Crispus Allen (New Earth)


 * "''This is not what we do, Crispus Allen. This is not why we are here. Mercy, charity, sacrifice. These are all worthy conerns. Maybe the most worthy. But they are not our concerns.'"
 * --The Spectre

{{DC Database:Character Template
 * Image                  = Spectre v.5 01.jpg
 * ImageText              = The Spectre
 * RealName               = Crispus Allen
 * CurrentAlias           = The Spectre
 * Distinguish1           =
 * Distinguish2           =
 * Aliases                = (as the Spectre) Spirit of Vengeance, Wrath of God
 * Identity               = Secret
 * Alignment              = Good
 * Affiliation            = Presence
 * Relatives              = Violet Allen (mother); Dore Allen (wife); Jake Allen (son); Malcolm Allen (son, deceased)
 * Universe               = New Earth
 * BaseOfOperations       = Mobile, Gotham City


 * Gender                 = Male
 * Height                 =
 * Weight                 =
 * Eyes                   = Brown
 * Hair                   = Bald
 * UnusualFeatures        = In Cris's human form, he still retains the scars from his autopsy. As the Spectre, his skin is a ghostly white.


 * Citizenship            = American
 * MaritalStatus          = Married
 * Occupation             = Spirit of Vengeance, former police detective for the GCPD.
 * Education              =

Detective Comics #742; (As the Spectre) Infinite Crisis #4
 * Origin                 = In life, Crispus Allen was a detective in the Gotham City Police Department. When Cris was murdered by a fellow cop, he was chosen as the new human host for the Spectre, God's incarnate Spirit of Vengeance, tasked with finding and punishing criminals and evil-doers.
 * PlaceOfBirth           = Metropolis
 * PlaceOfDeath           = Gotham City
 * Creators               = Greg Rucka; Shawn Martinbrough
 * First                  = (Crispus Allen)

Originally from Metropolis, Detective Crispus Allen was a forty-something police veteran transferred to Gotham City where he was partnered with detective Renee Montoya on the Gotham City Police Department's Major Crimes Unit. Cris had a loving wife and two teenaged sons, whom he put above his job and the safety of others when Gotham was in crisis. Cris saw Batman as a necessary evil, not wanting to deal with him but tolerating his presence. He was an agnostic who doubted the existence of God in spite of his family's strong faith.
 * HistoryText            =

Jim Corrigan
One night, Cris and Renee spotted gang members apparently preparing for some sort of violent action. Cris requested backup, but the two opted not to wait for it. Following the gang into a deserted building, the detectives found several murdered men as well as two large gang members. Cris tailed the suspects while Renee scouted the rest of the building. The Black Spider suddenly appeared at the crime scene, firing upon Renee. The first few shots hit her, but she was protected by her bulletproof vest. Black Spider then aimed at her head, but Cris shot and killed the villain before he could pull the trigger.

The Internal Affairs department later took the story from Cris, as well as his gun, and put him on temporary leave until his story could be corroborated. The course of the investigation should have been straightforward. Complications arose, however, when a new crime scene technician named Jim Corrigan stole important evidence — the bullet that killed Black Spider — from the scene.

The Internal Affairs investigator in charge of Cris's case told Renee about the missing bullet and suggested Corrigan's connection to its disappearance. Renee found Corrigan and forced him to reveal the location of the bullet. After it was recovered, Cris was allowed to return to active duty. However, Renee's actions destroyed an ongoing Internal Affairs investigation into Corrigan's misconduct. They also left Cris angry and disappointed in her because he had secretly started his own investigation of Corrigan, which Renee's actions also compromised. Cris continued his investigation into Corrigan as the Infinite Crisis unfolded, but Corrigan was tipped off. He found Cris's informant and beat him to death. Corrigan then let Cris find the informant's body before shooting Cris in the back, killing him. By tampering with the evidence at the crime scene, Corrigan managed to "get off clean". Cris's unavenged death pushed Renee into an emotional breakdown, and she subsequently decided to quit the force in disgust at the system.

The Spectre
While Cris's body was in the morgue, the Presence bound the Spectre to Cris, making him the latest host for the Spirit of Vengeance. Some while later, the magic users of Earth assembled at Stonehenge to call forth the Spectre to help defend the realms of magic during the Infinite Crisis. Cris materialized in a ghostly version of his own form, before making his first official transformation into the Spectre, killing Star Sapphire for her past crimes. He then vanished, leaving the assembled magic users confused and fearful.

