Doctor Spektor

Doctor Spektor is a fictional comic book " occult detective" that appeared in Western Publishing's Gold Key Comics.Plowright, Frank ''The Slings and Arrows Comic Guide''. Great Britain : Slings & Arrows, 2003 (p.189) Created by writer Donald F. Glut and artist Dan Spiegle, he first appeared in ''Mystery Comics Digest'' #5 (July 1972).

Publication history

After his first appearance in a 10-page story in '' Mystery Comics Digest'' #5, Dr. Spektor was spun off into his own title, ''The Occult Files of Doctor Spektor''. The series ran for 24 issues (May 1973 - February 1977). His final original story appeared in one issue of ''Gold Key Spotlight'' (#8, August 1977). Jesse Santos replaced Spiegle as artist on the series, and remained there for the entire run.

Dr. Spektor appeared in all four issues of Gold Key's ''Spine-Tingling Tales'' (1975–76), where he provided linking narration for some of the stories within (these stories were reprints from ''Mystery Comics Digest'' that dealt with characters who later appeared in his title). He also had stories he narrated in ''Mystery Comics Digest'' #10, #11, #12, and #21, and articles in '' Golden Comics Digest'' #25, #26, and #33.

Under the Whitman Comics name, issue #25 was released in May 1982. It reprinted issue #1, but with a line-art cover instead of the original painted cover.

In 2014, Dynamite Entertainment released a new version of ''Doctor Spektor'', written by Mark Waid and drawn by Neil Edwards, as part of the company's revival of several Gold Key characters which also included Magnus, Robot Fighter, Dr. Solar and Turok.

Fictional character biography

Doctor Adam Spektor is an occult investigator, dealing with various occult menaces, such as mummies (Ra-Ka-Tep), vampires (Baron Tibor, Dracula), werewolves, and more. He is aided by Lakota Rainflower, his Sioux secretary (until issue #22), along with several semi-recurring assistants (Elliot Kane in issue #4 and #10, future love interest Lu-Sai in issues #12 and #24, his cousin Anne Sara in issue #17). Several of the monsters he encounters return in subsequent issues, and for three issues, Spektor became a werewolf (#11-13).

Issues #2–11 contain short stories in the back 'from the occult files of Doctor Spektor' and narrated by Spektor, which many times include creatures and characters from the main series such as Durak (or at least his knife), Elliot Kane, and others.

Don Glut had Dr. Spektor crossover with several of his other Gold Key characters such as Tragg and Dagar. Tragg and Lorn make cameo appearances in issue #19. Ostellon, Master of the Living Bones (from ''Dagar the Invincible'' #1), appears in issue #7; issue #15 concludes a story begun in ''Dagar'' #13, and Durak from ''Dagar'' appears in #16. Doctor Solar appears in several issues (#14, #18, #23), and Gold Key's the Owl appears in #22. Spektor also made a brief one-page appearance administering "Dr. Spektor's Creature Quiz" in Glut's children's book ''Monsters: Fiendish Facts, Quivery Quizzes and Other Grisly Goings-on'', also from Golden Press.

Powers and abilities

Dr. Spektor is a skilled investigator of the occult, and very knowledgeable about the lore of the paranormal. During issues #11-13 Dr. Spektor became a werewolf. During that time he possessed, while in werewolf form, increased strength, stamina, and invulnerability (except to silver weapons).

Further reading

* "Haunting Monsters: A Quick Peek Into ''The Occult Files of Doctor Spektor''" by Scott Aaron Stine. ''Trashfiend'' (vol. 1) #3 (Jan.-March 2003) pp. 16–17.
* "Index and Price Guide for ''The Occult Files of Doctor Spektor''". ''Trashfiend'' (vol. 1) #3 (Jan.-March 2003) pp. 18–19.

References

External links

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{{Gold Key Comics

1973 comics debuts
Spektor, Doctor Adam
Spektor, Doctor Adam
Detective comics
Fantasy comics
Occult detective fiction
Spektor, Doctor Adam
Spektor, Doctor Adam
Gold Key Comics titles