History of The Spirit

[@_The_Archive_]

Fun Fact: In the early 1970s, William Friedkin bought the film rights to The Spirit and asked Will Eisner to write a screenplay. Eisner declined, but recommend Harlan Ellison to write the script. In 1976, it was announced that Friedkin's Spirit film would be a television movie and air on NBC. Plans for the film dissolved when Friedkin and Ellison had an unrelated argument.

[@alanguages]

Decades later Frank Miller utterly butchered the Spirit in his version of the film in 2008.

[@taylorlibby7642]

Wasn't there also a failed adaptation in the 80's?

[@racheljackson4428]

So we could've got a Spirit movie? Interesting.

[@RamsTheNameCom]

Brad Bird also made an attempt to pitch an animated The Spirit movie, but no film studio wanted to produce it. You can watch an animated pitch trailer for on youtube, it's really good.

[@deniseboldea1624]

In sprite of his cantankerous reputation, Ellison was very respectful of the classic writers, and very much a stick to the source kind of guy when tasked with adapting the work of another even with the blessing of the author. I have no doubt that Ellison's argument had everything to do with Friedkin wanting changes to the script that would have butchered the story. If memory serves correct, this would have been around the time he had a falling out with the producer of "A boy and his Dog" for making changes to the story he did not approve of, and left the production, as well as insisting his name be removed. Years prior to that he actually had a physical alteration with a T.V. producer who wanted him to add an idea to the script that would have resulted in plagiarism. He was fired from the show, but apparently someone higher up then the producer realized Ellison was right, and the bit was never added.

[@michaelbrent1536]

spirit is such an underrated character! You should definitely do a history of Captain Planet, Freakazoid, the Powerpuff Girls,Ben 10, Savage Dragon, Fire Breather(Duncan RosenBlatt),Popeye,Danny Phantom,XJ9 Jenny The Sentry,Sailormoon,Samurai Jack and Link(Legend of Zelda)!

[@taylorlibby7642]

Not so much an underrated character as kinda forgotten and a bit dated.

[@theoledicktwist6247]

None of those are really comic characters, and also that's way too many things to ask for bud

[@ensotao1]

So everything?😂😂😂

[@vampirascoffin870]

" we gonna kill the spirit, and we gonna kill him now " octopus

[@AverageNerd24]

I’ve always loved pulpy detective type characters.

[@kerry-j4m]

Thank you Variant for addressing the racial stereo types in the Spirit books and the racial discriminations black citizens had to put up with during those cruel times. It takes-GUTS-to mention and address these topics that in today's society most people deny it's existence. And it's usually denied by the people who doesn't feel it's effects.

[@mellodope8904]

Thank YOU for the comment.😆😁

[@kerry-j4m]

@@mellodope8904 You are very-WELCOME.

[@codyboothe2310]

I guess you ignore the fact that black citizens have more privileges than they are victims of discrimination now a days

[@spdrwrtr]

I liked the TV movie of the Spirit rather than the Frank Miller movie. Still, my favorite is still Darwyn Cooke's run; a true master of art

[@Hallel2006]

I think I speak for all of us when I say we need a spirit animated series

[@10141991]

Brad Bird had a idea for a animated movie. The trailer is on KZbin looks amazing

[@RSRye]

Cool seeing u guys go pulp! Would love a Tom Strong episode! :) Longtime fan here, keep up the great work!

[@diddymuck]

Brad Bird (The Incredibles, etc) attempted to make an animated version of the character that was way closer to the mark than any other mediated effort. Denny Colt was resurrected after being declared dead, teamed up with young Ebony, and spent time clowning when he wasn't on a case. A brief sample of the animation can be found on youtube. Lack of funding prevented any more of a effort. but the sample gave a pretty durn good look at a superior what-could-have-been.

[@voxangelaemortis]

I will always have a soft spot for The Spirit. Even the movie, which I can easily recognize as not being good, has such intentional kitsch charm that I cannot help but love it.

[@taylorlibby7642]

The 30's-60's really were a Golden Age for newspaper comics, especially the Sunday editions.

[@jhansen4661]

It's kind of a shame you didn't go much into detail about his rogue's gallery and you briefly talked about his greatest foe, the Octopus

[@diddymuck]

he stopped carrying a gun after the first few issues leaving him to handle crooks with fists alone. he fought like a maniac and in the end wound up looking as bad or worse than the bad guys he beat the snot out of. His only power was pluck combined with a good right cross on the button.

[@wrestleranger]

Calling Darwyn Cooke, Darren, is akin to calling Stan Lee, Stu.