Later, at Cris's funeral, the Spectre appeared before Cris's ghost. The Spectre informed Cris of his role and purpose, and told Cris he had come to realize that he needed a host to humanize him, in order to know what his mission really meant. He asked Cris to be his host, to join with him. Cris refused, the first in a long time to do so.

The Spectre left Cris for a year, to reconsider his offer. Cris discovered that no-one could see or hear him, and that he was unable to touch anything around him. He was unable to help or communicate with his family, still shattered because Corrigan would not be called to account for Cris's murder.

Cris was still able to watch and observe the world around him, which he put to use solving crimes and uncovering the culprits, even discovering Batman's secret identity as Bruce Wayne. He was frustrated, however, at being unable to bring the criminals to justice.

After a year of being unseen and powerless, Cris received another visit from the Spectre. This time he finally accepted the Spectre's offer, becoming his human host. However, their bond was not permanent - Cris was concerned what full acceptance would do to him, what he would become. In their missions together, the Spectre attempted to help Cris understand what they did and why they did it. Over time, Cris came to accept the necessity of what the Spectre did, involving himself more and more in the Spectre's punishments.

Before the bond between Cris and the Spectre could be permanent, however, Cris found he had to face his greatest trial. Cris's son Mal, frustrated, angry, and grieving over his father's death, shot and killed Jim Corrigan - and Cris had to punish Mal for his crime.

Cris ended Mal's life peacefully.

Afterwards, Cris asked the Spectre if Mal had just been damned to Hell. The Spectre, taken aback, explained a point established during Hal Jordan's tenure as its host - the Spectre does not *judge* sinners, does not decide who is saved or damned. The Spectre *sends* sinners to judgment. With this knowledge, Cris took on his role as the Spectre's mortal anchor.

Countdown
In Countdown To Mystery, Allen and the Spectre, accompanied by the spirit of a criminal they killed, set out to foil Eclipso's plans to corrupt superheroes. During the climactic battle between Spectre and Eclipso, Allen realises that, if the Spectre kills his opponent, it will result in him going down a path of destruction. Allen appeals to Bruce Gordon, who is able to take control of Eclipso.

Final Crisis
During the Final Crisis, Spectre/Allen take vengeance upon Dr. Light for all of his crimes against humanity, they are then sent (apparently by God) to enact vengeance on Libra for the death of the Martian Manhunter. Libra is apparently more powerful then the Spectre and threatens to destroy them, but the Spectre uses its powers to escape. Although Allen swears that he will no longer do as God says and attempts to revoke his status as the Spectre, he finds himself called by God to enact vengeance on his former partner Renee Montoya for her sins.

Renee was in a fight with one of the order of the stone, for possession of the Spear of Destiny. Cris totally ignored the fight and proceeded to teleport Renee to the rooftop of the Gotham Police Station. Renee tries to appeal to his humanity as a former friend and she even pleads her innocence as the so called leader of the order of stone, which is the reason for his calling to exact vengeance on her.

Just as Cris is about to end her life Radiant, The Spirit of Mercy appears and saves her, she proceeds to tell Cris that God has chosen to spare Renee and grants her mercy. Cris goes into a rage and attacks Radiant, and she responds by turning the other check. Cris is so upset at the thought that God has mercy that he transforms back into his normal self and brakes down, questioning where was God's mercy when he was forced to kill his own son.

Meanwhile the minion Sister Wrack calls forth the entire Order of Stone and proceeds to the hideaway of Vandal Savage, they then plunge the Spear of Destiny into his body and Cain the first murdered is reborn in his body and vows to make the Spectre pay for branding him so long ago for his ancient crime.

Radiant recits scripture to Cris and Renee to explain that it may have not been God to decide the death of Cris's son but his own hand thought the answer begged more questions then the original. Then the followers of Darkseid being controlled by the Anti-life Equation come to attack the three and Cris transforms into the Spectre to hold them off but realizes they cant be stopped by him. It is then that Radiant says the same force protecting them is the same force that save Libra.

Divine Wrath: As a spiritual entity, the Spectre cannot be slain in the conventional sense, though he can be destroyed.
 * Powers                 =

The Spectre has displayed a personality of his own since his separation from the original Jim Corrigan, which has carried over into his bond with Cris. He appears calmer and more stable than he did during the Day of Vengeance.

