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.

[@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

[@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.

[@sergioandrade8735]

There was also a 1987 TV movie staring Sam Jones as The Spirit which I remember most is when Jones would get his clothes torn and he would look like the images of The Spirit from his comic.

[@AverageNerd24]

I’ve always loved pulpy detective type characters.

[@vampirascoffin870]

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

[@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?😂😂😂

[@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

[@emmittthompson9376]

​@@codyboothe2310That's 100% false. Sounds like a white supremacist talking point.

[@RSRye]

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

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@taylorlibby7642]

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

[@sanspie029]

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

[@ilkvomit88]

The inspiration of The Grey Ghost in Batman the animated series

[@codydraving8184]

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

[@avengererbe1814]

The Spirit is a awesome comic character outside of Marvel and DC

[@jackieanderson9408]

I appreciate the "Whole" story. Thanks 👍

[@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.

[@10141991]

Thank you for this video. I'm now currently collecting the comics. Just bought all the archives

[@wrestleranger]

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

[@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

[@DavidAnderson-m5c]

I was schmoozing through Tubi last night just before bedtime when I came across Frank Miller's "The Spirit" movie. I didn't know anything about it so I Googled the film to see what it's about and who's in it. And then I watched a trailer, and decided I might watch it tonight. And lo and behold, YOUR video comes up in today's recommendations, which I watched with some appreciation. Why... it's almost as if some -- I don't know -- algorithm maybe? -- caught wind of my activity and decided to recommend this in my feed. Who knows? Maybe it's... The Spirit at work.

[@jhettzerovelveteen4183]

Thanks for this

[@mcurran6505]

Did you know Brad Bird (Director of The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille & Mission Impossible 4) wanted to make a animated adaptation of the Spirit but sadly didn't happen. Test footage can be found and it's actually pretty good, wish this project was greenlit. Could have been a classic.

[@only1chicityarson]

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

[@CRIS_IS_ON_INFINITE_EARTHS]

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

[@Artisan1979]

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

[@JohnClark-tt2bl]

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

[@RyogaEchizen]

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

[@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

[@markherron1407]

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

[@kelvinsantiago7061]

This is gonna be good!.

[@IamLegendaryguy1998]

The spirit greatness

[@arihantbothra7949]

Revisit some old classics

[@Jerry-y7b]

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

[@KadeStringer2.0]

The older comics didn’t seem racist to me

[@anthopea]

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

[@GabrielSteele5139]

I'd love to see an episode on The Phantom

[@rodneyyenrejefferson2431]

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

[@Real_Tony_Dog]

Thanks for that part

[@isaiahblackbeard]

They literally made a whole movie about the spirit

[@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?

[@quentinfogger5755]

So when are you going to do history of DC Despero since he is one of the biggest Justice League Villians from the Comics?

[@urielzuno2908]

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

[@zoomanx9661]

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

[@minidwarf4266]

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

[@jasperxmaster9703]

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

[@zionstuart1927]

Love from Trinidad

[@MRVAST-op7sg]

God I want more of this guy

[@AkshatKumarSrivastava]

Spirit is a dope character dammit

[@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.

[@CShabazz84]

I would definitely like to see and learn more about spirit

[@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!

[@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?

[@captainhowdy2782]

I'd love to hear about the Heap.

[@kylecocciante4362]

I would love to see a video on The Spider

[@dherna12]

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

[@DavidAnderson-m5c]

I like my noir characters the way I like my orange juice. The pulpier the better.

[@scottalderson4708]

I love The Spirit

[@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.

[@wynncull9415]

What about the spirits' appearance for Warren magazine? Are we not adding that because it's a magazine format?

[@arihantbothra7949]

Big fan bro

[@headthesizeofamelon]

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

[@JMD1965]

As a fan going back to the Warren Magazine days (Creepy, Eerie, Vampirella publishers) I can say the less said on Frank Miller's movie the better... There WAS, however, a made for TV movie in 1987 starring Sam Jones (yes... That's right... Flash Freekin' Gordon!!) and Nana Visitor (Pre- Deep Space 9) which had the direct input from Eisner. A little searching you can still find it around.

[@deepenu]

Madrak the magician, Rip Kirby and Flash Gordon deserve to be mentioned

[@thomasgriffiths6758]

Loved the movie.

[@mistaidgaf9166]

Got to do Octopus

[@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.

[@gwenstacy22]

Theme movie was pretty good

[@Earth2Natalie]

History of Storm, please!

[@rayay9581]

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

[@MicahLathrop-be3re]

The spirit by Darwyn cook is my favorite

[@JonnyBoy-vz2sc]

Have you done a history of Magneto or Professor X?

[@cloudnationmedia8326]

🔥🔥🔥

[@GLC-93]

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

[@unusualjdawg96]

When’s my history of Azrael, Mr mind, and deadman episodes?!?!

[@ericwilson8558]

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

[@CorbinLeonard-rp4et]

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

[@Kenpachez]

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

[@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?

[@all9472]

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

[@mitchbray6637]

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

[@garethtrevor2920]

I feel like Variant should for next pulp hero history of is zorro

[@ΠαναγιώτηςΑγγελέλης]

Zorro is more of novel or literature hero like Sherlock Holmes but he definitely had some major influence to the hero type legacy characters

[@BobbyMoore2-mp8wb]

Awesome 😎 video

[@benlevy9091]

Last time I was this early jason todd was still dead

[@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)?

[@fulcrum6760]

We don’t talk about the movie.

[@kingsham3292]

Why not is it that bad

[@fulcrum6760]

@@kingsham3292 Yes,

[@maurovillarreal4311]

Can you do a video on pulp hero doc savage

[@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?

[@TNolen2000]

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

[@nicholasruhling6429]

Can you do Doc Savage next?

[@duckmurai]

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

[@RiffMaster451]

Anyone see that movie with the guy from Suits?

[@quentinfogger5755]

Since you did history of Marvel's Black Knight, Can you do history of Marvel's Dreadknight? If you seen the recent episodes of season 7 of the Flash, can you do history of Impulse, XS, Psych, Fuerza, Steadfast, Chillblaine, Abracadabra, Rainbow Raider, Mirror Master and Top in your next video?

[@casparrasmussen7642]

Where is that omnibus

[@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.

[@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

[@lightdragon9939]

Do one on "The Gray Ghost" please 🙏

[@andrewwaters6310]

Can you do a video for Flash Gordon