The Spirit

The Spirit, published by Greater Buffalo Press, debuted in 1945 with a four-issue run that established the masked detective as a gritty, noir-inspired crimefighter. This early iteration of the character, primarily associated with writer-artist Will Eisner, set the template for his urban adventures in Central City, blending moody storytelling with inventive layouts. Though brief, this series matters as the foundational launchpad for one of comics' most influential and stylistically groundbreaking heroes.