Will Eisner's The Spirit Archives #17

In "Cromlech Was a Nature Boy!", the enigmatic Cromlech, a man of the wilds, crosses paths with the scheming Deadbeat McCoy and the sharp-tongued Moolah as the two former inmates return to the woods to reclaim a buried fortune. With tensions rising and the forest itself seeming to hold secrets, the trio’s clash of wits and wills unfolds in a tense, unexpected showdown.

In "Barkarolle," Sven Galli’s dog-training scheme takes a surprising turn when his star pupil, Roger the Dog, gets tangled in a theft that leads straight to the nose of his own handler, Mr. Bowser. With the line between hunter and hound blurring, the case becomes less about catching a criminal and more about who’s really in control.

P.S. takes on Scratchie Parlay in a high-stakes Junior President election, where the campaign turns chaotic after Scratchie’s gambler father gets involved. With bets placed and kids disappearing, the race for the title becomes as much about survival as it is about leadership—especially when Ebony, Beanie, and Skinny find themselves caught in the crossfire.

In the crumbling remains of an old prison, a mysterious figure emerges from the basement, claiming he’s been imprisoned since 1911—long before any records exist. With no way to verify his story, Docket, Snarl, Simon Smudge, and Redtape must unravel a decades-old secret buried beneath the rubble.

When smuggler McStash hides his fortune behind a cryptic code, only the sharp mind of Genius K. Brown stands a chance of cracking it—just as the mysterious Crabnich begins to close in.

In a twist of fate at a 1948 school Halloween pageant, Hazel—fired for refusing to use a wire to fly—finds an unexpected ally in the enigmatic Octopus. What begins as a desperate alliance quickly spirals into a game of shifting loyalties, where trust is as fleeting as a shadow on a moonlit street.

When Inspector Guillotine enlists the Spirit to track down the elusive Don Macabre, who seems to anticipate every step he takes, the investigation takes a dangerous turn. The Spirit soon uncovers a shocking twist: the Inspector’s fiancée, Plaster of Paris, may be more than just a lover—she’s deeply entangled with Don Macabre’s criminal network.

In "The Chapparell Lode," Quirte and his men are hot on the trail of a buried gold fortune, putting them at odds with The Spirit, Dolan, and Ellen, who are trying to claim Boot Camp for a noble cause. With treasure and redemption on the line, the race is on before greed claims everything.