When Cris is in human form, he is much the same as he was in life. When Cris acts as the Spectre, however, he is influenced by the Spectre's personality, becoming colder and more distant.

The Spectre's powers were reduced after the Crisis on Infinite Earths, but he is still likely the most powerful spirit on Earth. The Spectre and Cris can exist independently of each other, though whether there is a time limit, as there was during Corrigan's tenure as the Spectre's host, is as yet unknown.


 * Intangibility
 * Flight: ability to fly at any speed
 * Invisibility
 * Teleportation
 * Fear Projection: ability to project fear into the heart and souls of his adversaries.
 * Inanimate Possession: inhabit and animate inanimate objects
 * Illusion Casting: ability to project realistic illusions
 * Impenetrable Mists
 * Astral Travel
 * Magic Mastery: possesses mastery over virtually all forms of magic use.
 * Discern Motivation: sense the intentions of people in the place where they plan to carry those intentions out.
 * Cosmic Awareness: The Spectre knows many secrets of the universe and its inhabitants, though even he is not omniscient.
 * Precognition: The Spectre can sometimes get glimpses into the future, although this is not without great difficulty. The only time he was given a long, vivid glimpse into the future was when God granted him one in order to warn the JLA and prevent universal destruction.
 * Superhuman Strength
 * Superhuman Stamina
 * Superhuman Speed
 * Invulnerability


 * Abilities              =
 * Strength               =
 * Weaknesses             =

Divine Disruption: The Spectre can be injured or even slain by sufficient magic force, most notably the Spear of Destiny.

Divine Limits: The Presence can impose limits on what the Spectre is able to do, as it did after the Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Ancient Rules: The Spectre, like various other mystic powers, is constrained by ancient rules even he cannot break without consequences. Notably, he is forbidden to kill Eclipso, his predecessor.

Human Host Dependence: Following the Day of Vengeance, the Spectre can only act on the world through a human host. In the event that Cris permanently gave up being the Spectre, the Spectre Force would return to the realms beyond to await a new host.


 * Equipment              =
 * Transportation         =
 * Weapons                = Formerly, a standard issue police revolver.


 * OtherMedia             = [[Image:Crispus Allen BGK 01.jpg|left|thumb]] Crispus Allen appeared in the 2008 animated movie Batman: Gotham Knight where he was a detective for the Major Crimes Unit and partner of detective Anna Ramirez. Allen was a cynical and embittered man and openly displayed his dislike of the vigilante actions of the Batman. He voiced his concerns to police lieutenant James Gordon, but Gordon assured Allen that in time, he would learn to trust the Batman. Allen's opinion remained unchanged however, and after only working in the city for six weeks, contemplated putting in a transfer. Crispus and Anna Ramirez were assigned the task of transporting convicted felon Jacob Feeley across the Narrows to the state prison in Tri-Corner. After dropping Feeley off, the two found themselves caught in the middle of a massive firefight between the forces of Salvatore Maroni's gangsters and the Russian mob. As the gangsters sprayed the area with gunfire, Allen was thrown from his car. He witnessed the arrival of the Batman who single-handedly saved his partner from being killed by Maroni.


 * Notes                  =
 * The character of the Spectre was created by famed Superman writer, Jerry Siegel. The character of Crispus Allen was created by Greg Rucka.


 * The Jim Corrigan who killed Cris is not the same person as the Jim Corrigan who served as an earlier host for the Spectre. The only known connection between the two is their name.

Crispus Allen:
 * CustomSection1         = Recommended Reading
 * CustomText1            =
 * Detective Comics
 * Gotham Central

Spectre:
 * Day of Vengeance
 * Spectre (Volume 1)
 * Spectre (Volume 2)
 * Spectre (Volume 3)
 * Spectre (Volume 4)
 * Wrath of the Spectre

Crispus as the Spectre:
 * Spectre (Volume 5)
 * Tales of the Unexpected (Volume 2)
 * Countdown to Mystery
 * Final Crisis: Revelations

}}
 * Trivia                 =
 * DC                     =
 * Wikipedia              = Crispus Allen
 * Links                  =
 * Spectre article at Wikipedia
 * Spectre biography page at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe