Guy Gardner: Warrior #39) -

(Spectre III #40, 41) - A ship of Cuban refugees were shot and sent to a watery grave, and Spectre avenged them by turning into various sea creatures and dismembering the crew that killed them. Refugees paid good money for transportation to America, only to be robbed and killed by seamen working for Richard Yount. Spectre was near the Bermuda Triangle, and boarded the ghost ship Lachrima Christi, headed by Captain Fear and staffed with spirits. Jim's memory started to fade once aboard, and Captain Fear related how he was cursed to sail endlessly until he killed Baron Hemlocke, the man who killed his family, and sent him to Hell. Jim fell completely under the ship's curse, forgetting everything except Fear's mission, and they sailed into Manhattan to find Yount, the reincarnation of Hemlocke. Yount's demonic masters gave him a flying pirate ship, and several other pirates who were reincarnated as businessmen joined the fray. Fear's ship and his opponents sailed over Manhattan, and their battle affected the spirit plane, awakening Spectre. Spectre turned into a shark and swallowed Yoint's head. Yount turned out to be in possession of another piece of the American talisman. Fear bemoaned that Spectre had robbed him of his chance to be the one to send his enemy to tell, allowing him and his crew to rest. Spectre said he'd dealt with the devil, and had his own sins to pay.

(Spectre III #42) - Kane was out of the hospital, and Jim explained his quest to reassemble the American talisman before the National Interest. Spectre investigated a haunting in the GSA building, which was built over a slave's graveyard Jim had once investigated in the '30s. Spectre raised the bones of the ghosts from the building's foundations, and fulfilled their hope by sending them across the sea to be buried in Africa. They'd been called by a talisman fragment in the possession of the Taylor family, and the reborn Shadrach was there to claim it. Spectre chopped him into pieces, but his animated hand stole away with the fragment.

(Spectre III #43, 44) - Jenny Michaels killed her abusive husband Carl Michaels and Spectre arrived to deal vengeance. She pled that it was his life or hers, and her son grabbed Spectre, pulling him away from his mother. Carl's soul manifested as a wolf and tried to kill her, so Spectre sent him on his way to the afterlife. Spectre realized that Jenny was not a cold-blooded killer, and spared her, but told her it was not in his purview to help her with the authorities. Another piece of the talisman had been found in Massachusetts, and it transformed Helen Beleanto into Hellion, an avatar of women's rage. Spectre agreed that there was injustice in how women were treated, but it was not her place to deal vengeance as he did. Madame Xanadu arrived, and told Hellion that in a previous life ages ago she was her magician's apprentice. She'd been consumed by overreaching her grasp, and Xanadu had tried and failed to complete her training each time she was reincarnated. Hellion's new power sent ripples across reality, the present turned into the past, and past horrors perpetrated against women such as with-burning were replicated. Spectre reache dout to Nate Kane, and told him to find her apartment. Once Kane arrived he found Hellion's mortal body, and Hellion returned to her home to protect it. Spectre warned her that she was warping reality, but Xanadu would not let him attack her, seeing her as a daughter. Madame Xanadu said Hellion was free to choose what she did with her power, but warned that rage and violence directed against all would make her as oppressive as the patriarchy she hated. Hellion saw the wisdom in Xanadu's words, and gave up her power, handing the American talisman that created her to Spectre.

(Spectre II #45) - A mob cornered two gay men and killed one of them, so Spectre arrived and removed the killers heart, leaving the others to wait for the police. Kane noticed that Jim let them off easy, and Jim talked about his prejudice against homosexuals. Kane said he'd better not let his views color how he dispensed justice, and Jim was troubled with this, so he went to see Craemer. Craemer reminded Jim that although Leviticus condemned homosexuals, there were plenty of dos and don'ts in the Bible that people ignored everyday. Craemer asked what Jim would do if he came out as gay, and Jim left in a huff. He asked Michael for advice, and Michael said what humanity judged as evil was not necessarily what God judged as evil. Revered Dinswoode had incited the mob that killed the homosexual man, and he continued to preach hatred. He had a sword sent to him by an admirer, and claiming to be Archangel Michael he attacked a crowd of protestors outside his church. Spectre easily defeated him and took the talisman. He realized Dinswoode was the one with the bleak soul, not the men he preached against, and the protesters asked Spectre to spare him, because they wanted to be the better men and women offering forgiveness. Jim visited Craemer and apologized for running off, realizing he didn't care about Craemer's sexuality, only that they were good friends.

