The Spirit #8/10/1947
The August 10, 1947 Spirit section — titled 'Sign of the Octopus' (also catalogued as 'Klink Versus The Octopus') — is the opening chapter of one of the most celebrated multi-part arcs Will Eisner ever produced, directly setting up the two-week climax in 'Showdown with the Octopus' (August 24, 1947) that would temporarily blind Denny Colt and mark a turning point in serialized superhero storytelling. By centering a chapter on Officer Klink rather than the Spirit himself, Eisner demonstrated a structural boldness — letting a supporting player carry the villain-confrontation load — that pushed the medium's narrative range well beyond what any contemporary superhero strip attempted. The issue also belongs to the creative peak of the Spirit's post-war run, a period widely recognized by historians and fans as containing some of Eisner's most inventive work in layout, pacing, and character writing.
In "Klink vs Octopus," Bernard Dibble delivers a delightfully absurd showdown where Jonesy finds himself trapped by a bizarre bet, forcing him to confront Oglestuff in a moment both ridiculous and strangely tense. With Dibble handling writing, art, and inking, the story thrives on its offbeat humor and the sheer commitment to its own logic—especially when Jonesy finally pulls the trigger on the most peculiar condition of all.
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The section was written and pencilled by Will Eisner with inking assistance from Jerry Grandenetti, lettered by Abe Kanegson, and colored by Jules Feiffer — the same tight studio crew that had been producing the weekly supplement since Eisner's return from military service. It was distributed as part of the Register and Tribune Syndicate's Sunday insert, which at its peak reached as many as five million readers across roughly twenty newspapers. The story was produced at a moment when Feiffer was still active as a colorist and assistant before his own departure for military service, making this late-summer 1947 cluster of issues a transitional moment in the studio's personnel.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Published August 10, 1947, as part of the weekly Spirit Section distributed by the Register and Tribune Syndicate.
- Story title: 'Sign of the Octopus,' also catalogued as 'Klink Versus The Octopus' — the chapter puts Officer Klink in the spotlight against the Spirit's archenemy.
- Script and pencils by Will Eisner; inks by Will Eisner and Jerry Grandenetti; letters by Abe Kanegson; colors attributed to Jules Feiffer.
- The Octopus — introduced July 14, 1946, in 'The Postage Stamp' — is identifiable solely by his distinctive gloves and never shows his face, a deliberate visual motif Eisner maintained throughout the original run.
- This installment is the first chapter of a three-part Octopus arc: 'Sign of the Octopus' (Aug. 10), 'The Picnic' (Aug. 17), and 'Showdown with the Octopus' (Aug. 24), the climax of which leaves the Spirit temporarily blinded.
- Characters appearing: The Spirit (Denny Colt), Commissioner Dolan, Ebony White, Officer Klink, and the Octopus.
- Reprinted in: The Spirit (Kitchen Sink Press) #32 (December 1981) and #21 (July 1986); the Semic Agent X9 series (1996); Will Eisner's The Spirit Archives Vol. 15 (DC Comics, 2004/January 2005 release); and The Spirit Special (DC, 2008/January 2009 release).
- The Spirit Archives Vol. 15 collects the full July–December 1947 run, placing this issue within the arc that critics and fans regard as a defining Octopus showcase of the original series.
Cast · 6 characters
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Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
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Jonesy tells Oglestuff he doesn't want to make good on a bet, but Oglestuff encourages him to do so; Jonesy then yanks on Oglestuff's beard, as that was the condition of his bet.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).