Disambiguation
Jim Corrigan
There are two other DC characters named Jim Corrigan. Exactly why there are three Jim Corrigans who are in various police departments hasn’t been explained. It seems an unlikely coincidence though,
- Jim Corrigan of the M.P.D.
- Jim Corrigan of the G.C.P.D.
The Spectre
- The Spectre: Listed separately, as he is an entity unto himself; a former angel, named Aztar.
- Hal Jordan: Jim Corrigan’s successor as host to The Spectre.
- Crispus Allen: Hal Jordon’s successor as host to The Spectre.
Note: In the New 52, Jim is back to being The Spectre’s host again.
Origin
The first Jim Corrigan was born to a man named Jebediah Corrigan. He was a Christian evangelist who beat Jim to show him the correct path between right and wrong. He wanted to show Jim the severity of justice, wrath and vengeance.
Jim eventually joined the police force and rose to the rank of detective. One on fateful night he was on the trail of a crime boss named Gat Benson, an encounter that would eventually lead to his murder. It is his death that would eventually turn him into the Spectre.
Because of the nature of his death, when his soul was to pass into heaven, it was intercepted by the archangel Michael and decided his soul would become the human host of God’s spirit of vengeance, The Spectre.
Character Evolution
Golden Age
After Jim Corrigan becomes the Spectre, he uses his power to hunt his murderers and gangsters of the 1940’s. He has a fiancée, Clarice Winston, with whom he later separates. During the decline of the popularity of superheroes, The Spectre became a side-kick of sorts to Percival Popp, Super Cop. During this time Jim Corrigan’s body was resurrected from the bottom of the ocean, allowing Corrigan to exist separately. He was also a member of The Justice Society of America.
Silver Age
The Spectre was revived after 20 years in Showcase #60 and Jim Corrigan continued to sometimes act separately from The Spectre, becoming a Detective in Gateway City taking on police issues while The Spectre battled more cosmic threats.
Bronze Age
During the Spectre’s Adventure Comics run in the 1970’s, Jim Corrigan returned to being a ghost and conjoined entity with The Spectre. His ghost however was now a lieutenant in the NYPD. He became involved with a gangster’s daughter named Gwen Sterling, and was granted a return to his body by God in order to be with her. Unfortunately for Corrigan, he was yet again killed and became The Spectre once more. One story in 1970’s placed Jim Corrigan as a detective in the Gotham City PD.
Modern Age
Post-Crisis, Jim Corrigan remained the host for The Spectre, but the two would again be able to separate for a short period of time. Corrigan became a detective again, this time a private one and had an office along side Madame Xanadu whom became took on an active role in his life. She conjured up a woman named Kim Liang to act as a secretary and guide for Corrigan.
In John Ostrander’s 1990’s series, Corrigan leaves the agency and starts on a journey of self discovery and learning, which brings him into conflict with The Spectre’s methods. During this run much more of Corrigan’s backstory is revealed. At the series’ end, Corrigan is finally freed of The Spectre and is allowed to pass on to the afterlife.
During Ostrander’s series it is revealed that Corrigan was only the latest in a long line of hosts for the Spectre. To explain his long absence between his membership of the JSA and his modern appearance, it was revealed that some time after his days with the JSA he had engaged the corrupted first host of the Spectre now called Asmodeus and the battle had left them both amnesiac for nearly 50 years. Corrigan had thought he was just an ordinary man the whole time before he realized something was wrong as he did not age. It was also revealed that Corrigan was chosen as the host because of his rage that stemmed from his childhood and because since the days of Jesus, the Spectre and other beings of his caliber had to be bound to a human host as per the edicts of Heaven.
Storyline
Day of Judgement
When the Spectre comes under the control of the fallen angel Asmodel, a troupe of heroes try to find Corrigan in the afterlife to return as the Spectre as the only person they know can handle the mantle. Corrigan declines, stating he is now at peace, which leads to Hal Jordan’s soul taking on The Spectre.
A Stranger Among Us
(in The Phantom Stranger #0)
Jim Corrigan’s origin remains similar as he still a Police Detective murdered by gangsters, except in this version the events of his murder are partially manipulated by The Phantom Stranger, though not of his own volition.
Noble Vengeance
(in The Phantom Stranger #5)
The Phantom Stranger storms G.C.P.D. in search for The Spectre, who he believes took his family. Jim Corrigan, now in full acceptance of his new form, taunts the Stranger just before the two get into a fight. As they brawl to proportions beyond human understanding the Spectre devours the Stranger believing him eradicated. The Stranger escapes from the Spectre’s grips and incapacitates him but the latter manages to escape as well. Before the two start round two they are stopped by The Presence taking the form of a dog. The Presence tells the Stranger and the Spectre that they were made for a reason but the reason was not to be at each other’s throats.
Powers and Abilities
As the Spectre, Jim is one of the most powerful beings in the DC universe. He has the ability to fly at about any speed, read minds, teleport, inhabit and animate objects, create illusions, projecting hideous fears into the heart and souls and souls of his many victims. He can grow to any size, become invisible, create a mist, mess with any kinds of magic.
Personal Details
- Occupation: Police Detective, Private Investigator, Spirit of Vengeance
- Home City: New York City (sometimes Gotham City)
- Height: (as Corrigan) 6 ft., 1 in.
- Weight: (as Corrigan) 184 lbs.
- Eyes: (as Corrigan) Blue
- Hair: (as Corrigan) Red with a white streak
Animated Series/Movies
DC Showcase: The Spectre
The ghost of Jim Corrigan appeared in the short film DC Showcase: The Spectre included with the DVD of Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths. He is voiced by Gary Cole.
He appears as a Los Angeles police detective investigating the death of a Hollywood producer, and the father of his then girlfriend. When it transpires that she is the orchestrator, he enacts his wrath as the Spectre.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
The Spectre appeared on the show voiced by Mark Hamill who has down previous work with DC as the Joker on B:TAS and the Arkham game series. Also as the Prankster on the Flash television show and DCAU. He appears in the episodes “The Chill of Night” where he and Phantom Stranger both hold a bid on what happens when Batman learns of Joe Chill killing his parents. The next episode in “Gorilla’s in Our Midst” where he aids Batman against Professor Milo. He kills Milo by releasing lab rats after he turned him into a piece of cheese.
He later appears in silently in the episode “Crisis: 22,300 Miles Above Earth” along with his fellow Justice Society members. He also appears silently in the background of “Mitefall!” in a conversation between other ghostly figures of the DC universe and in the final scene along with all the other heroes standing next to Batman. This Spectre is never confirmed to be Jim Corrigan though he does not posses any of the same traits or looks of Hal Jordan or Cripsus Allen.
Film/Television
Constantine
Irish actor Emmett J. Scanlan was cast as Jim Corrigan in NBC’s Hellblazer inspired show Constantine. Corrigan is first introduced the 5th episode titled “Danse Vaudou” as a New Orleans police detective.When Corrigan witnesses a murder from a woman impervious to bullets, Constantine and Zed appear on the scene offering a supernatural explanation for the events. Corrigan is intrigued when Zed is able to recite one of Corrigan’s early childhood memories of being taught to shoot a gun by his mother.
When he and Zed pair off to investigate a ghost haunting a stretch of road, he remembers Zed from his early days a missing persons investigator. Later in the episode, Zed has another vision when she grabs Corrigan’s hand. He appears with bullet holes and a green mist in the shape of a cloak appear around him, hinting at his ghostly future.
Smallville
He does not appear physically, but in a painting along with other Justice Society members in the episode “Absolute Justice”.