I don't know what level or version of Hell has conjured you up, but you will be struck down like wheat before the scythe! 
- — Spectre
Spectre (Volume 3) #37 is an issue of the series Spectre (Volume 3) with a cover date of January, 1996.
Synopsis for "The Haunting of America: Part One – Fallen Dreams"
It is 1776, and the Founding Fathers are at Liberty Hall in Philadelphia. After they sign the Declaration of Independence, some of the men—including Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson—meet in secret. They gather around a table, and the alchemist Taylor Hawke gathers 13 tokens and creates a spiritual embodiment of America. The tokens merge and form a small talisman; on one side of the talisman is an eagle, and on the other side is an eye in a pyramid surrounded by 13 stars. The 13 men agree to protect the talisman and the secret of its existence.
It is present-day, and in a dark New York alley, a man is shot. Jim Corrigan meets up with Captain Taylor. Corrigan's partner, Nate Kane, was the man who was shot. Nobody knows who, how, or why. A man walks up to Captain Taylor and introduces himself as Special Agent Shadrach of the FBI. He tells Taylor that he and his associate, Special Agent Jefferson, will be taking over the investigation because it is a matter of national security. Taylor and Corrigan are irate, but Shadrach insists that they stay away.
Corrigan goes to the hospital and visits Kane, who is in a coma. To get answers, Corrigan enters Kane's soul. He sees an eye in a pyramid, a woman, a man whose face is shrouded in shadow, a man shooting a gun, and a small talisman with a single star. But Kane's soul rejects the Spectre, and Corrigan decides to leave.
Corrigan then goes to Kane's office. He opens a file labeled "Taylor, Rebecca." Rebecca was a young woman who died almost 25 years ago. Corrigan also finds an envelope on Kane's desk, and the return address is Rebecca Taylor—but the envelope is postmarked yesterday. In the envelope, Corrigan finds a note from Rebecca, warning Kane to "keep it safe." She tells Kane to contact Professor Nicodemus Hazzard if anything should happen to her. According to Kane's appointment calendar, he went to meet Professor Hazzard just before he got shot. (Hazzard happens to be in New York.)
In his hotel room, Hazzard sits in a chair while holding a small talisman with a single star. He falls asleep as he listens to a recorded drum beat. The Spectre arrives and enters Hazzard's soul. The Spectre tells Hazzard that he knows Kane gave him something. Hazzard shows him the talisman and says he came to the Dreaming to find out if it's what he thinks it is. Suddenly, a skeleton in a top hat comes to life and tells Hazzard to give him his talisman. The skeleton is an incarnation of what the talisman represents. Hazzard realizes they are in a land of iconic reality, so the skeleton in the top hat is the iconic representation of America—but he is not Uncle Sam; he is an earlier incarnation known as Brother Jonathan. While the Spectre fights Brother Jonathan, Hazzard realizes that the incarnation rose up to defend the talisman. Brother Jonathan shouts patriotic phrases as he defeats the Spectre. Hazzard tries to wake up.
Meanwhile, in reality, Special Agent Shadrach enters Hazzard's room. Hazzard is still sleeping. Shadrach takes the talisman and then puts a gun to Hazzard's head.
To be continued...
Appearing in "The Haunting of America: Part One – Fallen Dreams"
Featured Characters:
Antagonists:
- Special Agent Shadrach
- Brother Jonathan (Spirit of America)
- Agent Jefferson
Other Characters:
- Benjamin Franklin (Flashback only)
- John Adams (Flashback only)
- Thomas Jefferson (Flashback only)
- Taylor Hawke (Flashback only)
Locations:
- New York City
- Siegel-Baily General Hospital
- Philadelphia (1776)
- The Dream Plane
Items:
- Talisman
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue begins the long story arc, "The Haunting of America." It concludes with issue #50.
See Also