“The Second Death of the...Spectre.” The Spectre battles hoods “Ducky” McLaren, Mitch, Mugsy, and Al.
New York Police Detective Lieutenant Jim Corrigan gets a tip that “Ducky” McLaren and his gang want to give up their life of crime, but will surrender only to Corrigan. When Corrigan arrives alone at the designated location for the McLaren gang's surrender, he worries that he is no longer invulnerable. He finds out too late that he has been set up by the tipster and Ducky McLaren. Corrigan is riddled with bullets and dies. McLaren's thugs turn their guns on the tipster and kill him also. Then, Corrigan's body is left at Gwen Sterling’s door.
A memorial service is held for Corrigan at the cemetery. Jim's spirit is called by the celestial voice back to service as the Spectre. Corrigan transforms into the Spectre and immediately moves to avenge his own death. The Spectre passes through a wall of the McLaren hideout and breaks up a card game. The Spectre transforms McLaren’s rubber duck into a giant animated killer. Some of the McLaren gang try to flee in a car, but the Spectre enlarges his size, picks up the car like a toy, and hurls it into space.
At the close of the story, at Gwen Sterling’s home, she lies on her bed, staring at Jim’s picture. She is still devastated at Jim’s death. Jim appears as a ghost and tells her that he is once again the spectral shadow and he is again fulfilling his destiny to be evil’s executioner. Even knowing that Jim is again active as the Spectre, Gwen feels as if she has lost the love of her life.
- "The Second Death of the... Spectre" (Spectre) written by Michael Fleisher, penciled and inked by Jim Aparo.
- "Kings Make a Full House" (Seven Soldiers of Victory) written by Joe Samachson, penciled and inked by Mike Grell.
Notes
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