I have quite a long list (all on my mind, and doesn't work all right, I can't recall what comics are on the list but if I see them I recognize them) of comics I would like to have, and usually buy second hand, sales and similar. So the only new series I can say I follow is B.R.P.D.

A Hellboy spin-off. Not as pulp as Hellboy, lacks the pop nazis and other silly tones but has lots of weird science along a special operations group which isn't unbeatable.

The new Spirit series (actually, running since early 2007, so it isn't all that new anymore) is one of the few comics I'm actually always looking forward to read. Other series I read have the occasional good issue. The Spirit has had 26 entertaining issues out of 26 so far (yes, I know, there are more out already - I just have to get them from the store). What I especially like about it is that it keeps shifting between funny / goofy and dark / thrilling. For three issues, a undead and seemingly indestructable gangster tried to take revenge on The Spirit, hunting him down and putting him in hospital several times... and then, the next issue consists of him and Ellen on a cruise bickering all the time (with some small plot about a stolen necklace thrown in which doesn't really matter). And surprisingly, it works!

Didn't saw that one, barely took a look at the newest Spirit comics (I even forgot they keep making them). He is hard to recognize, now he has a human body.

On Eisner comics Ebony White is the character everybody notices, just lacks a thick deep south accent.

Now I'm thinking, he kept that look on all his other comics, like "Life on Another Planet". But I can't recall he did anything similar with asians, south americans nor any other group.

Are we talking about the same character? I'm attaching a scan from the new comic (first issue). Left the panel next to it so that everybody can get at least some sort of context as far as the look of all the people is concerned. The guy in the right panel is Ebony White. I think that guy looks fairly normal. A far cry from the monkey-like caricature he was (scroll way down to the end of the page).

Well, if you haven't seen the movie, better stay away from it. The actual movie makes the trailers look good. It's all so... pointless.

He keeps that silly 40's 'happy negro' look. But it's just a thing of it's time, after all Eisner cared more about doing interesting characters and original panels than keeping stereotypes.

Anyway, I doubt they would use make-up for him on a movie (imagine a guy on the black & white movies black man make-up, would look too cheesy).

And it looked cheesy enought for the little I saw, with the trailer I had more than enough. "I'm called Octopus because I have eight of everything".

I seriously wondered why they didn't have him in there. He is in the current comic, and there are no complaints about racism - because there isn't the slightest bit of racism in the portrayal of the character. Self-censorship in order to avoid offending anyone will kill this world.

I wonder what would have happened if they had added Ebony White to the film... But they would have changed his look no doubt.

Well, in spite of everything, I went to see the movie. It was really, really, really very bad. There are just too many things which were bad about it to list them all. A few main points, though: Why make the Spirit a superhero with superpowers? In the comics (at least the ones I've read), he's just a guy in a blue suit who has the advantage of being believed to be dead. Sure there were sometimes fantasy elements in the comic (like the classic story about the talking gorilla or the more recent storyline about this undead (?) gangster), but never something as silly as this siren in the water. And what's with the roof running? That, and the whole 'this is my city, it talks to me' thing would have been much more appropriate for a 'The Question' movie. The Octopus is a black guy in a 70s gangster outfit? Right, nevermind that he's introduced to have a nazi past in the comic and that we never get to see more than his trademark glove there. Finally, was that clone guy supposed to be funny? Yes, the comic has very goofy stuff as well. But at least that stuff is funny at times.

The only role I found somewhat compelling was that of Sand Saref. Though my usual complaint: she had little to do with the Sand Saref of the comic - she was actually a lot more like P'Gell. Though nevermind that - at least that was an archetypal 'femme fatale' role executed in a stylish fashion (I could have done with a few less 'perfect ass' jokes, of course - even the dumbest people in the cinema got it after the fifth time; no need to repeat if another ten times). The flashback about hers and Denny's youth had the exact opposite problem: It was directly lifted from the comic, but the acting in that scene was horrible.

Overall, in spite of my low expectations, a huge disappointment. I would at least have expected a somewhat entertaining movie, but this one was just.... boring.

What? Heresy! However, even accepting this objectively wrong premise, The Spirit is just top notch, way above the competition.

You should take a look at them, mainly to the one he did after retaking it (for a time he worked for the army making drawings for military publicity and information for soldiers). Will Eisner was one of the best comic creators, mainly because he was always trying new ways of using the images.

Never even heard of "the spirit" before. I'm really not into those golden age comics, especially not the old trenchcoat detective tpyes. They make me think of dick tracy, which i always hated.

http://www.shortpacked.com/d/20070319.html

Seriously, this sums it up accurately. I'm perfectly happy with the current comic series, it's a fun read. But this movie? If they want to do another muscle-freak superhero movie, why call it The Spirit? Mr Eisner is probably rotating in his grave

I have found recently about a new Spirit film, based on Will Eisner more know comics. There is more information at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spirit_(film), and all I have seen doesn't look serious. Spirit transformed into a Sin City look alike?