(Spectre III #46) - Spectre felt a piece of the talisman calling to him, so Jim and Nate boarded a train for New Mexico. Once there Jim was contacted by William Lonetree, who said the ghost chiefs of the Council of Elders wanted to speak to Spectre. They told him a crisis would come threatening to snuff out the sun, and Spectre would be called upon to preserve the Earth. They also said that in the near future he'd have to fight an unwinnable battle, confront and atone with people from his past, and beyond that they saw the grave for him.

(Spectre III #48-50) - When Tahzey Wovoka sold mineral rights of his Mescalero reservation to the National Interest, his brother Victorio Cutter was angered, and performed the Ghost Dance with an American talisman shard to summon spirits to attack the outsiders. The National Interest raised up the Dead Bunch, the spirits of cowboys who'd slaughtered Indians, and sent them against the reservation. Spectre and Lonetree intervened, asking Victorio for his piece of the talisman, but he refused, seeing his power as the only way to keep his tribe safe. The National Interest killed Victorio, and Lonetree used the talisman to have the Spirit Tribe combine their power to Spectre's. Spectre was victorious, but Interest agent Dwayne Hawke, wielding the Spear of Destiny, killed Lonetree, and then turned on the Spectre, badly wounding him. He then struck a death-blow, leaving behind a smoking crater. Hawke took the remaining pieces of the talisman, and the National Interest could now reconstruct it. Spectre had feigned his demise, but needed time to recuperate, so Nate Kane, mustering his courage, allowed Spectre to enter his soul and heal. Kane infiltrated a National Interest meeting, and they summoned their avatar, but something went wrong, and they brought forth the American Scream, the dark side of the American dream. Spectre emerged to fight him, and was backed up by the Patriot, the new avatar of America that the Spirit of America created itself. The heroes were victorious, and the Scream was banished after leaving its followers in the Interest mad. Kane killed Hawke with the Spear, and Spectre hurled it into the sun to be purified of Hitler's curse.

(Batman I #539) -

(Spectre III #51) - Joker went to NYC to visit The Killing Joke, a club scene paying homage to Joker and filled with groupies. He didn't appreciate their imitation of him, and started killing them with poison gas before Batman arrived, and he told his fans to sic him. Spectre was soon on the scene, and used a giant bullet and gun to tear apart some of his fans, which delighted Joker. Batman told Spectre he wouldn't allow him to kill Joker, and did not recognize his authority as the wrath of God. Batman said Joker was sick, and deserved to be locked away back at Arkham, telling Spectre he had no conception of good. Spectre doubted him, and entered Joker's soul for a closer look. Spectre, still recovering from the wound he received from the Spear of Destiny, was trapped in Joker's funhouse mirror mind, and Joker took over the Spectre-Force to cause mayhem. Spectre found Joker's consciousness represented by circuit breakers, with his conscience not powered, so he shared some of his own empathy. Joker felt the pain he'd caused and realized for the first time how awful he was, allowing Spectre to reassert himself, and the Joker slipped into catatonia. Joker's former fans chose to idolize the Spectre, and changed the theme of their club.

