Spirit, The #11

Spirit, The #11
Released by: Dynamite Entertainment
Released on: June 1st, 2016.
Written by: Matt Wagner
Illustrated by: Dan Schkade
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A ridiculously awesome and dramatic splash page done in the grand Eisner tradition starts this issue off - a woman answers the phone, we see her in silhouette - the man on the other end tells her 'Your man is dead and the police are looking for you!'

Meanwhile, Ellen leaves her injured father in the care of Miss Buntz so that she can head out into the city and get some work done. She heads to her office but Marjorie Brim, her assistant, isn't there. She heads to Councilman Palmer's office to get some paperwork she needs and hears him talking to someone about the botched assassination attempt and how The Spirit will find him! Palmer splits and Ellen tries to break into his office but before she can do that she's accosted by a Officer Klink who tells her of the explosion that happened at the cemetery. He tells her that Archie was caught in the blast.

Meanwhile, Sachet Spice and her small army of goons head to the airport to get out of town. Once she's gone, the thugs are to burn down the Eporium Imports building - no evidence, no survivors. But before they can get her to her car, The Spirit shows up and a fight breaks out. Just as he's about to nab Spice, a well-meaning cop arrives on the scene thinking he's a troublemaker. Spice makes her escape but The Spirit gives chase.

In a hospital room, Archie Shale seems to be recovering from the wounds he got from the cemetery explosion with the help of Miss Brim. Ellen arrives just in time to see her plant a kiss on his cheek - is this the out she needs from her engagement? But let's get back to The Spirit - he, with some help from Strunk and White, catch up to Spice… will he be able to bring her in and solve the mystery of his abduction or will she make her escape somehow, someway….? Yeah, this isn't even close to over yet.

Wagner's deliciously complicated saga continues, plenty of twists and turns in this issue as a few of the storylines from past issues get wrapped up while a few others get seriously expanded on. This series has been building nicely since the first issue and the continuity is at the point now where the book is going to reward long time readers more than first time readers, but that's ok. Just make sure you're caught up before jumping in. Wagner is still writing the dialogue in perfect period style and he's still injecting the right amount of humor in alongside the action and the intrigue - and this time around? We get a little bit of romance too!

Dan Schkade's artwork is moody and shadowy and nicely atmospheric but not overdone. It suits the material perfectly and pays homage to Eisner's style without completely aping it. He puts his own spin on things and the books looks great. Brennan Wagner's coloring and Eric Powell's beautifully pulpy cover art is the icing on the cake!