[@sanspie029]

I heard Pixar had a pencil test of the spirit. It looked awesome and probably could have been a clasic

[@VinnyS9143101982]

The black characters looked like THAT in many incarnations even in live action. It's not something we should be proud of but we should remember our mistake. We need to REMEMBER & UNDERSTAND our mistakes not erase them.

[@ilkvomit88]

The inspiration of The Grey Ghost in Batman the animated series

[@anthopea]

A video saying a bunch of the iconic superhero settings and cities could be cool

[@codydraving8184]

I'm here for the Christmas decorations still being up... in January 😂

[@Artisan1979]

9:15 it's DAHR-WIN, Aris.

[@RyogaEchizen]

I remember when I used to read this when it was being published..

[@only1chicityarson]

People use to get so mad when I was in school cuz I use to watch this movie everyday for like a year… 😂

[@rubyrubio3970]

Can you do the history of magneto, gambit, judge dredd, Cassie hack, qwenpool, hit monkey, vamperrella, moon girl & devil dinosaur and league of extraordinary gentlemen

[@IamLegendaryguy1998]

The spirit greatness

[@kelvinsantiago7061]

This is gonna be good!.

[@JohnClark-tt2bl]

Anyone else notice how Will Eisner's signature is in a very Disney looking font?

[@urielzuno2908]

Please do a history of the crow!! The ultimate character that doesn’t get enough attention!

[@isaiahblackbeard]

They literally made a whole movie about the spirit

[@jhettzerovelveteen4183]

Thanks for this

[@minidwarf4266]

Can’t believe you didn’t mention the Spirit/Rocketeer Crossover!

[@Real_Tony_Dog]

Thanks for that part

[@AkshatKumarSrivastava]

Spirit is a dope character dammit

[@arihantbothra7949]

Revisit some old classics

[@CRIS_IS_ON_INFINITE_EARTHS]

Hell yeah I've been waiting for some more pulp heroes!!

[@quentinfogger5755]

Can you do history of Cyclone, Rhino, Sandman, Chameleon, Scorpion and the Human Fly along with Kurt Connors the Lizard. Also can you do the history of the Flash Villains like Turtle, Magenta, Cobalt Blue, Mirror Master and Top?

[@markherron1407]

Denny Colt is a version of Dave Clark AKA MIDNIGHT of All -Star Squadron and the Freedom Fighters Blessings and Hugs 💜💜💜💜

[@captainhowdy2782]

I'd love to hear about the Heap.

[@martianlynch6769]

Any chance of doing a history of episode on “Madman” by Mike Allred? I don’t think anybody ever talks about him but every time I see or think of freakazoid, I remember him! Just a suggestion, happy new year!

[@visd.9344]

Saw The Spirit in NYC on new years eve in 2008. Thought it was going to capture the same vision as Sin City did..unfortunately not so much, but was still a decent film. The cinematography is really good.

[@MicahLathrop-be3re]

The spirit by Darwyn cook is my favorite

[@CShabazz84]

I would definitely like to see and learn more about spirit

[@rodneyyenrejefferson2431]

🧐🤔💭 I love your comic break down of each chapter you express.

[@mistaidgaf9166]

Got to do Octopus

[@MRVAST-op7sg]

God I want more of this guy

[@williamjackson6705]

You left out the Warren Magazines reprints of the 70's. Those were published in B&W with a center section re-colored by the late, great Richard Corben. New covers were provided by Eisner.

[@zionstuart1927]

Love from Trinidad

[@rayay9581]

You forgot the TV movie with Sam(Flash Gordon) Jones as The Spirit. 1987.

[@thomasgriffiths6758]

Loved the movie.

[@quentinfogger5755]

Can you please do history of DC OMAC along with the Reach who are the aliens who created the Scarabs in honor of the release of the Blue_Beetle movie?

[@Earth2Natalie]

History of Storm, please!

[@GabrielSteele5139]

I'd love to see an episode on The Phantom

[@zoomanx9661]

Classic , loved The Spirit. My favorite story was Pinhead.

[@Moegami93]

Plz do a history of moon man, John carter of mars, and Solomon Kane

[@dherna12]

Clicked on this so fast…I fell for The Spirit under Darwyn Cooke’s run.

[@Every_fanimations_studios]

Great video

[@taylorlibby7642]

If you're discussing The Spirit you should really mention John Law, essentially The Spirit without a mask, and how Eisner re-used art between both characters.

[@arihantbothra7949]

Big fan bro

[@TNolen2000]

The movie with Samuel Jackson was cool...wanted to see what would've happened if he drunk that vase

[@cloudnationmedia8326]

🔥🔥🔥

[@Jerry-y7b]

Can you do a history of moon girl episode😂😂😂😂❤❤

[@KadeStringer2.0]

The older comics didn’t seem racist to me

[@headthesizeofamelon]

Love this!! Please do more non-DC and Marvel videos!