(Spectre III #52, 53) - Nate Kane had a dream about Jim Corrigan shooting a woman named Julia Edmonds, and confronted Spectre upon waking. Spectre told him it was a dream, nothing more, but Kane was convinced that Spectre had been sharing his body long enough for his memories to start seeping into Kane's mind. Sepctre went to Attica, crushing a murderous prisoner in his cell, and sending the spirits of lawmen to tear apart a guard who beat a prisoner to death. Spectre sensed much unavenged blood in the prison, and decided to linger and slay all on death row but one. The survivor Michael Fulton was overjoyed that Spectre realized he was innocent, and asked him to tell the guards. Spectre said that was a matte of temporal justice, and not his purview, but he would avenge Fulton's death. Jim visited Craemer, telling him he was worried about losing control of the Spectre again. Craemer said he had split vision because he was evolving as a person, something the Spectre was incapable of. Jim decided to prove Fulton's innocence even if the Spectre didn't care. Spectre showed up at Fulton's execution, saying he was waiting to avenge him. This was enough to get a call to the governor for a stay of execution. Kane learned more about the Edmonds case in his dreams, and Spectre told him to stay out of his mind. Jim visited Shawnee Rhodes, Fulton's public defender, and learned that he'd been framed by crooked cops for the death of police officer Crosley. Jim investigated the case further, and learned that Crosley's partner and his crew were working for the mob, and killed Crosley to silence him. Spectre invaded a police station, killing every mobbed up officer with the decay inside them that represented their corruption. The last man who could clear Fulton was a retired cop named Fleener, but he was dying of cancer, and Spectre's threats didn't scare him. He said he'd never admit to framing Fulton, and committed suicide.

(Spectre III #54) - Michael Holt's perfect life ended when his wife died in a car crash, and he was ready to commit suicide until the Spectre appeared to him and showed him the life of Mr. Terrific, a man who almost committed suicide before he found purpose in being a mysteryman and crimefighter. His death left a void, unlike Superman or Batman he operated at the street level, saving impressionable youth from a life of crime. Holt saw what he was saying, and dressed as an updated Mr. Terrific he beat down and humiliated some local gang leaders, showing the kids they recruited that crime didn't pay.

(Spectre III #55, 56) - Agnes Miller was sentenced to death for burning her children alive, and Spectre thought the case required his touch, so he interrupted the court proceedings to raise the flaming ghosts of Agnes' children, who immolated her. He killed a drunk driver with a fanged tequila worm, and announced to Court TV that those who didn't fear the justice system should fear him. Jim went to see Craemer, and admitted he was feeling guilty about the memories Kane had dragged out of him, and admitted to shooting Julia Edmonds. He once thought he dealt eye for an eye justice, but was no longer sure. Jim also blamed the Edmonds for souring him on women, and Craemer said he had to stop blaming others for his own actions. Jim lost control of the Spectre-Force, and it lashed out at Craemer, so Jim forced it to fly off before more harm could be done. Spectre learned from Kane that Julia was still alive. she survived the shooting, and reformed, living a good life. She was on her deathbed, and asked for Jim's forgiveness, but Spectre still wanted to punish her. Before Spectre could put her through hell Julia's daughter ended her life in a mercy killing. Kane blamed Spectre, and said their partnership ended the moment he started killing cops. Jim forced the Spectre-Force to fly to Heaven so Michael could regain control of it, but the gates of Heaven were unguarded and open.

(Spectre III #57) - Heaven was empty, and Jim and Spectre agreed to a truce to piece out what happened. Spectre visited Limbo, but Deadman just laughed and confirmed that God was gone. In Hell the angels Duma and Remiel, forced into ruling Hell since Lucifer abdicated, offered the key to Hell to Spectre. Spectre was tempted, but Jim forced him to withdraw his hand. Remiel said he clearly belonged in Hell, and that while he saw himself as an agent of God, Remiel thought God merely gave him a personal Hell for his sins in life. They did not believe God was gone, and the news upset the demons enough to attack Spectre until he mowed them down. Remiel said without God, Hell meant nothing, and death was oblivion. Spectre visited Lucifer, who was enjoying his retirement on the beach, and he promised that not only did he have nothing to do with God's disappearance, he also didn't care.

