Secret Origins #5 is an issue of the series Secret Origins (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 1973. It was published on August 7, 1973.
Synopsis for The Spectre: "The Origin of the Spectre"
This story was originally printed in More Fun Comics #52 and More Fun Comics #53. Detective Jim Corrigan apprehends members of Gat Bensons gang on the same night of his engagement announcement. His fiancée Clarice Winston desperately waits for Corrigan to show up at her family estate but he does not make it. Corrigan successfully subdues the criminals but lands in the hospital due to his wounds. Clarice tracks Corrigan down and meets him at the hospital where he is released. The couple then leaves but they are captured and taken hostage but Benson’s men. Corrigan is then stuffed into a Barrel that is filled with cement . He is then dumped into the river. The barrel plummets to the bottom and Corrigan's soul rises out of its body. He hears a mysterious voice from above informing him that his mission on earth is unfinished. He is informed that he will be sent back with supernatural powers to battle crime. Corrigan then finds himself sitting at the bottom of the river but he does not drown and moves about very easily. He rises above the water and uses his supernatural powers to rescue his fiancée Clarice. Bullets pass through him and criminals drop dead as soon as they touch him. One of the criminals then shoots Clarice but Corrigan is able to heal her with his newfound powers. The police are summoned and the surviving thugs are apprehended. Corrigan then drives his fiancée home and informs her that their engagement is off with no explanation as to why. As he drops off Clarice, Corrigan comes to the sudden realization that he is not even breathing when he notices that he does not even leave an moisture as he sits next to the car window. Corrigan goes home and fashions a costume to fight crime as he comes up with the name of Spectre as his new identity.
Appearing in The Spectre: "The Origin of the Spectre"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Gat Benson
- Louie
- Ricky
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue reprints the first appearance of the Spectre.
- This story is divided into two parts.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- The Spectre Recommended Reading
- Adventure Comics (Volume 1): Adventure Comics #431– #440
- Countdown to Mystery
- Crisis Aftermath: The Spectre (Volume 1)
- Day of Judgment
- Day of Vengeance
- Final Crisis: Revelations
- More Fun Comics (Volume 1)
- Spectre (Volume 1)
- Spectre (Volume 2)
- Spectre (Volume 3)
- Spectre (Volume 4)
- Tales of the Unexpected (Volume 2)
- Wrath of the Spectre (Volume 1)