The Phantom Stranger #42 *Preview/Spoilers*

[FrEaKjOkErXXX Torch Bearer Find all posts View Profile Close FrEaKjOkErXXX]

http://www.dccomics.com/media/excerpts/13914_x.pdf

Looks pretty sweet. I'm gonna be picking this up.

[Knuckles Corps Honor Guard Find all posts View Profile Close Knuckles]

looks good, when i first heard of these dead titles comin back i thought this would be the one tie-in that can help "advance" the story some...at least give some closure to the gap btwn BN2 and gl 50

[Guest Close RageofAtrocitus]

art looks amazing...Glad im gettin it

[GreenLantern888 Alpha-Lantern Find all posts View Profile Close GreenLantern888]

I can't wait for this title it looks awesome especially the art on the preview.

[Mister Ed Horse of a Different Color Find all posts View Profile Close Mister Ed]

Man, I hope this thing addresses the serious issues I have with the very NOTION of a Black Lantern Spectre. So far it seems like the Phantom Stranger is asking some of the same questions I had, so that's good.

I mean, my impression was that the Spectre bonded to the SOUL of a host, not the BODY. Whereas the Black Rings clearly bond to a body only, either one without a soul, or forcing any soul present to take a back seat. I mean, when Hal was the Spectre, he had a body of sorts, but it wasn't HIS body- that was apparently in the sun. So how the ring can bond with the Spectre at ALL is kind of beyond me.

Plus, and this is the biggie, it boggles the mind that the ring would be able to so thoroughly subvert the will of not only the current host, but the Spectre as well? I mean, I know that it is almost a given that during a major crisis the Spectre will be mostly incapacitated somehow. It seems to happen all the time. But for the ring to just pop on and POOF, the Spectre is an evil Black Lantern? Seems rather a bit much to me. Parallax was only able to partially do it by slowly subverting things, in secret.

[TheHorseman Green Lantern Initiate Find all posts View Profile Close TheHorseman]

Well Mister Ed...although I'm new here let me offer a few nuggets for thought:

Boston Brand's body was taken as Black Lantern, while his Spirit remained the "Deadman" right? This is complete contradiction when you look at what happened with the Spectre, in Brand's case his spirit and soul were separated.

According Wikipedia..."While Allen's body was in the morgue, the Spectre was forced against his will to enter Crispus Allen, taking Allen as his new host."

Thus leading us to believe that while bonding to the soul, the Spectre requires a "body" as a host.

This of course goes agianst how Jordan was able to become the Spectre since his body was in a cypt on OA the whole time he was the Spectre.

So it seems like the rules changed from Corrigan, Jordan to Allen as far as the bonding goes...maybe becaue Corrigan and Allen were both "victims", forced by the Presence to serve, while Jordan was in fact seeking atonement for his actions. Perhaps this granted him freedom from having an actual physical host.

Now because the physical host is in fact "dead", the rings did bond to the body,and again, according to Wikipedia, the Spectre was "trapped" within the host.

Perhaps what this issue of the Phantom Stranger will reveal is that the Black Spectre isn't really a corupted version of the Spectre, but really a manifestation of Crispus Allen taking only the Spectre's form, and his power is actually an elaborate use of the BL power.

How someone as powerful as Spectre can be subdued like that is beyond me, unless of course it has something to do with the fact that the corruption of the host effectively incapacitates the Spectre. Or the Black Light, being related to death, peace, is somehow disruptive, on principle, to the Spectre's purpose.

What could kill this theory is that the BL Spectre spirit claims it wants Hal Jordan back, which could mean it's really the Spectre's will, perhaps wanting the "freedom" I alluded earlier....or, to save the theory, it could simply be a manifestation of Crispus Allen, claiming it wants Hal Jordan's soul back, so it could be bound to the Spectre, thus letting Allen's soul rest.

I dunno if that made any sense....but it's worth a try!

[gambello Sinestro's Sparring Partner Find all posts View Profile Close gambello]

My biggest fear is that Johns is going to retcon the Spectre and make him the rage entity.

[Mister Ed Horse of a Different Color Find all posts View Profile Close Mister Ed]

My biggest fear is that Johns is going to retcon the Spectre and make him the rage entity.

I did wonder that, after that one Book of the Black entry kinda opened the door for that. That would be totally stupid, and if it stuck, ruin the character entirely, IMHO.

[Orion Pax Iolande's Bodyguard Find all posts View Profile Close Orion Pax]

I did wonder that, after that one Book of the Black entry kinda opened the door for that. That would be totally stupid, and if it stuck, ruin the character entirely, IMHO.

Also, inst The Spectre an agent of God or something?

[Dr. Naysay Guardian of the Universe Find all posts View Profile Close Dr. Naysay]

Also, inst The Spectre an agent of God or something?

Has the Spectre been explained on New Earth?

Maybe he's just a really big angry ghost now....

[Knuckles Corps Honor Guard Find all posts View Profile Close Knuckles]

Has the Spectre been explained on New Earth?

Maybe he's just a really big angry ghost now....

[Mister Ed Horse of a Different Color Find all posts View Profile Close Mister Ed]

Has the Spectre been explained on New Earth?

Maybe he's just a really big angry ghost now....

Yeah, he's the anti-Casper!

(And of course, that wouldn't be a retcon, because it's New Earth! )

[Knuckles Corps Honor Guard Find all posts View Profile Close Knuckles]

so what do u guys think of it?

[Guest Close Shingo Wol]

I thought it was allright. Didnt like how It alluded to Nanda Parbat being part of the Brightest day though. Or how The Stranger hinted at Boston Brand Getting Resserected.

other than that, Great issue.

[Cervantas Kyle's Nude Model Find all posts View Profile Close Cervantas]

I picked this up not having read Phantom Stranger in the past. Was hoping it would have some backstory on who the Stranger is. But overall I found the issue ok.