The Spectre

Aztar is an ancient divine spirit of vengeance, bound by God to inhabit the souls of the recently deceased as a host. Fused with detective Jim Corrigan, then later Hal Jordan and Crispus Allen, the Spectre channels near-limitless mystical power to deliver cosmic justice upon evil.

Few characters carry the weight of comics history quite like The Spectre, a haunting figure who first materialized in the pages of Adventure Comics #47 in 1940 — a true child of the Golden Age, when DC was still inventing what superhero comics could be. With 85 years of publication history, 13 key issues to their name, and a presence felt across landmark titles like The Brave and the Bold and All-Star Squadron, this is a character whose longevity speaks for itself. The Spectre has shared the page with the absolute titans of the DC universe — Superman, Batman, Hawkman, The Atom — which tells you everything about the company this eerie presence keeps. If you're building a serious DC collection and want a thread that runs from the very birth of the Golden Age straight through to today, The Spectre is an essential, endlessly fascinating place to start.