Comments on: The Spectre by Dean Trippe

By: be

be — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 05:05:09 +0000

good ideas

though I liked the idea upthread for trenchcoat Spectre too

By: Ripsey

Ripsey — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 04:18:56 +0000

Spot-on… this is fantastic!

By: Swifty

Swifty — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 18:54:06 +0000

I always thought the Spectre appearance was kinda goofy but this redesign definitely would change my opinion on the matter.

By: J

Tue, 28 Mar 2006 12:18:45 +0000

The redesign is both subtle and inspired. What really speaks to me is the transparency and its relation to the nature of the character.
I especially like how the transparency seems to be accentuated in areas of shadow, which taken further can relate to those cues from film-noir where the strong black & white contrast exists to illustrate the moral overtones of the characters.
Nice work.

By: Stabby

Stabby — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 22:47:56 +0000

I’m not sure if I agree with your comments on how Allen would Identify himself as Spectre. Considering that the Spectre’s appearance is dictated by the host, as a Person inhabiting the DC Universe Allen would know what the Past Spectres have looked like, and therefore probably assume that’s how he should look.

God I sound like I’m justifying ignoring old continuity, but really, I think this is an awesome look for the spectre.

By: Dasbender

Dasbender — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 16:43:36 +0000

I love the transparency, and the idea that his face looks more like Crispus the more human he acts, and more like the Spectre the more inhuman he acts. However, I wish we could do away with the cape and cowl.

In Ostrander and Mandrake’s awesome Spectre series, they established that the Spectre’s look was effected by how the Spectre saw himself. Jim Corrigan looked like a caped superhero because when he was reborn as the Spectre we saw himself as a superhero in a newly dawning age of superheroes (thus the cape and underpants). Past Spectres have looked like foreign Gods, warriors, feral beasts, and so on, all with a green & white ghostly theme. Crispus Allen should look more like a detective, with a ghostly green flowing trenchcoat, tie, white shirt, maybe a badge of green flame, and a gun (like the new Crimson Avenger). Crispus is one of the most down-to-earth, straightforward characters in the DCU, and he has little tolerance for “capes”. He should appear as such.

By: Vito Delsante

Vito Delsante — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 17:22:48 +0000

I actually fought with you on the shifting transparencies, saying that he looked too much like Two Face (I know he doesn’t, just saying the motif is similar). I like the cloth idea that is transparent though. It makes me wonder, if you were given an opportunity to do a Spectre monthly, if you’d do the shifting throughout the book. It’d make for interesting storytelling choices, I think.

By: Mike Rasbury

Mike Rasbury — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 09:28:56 +0000

The review used the two words that come instantly to my mind; ‘haunting’ and ‘ethereal’. The redesign does well to distance The Spectre from the generally silly superhero fanfare, which it should, and the portrait view, seemingly done in a ‘sketchier’ style than I’m used to from Dean was excellently executed and creepy, even if I get a slight Skeletor vibe.

The only alteration to this I’d like to see (and forgive me if it’s already been done) would be a ‘rattier’ version of the cape, something more akin to Demogoblin’s tattered cape. To me, the cape is the only place where the ‘haunting’ imagery is let up a little.

See, Dean, I told you I’d pipe up. Excellent work overall!

Raz

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 05:28:39 +0000

Love it Dean! The most original take on the character we’ve seen in what, 40 years? I’m impressed! DC, are you paying attention??

By: MIKE THOMPSON

MIKE THOMPSON — Sat, 25 Mar 2006 02:39:25 +0000

EXCELLENT WORK, DEAN! The translucent “skin” is really cool. It would also work just as well without the gloves and boots to give it more of that horrific look you were after.