[@jasperxmaster9703]

I don't see any issue with the way the old comics were.

[@JonnyBoy-vz2sc]

Have you done a history of Magneto or Professor X?

[@chrisgay4786]

in 1987 NASA launches the last of it's deep space probes. Captian William Buck Rogers. Ohh and of course Flash! Ahhh Ahhh, savior of the universe! The coolest and OG flash, Flash Gordon.

[@all9472]

Can u do zorro the one that bruce Wayne was seeing before his family was butchered in front of him

[@quentinfogger5755]

Are you going to do history of the Supreme Intelligence, Ronan the Accuser, Dar-Benn and Ael-Dan who all played a major role in the upcoming The Marvels movie? Are you going to do history of Jentorra, Kryler(played by Bill Murray), Multiple Man, Cassie Lang as Stature/Stinger and the city of Chronopolis in honour of the Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumainia movie?

[@CorbinLeonard-rp4et]

Spirit i like to Sept. Lyrics i get nickel,s nothing but gickel,s jump like a triggered.

[@chaike9001]

AARIS QUIONES

[@ericwilson8558]

The video was very cool thanks. Could you do a history of Magneto, Colossus, from the x-men, and or Gambit please?

[@SohailSomwaru]

The Shroud (Marvel)

[@RiffMaster451]

Anyone see that movie with the guy from Suits?

[@BobbyMoore2-mp8wb]

Awesome 😎 video

[@chuchmaster23]

Please to a history on icon people really sleeping on bro he’s like Django if he had Superman powers

[@quentinfogger5755]

What do you think Spirit would be like if he worked alongside detectives like Batman, Elongated Man and detective chimp?

[@wesbone5187]

There’s actually a few times the spirit and Batman have teamed up, its always great to

[@rachelknightonline]

And then there’s The Spirit movie… yeah let’s ignore that

[@duckmurai]

Wasn't there a Spirit tv movie from the 80s?

[@cryo180]

Don't know if they qualify as "pulp" but since you guys did The Phantom, how about the other Defenders of the Earth (Mandrake, Lothar, Flash Gordon)?

[@nicholasruhling6429]

Can you do Doc Savage next?

[@quentinfogger5755]

What do you think is the best thing about the detective Spirit? Which one of his abilities do you think is the best? Who's his Marvel counterpart and what would happen if he was similar to Deadman?

[@mitchbray6637]

Coould you doa Flash Gordon video or John Carter or Conan video?

[@maurovillarreal4311]

Can you do a video on pulp hero doc savage

[@Kenpachez]

Can you do one for echo? Since its about to comeout

[@jameszeoli4552]

11:25

[@lightdragon9939]

Do one on "The Gray Ghost" please 🙏

[@andrewwaters6310]

Can you do a video for Flash Gordon

[@connorcaldwell588]

I thought the movie was enjoyably batshit crazy!

[@kingshadow8782]

Wooohooo!

[@ianmpena]

I would like to see a reboot movie or live action TV show in the near future because the first movie was so bad and cheesy

[@bunyan4.20]

the first time i found out who the Spirit is was from the movie with Sam Jackson in it that came out never hear of him before then and that movie was really weird like Jackson dressed like a nazi WTH was that

[@Mansplainer2099-jy8ps]

_"like Jackson dressed like a nazi WTH was that"_ Marathon Man reference.

[@carlmiller757]

I can't believe you didn't mention the live action series that never took off. it had Sam Jones as the spirit and Nana visitor. The series itself never got picked up, but they made the pilot. it's horrible and cheesy, but in the best way.And yes that's sam jones as in flash gordon

[@Wilko4real]

Is he DC Character what?

[@kurtlindner]

I love you doing the old pulp heroes. The movie was pretty bad- he gets his ass _completely_ handed to him in the first couple minutes; also I can't get past the over-the-top cheesy delivery. I know it's on purpose, the same way they did at the beginning of Sin city, but still, so cheesy. I think the Spirit could use a little upgrade, for his own sake, he is a cool concept.

[@kevinlambert2756]

Let's talk about the knock off character Midnight..😊

[@jeffmaesar]

there was a movie made for tv way better than the Frank Miller movie

[@martinbauzon7450]

hoi guys

[@kingshadow8782]

🙂

[@mechmaster315]

Glad you didn’t mention the Frank Miller 🗑️🔥 film

[@kingshadow8782]

W

[@websurfer8670]

The shadow better