(Spectre III #58) -Spectre went to the Land of Ife' to ask the Yoruba pantheon where God was, and because he didn't recognize that his authority held little sway in Ife' he started a fight with thunder god Shango. Orunmilla and Olorun broke it up, but did not know of Jehovah, seeing no higher authority than the Yoruba creator Mawu. Spectre said they wasted his time, and left for Olympus. Zeus thought he was hubristic to see the Olympians as less than the Judeo-Christian creator, and told him that all divinity was the manifestation of the godwave after the passing of the Old Gods. Zeus told him their was a disturbance in the Source, the creative power all gods acknowledged. Ares told Spectre to be gone, and Spectre warned him his mission of vengeance could one day see him calling Ares to task for the blood he'd spilled. Spectre found Darkseid at the Source Wall, and not willing to tip his hand about why he was there, told Darkseid he invited conflict with a dark god of greater powers than his simply to befuddle him, since Darkseid could conceive of no one more powerful than himself. He entered a crack in the Source and the Source told him to go to Earth and learn from the journey. Spectre demanded to know if the Source was God, and it said it would show him what God was like. Spectre became hooked into every atom of the universe, seeing species gaining sentience, and when they sinned Spectre wished he could wipe them out, but a black hole appeared and swallowed the universe. Spectre was taken aback by the cosmic experience, and the Source ejected him.

(Genesis #4) -

(Spectre III #59) - Jim Corrigan returned to Earth suffering from amnesia, and was picked up by a religious family who brought him to the faith healer Sister Rebekkah. Rebekkah laid hands on him, and Jim's memories started rushing back as alien parasites dropped on the congregation, killing and possessing them. The aliens were telepathic, and claimed it was God's mission for them to incubate inside lower animals and return to their sentient mothership. Spectre determined that their god was a hivemind, and committed genocide on the race. He flew to the mother ship, who died from sorrow having the voice of god, her species, disappear. Spectre wondered if his God could be as much of a delusion as the alien hivemind.

(Spectre III #60) - Spectre raise dup the corpses of the righteous to tell him where God was, but they had no information, and Jim said he was animating their bodies, not summoning their souls, which were not present. Jim and Spectre realized they were existing as separate entities for longer periods of time. Remembering the Source's words of going in the Earth they visited Gaea, who did not know where God was either. She bemoaned humanity rapidly killing her, and Spectre said his God ordered humanity to subjugate nature. She replied that she was subdued, and did not deserve to be slaughtered. She told Spectre that she thought the Source meant for him to look within himself for answers. He sought Cramer, who had Jim and Spectre separate and look into each other's souls. Jim saw how Spectre was once the fallen angel Aztar, his entire self burned out to become the Spectre after he'd begged God's forgiveness. Jim thought this unfair, and even worse was how the Spectre was manipulated by God through the ages and how his hosts were scarred by wrath. He demanded that God should face judgment. The Presence chose this moment to reveal himself.

(Spectre III #61) - Spectre had a vision of God devouring his creation, including Archangel Michael. God said his creation was to do with as he pleased, and justice was just human delusion. He showed Jim a visiuon of his grandfather meeting the Spectre, who cursed him to steal something from his life. God appeared to Jim as his father, and he learned that he had an abusive religious upbringing, and lived in shame over conceiving Jim out of wedlock. Jebediah was weak Jim thought, but not evil, and forgave the abuse he'd suffered at his hand. Jim said God's creations were as flawed as he was, and he vanished. Craemer told Jim that God had clearly not died because the world still existed, but his old conceptions of God were dead. Jim never had closure to his life, so Craemer suggested they throw him a funeral.

(Spectre III #62) - Corrigan decided to give up the mantle of the Spectre, at last seeking peace in death. Craemer arranged for his bones to be buried in a small grave, and performed a funeral service, with all of the friends Corrigan met as the Spectre attending. The Spectre-Force vanished and Jim ascended to Heaven, seeing Amy waiting for him.

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