The Spirit

Will Eisner's The Spirit ran for 22 issues from 1944 to 1950 under Quality Comics, though the character's true legacy began earlier in newspaper inserts. The series followed masked detective Denny Colt—operating as The Spirit—alongside allies like Commissioner Dolan, his daughter Ellen, and cabbie Ebony White through Central City's shadowy streets. While Eisner's storytelling and layouts defined the book's cinematic flair, artists Lou Fine and Jack Spranger, along with writers Manly Wade Wellman and Bill Woolfolk, contributed to its run. This series remains a landmark for its innovative visual storytelling and its influence on the noir comic genre.