The Spirit #6

History

The 2010 Spirit series was part of DC's First Wave imprint, conceived as a line of pulp-hero titles set in their own shared universe outside mainstream DC continuity. Brian Azzarello was one of the architects of the First Wave initiative and wrote the opening Batman/Doc Savage one-shot that launched the line. David Hine joined the ongoing Spirit title as writer beginning with issue #4, kicking off the 'Frostbite' arc with artist Moritat — a pairing Hine pursued specifically because he admired Moritat's ability to channel Eisner's city-as-character sensibility while bringing his own distinct visual voice. The series also featured an ongoing Spirit: Black & White co-feature that rotated in a different creative team each issue, with issue #6's slot going to Azzarello and Risso, who contributed the short story 'The Man I Love,' spotlighting Ebony White.

Trivia · 7 facts

• Issue contains two complete stories: the lead 'Frostbite: Part 3' written by David Hine with art by Moritat, and the Black & White co-feature 'The Man I Love' written by Brian Azzarello with art by Eduardo Risso.
• Cover art by José Ladrönn, who served as the series' regular cover artist throughout the run.
• 'Frostbite: Part 3' is the penultimate chapter of David Hine's opening story arc on the title (issues #4–7), centering on a deadly new street drug called 'Frost' that poisons Ebony White and triggers a hostage crisis in a Central City iron foundry.
• The Azzarello/Risso co-feature 'The Man I Love' gives Ebony White a rare spotlight, portraying her in a heartfelt and vulnerable light — a significant character moment for a figure who had been reimagined without racial-stereotype characteristics in the First Wave continuity.
• The series was part of DC's First Wave imprint, which placed the Spirit alongside pulp heroes Doc Savage and The Avenger, Rima the Jungle Girl, and the Blackhawks in a shared 'Pulpverse' separate from DC's New Earth continuity.
• The recurring Spirit: Black & White co-feature across the 2010 series rotated in a rotating roster of distinguished creators — including Denny O'Neil, Bill Sienkiewicz, David Lapham, Michael Wm. Kaluta, Jan Strnad, Richard Corben, Walter Simonson, and Paul Dini — making each issue a short-story anthology of notable talent.
• The entire 17-issue Spirit volume 2 run (2010–2011) was later canceled along with the rest of the First Wave line when DC ended the imprint, leaving issue #6 part of a series that ran to completion within that publishing initiative.

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