Doctor Spektor
Encyclopedia
Doctor Spektor is a fictional comic book
"occult detective
" that appeared in Western Publishing
's Gold Key Comics
. Created by writer Donald Glut and artist Dan Spiegle
, he first appeared in Mystery Comics Digest #5 (July 1972)
#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 of 1982. It reprinted issue #1, but with a line-art cover instead of the original painted cover.
Dark Horse Comics
announced they will be producing the Doctor Spektor Archives Series starting in 2010. Volume one covers the first seven issues plus his first appearance in Mystery Comics Digest #5. Volume two has issues #8-12 plus, Spektor appearances from Spine-Tingling Tales #4, Mystery Comics Digest #10, #11, and #21, and Golden Comics Digest #25, #26, and #33. Volume three has issues #13-18 plus Spektor narrated stories from Spine-Tingling Tales #1 and 2. Volume four has issues #19-24 and Gold Key Spotlight #8 plus extras.
investigator, dealing with various occult menaces, such as mummies (Ra-Ka-Tep), vampire
s (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, 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 several issues, Spektor became a werewolf (#11-13).
Issues #2 to 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 #1) appeares 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.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
"occult detective
Occult detective
Occult detective stories combine the tropes of the detective story with those of supernatural horror fiction. Unlike the traditional detective the occult detective is employed in cases involving ghosts, curses, and other supernatural elements...
" that appeared in Western Publishing
Western Publishing
Western Publishing, also known as Western Printing and Lithographing Company was a Racine, Wisconsin firm responsible for publishing the Little Golden Books. Western Publishing also produced children's books and family-related entertainment products as Golden Books Family Entertainment...
's Gold Key Comics
Gold Key Comics
Gold Key Comics was an imprint of Western Publishing created for comic books distributed to newsstands. Also known as Whitman Comics, Gold Key operated from 1962 to 1984.-History:...
. Created by writer Donald Glut and artist Dan Spiegle
Dan Spiegle
Dan Spiegle is an American comic book and cartoon artist and illustrator . He has had a long career in drawing comics based on movie and television characters, and has worked for companies including Dell Comics, DC Comics and Marvel Comics.-Life and career:In his second year of high school,...
, he first appeared in Mystery Comics Digest #5 (July 1972)
Publication history
After his first appearance in a 10-page story in Mystery Comics DigestMystery Comics Digest
Mystery Comics Digest was one of three digest size comics published by Gold Key Comics in the early 1970s. The other two were Golden Comics Digest and Walt Disney 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
Golden Comics Digest
Golden Comics Digest was one of three digest size comics published by Gold Key Comics in the early 1970s. The other two were the Mystery Comics Digest and Walt Disney Comics Digest....
#25, #26, and #33.
Under the Whitman Comics name, issue #25 was released in May of 1982. It reprinted issue #1, but with a line-art cover instead of the original painted cover.
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
announced they will be producing the Doctor Spektor Archives Series starting in 2010. Volume one covers the first seven issues plus his first appearance in Mystery Comics Digest #5. Volume two has issues #8-12 plus, Spektor appearances from Spine-Tingling Tales #4, Mystery Comics Digest #10, #11, and #21, and Golden Comics Digest #25, #26, and #33. Volume three has issues #13-18 plus Spektor narrated stories from Spine-Tingling Tales #1 and 2. Volume four has issues #19-24 and Gold Key Spotlight #8 plus extras.
Fictional character biography
Doctor Adam Spektor is an occultOccult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
investigator, dealing with various occult menaces, such as mummies (Ra-Ka-Tep), vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
s (Baron Tibor, Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
), werewolves, and more. He is aided by Lakota Rainflower, his Sioux
Sioux
The Sioux are Native American and First Nations people in North America. The term can refer to any ethnic group within the Great Sioux Nation or any of the nation's many language dialects...
secretary (until issue #22), along with several semi-recurring assistants (Elliot Kane in issue #4, 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 several issues, Spektor became a werewolf (#11-13).
Issues #2 to 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
Tragg and the Sky Gods
Tragg and the Sky Gods was a comic book title published by Gold Key Comics in the mid 1970s. The series was created by writer Donald Glut and artist Jesse Santos. Later, artist Dan Spiegle would work on the title....
and Dagar
Dagar the Invincible
Tales of Sword and Sorcery Featuring Dagar the Invincible is a comic book series created by writer Donald Glut and artist Jesse Santos for Western Publishing' Gold Key Comics line.-Publication history:...
. Tragg and Lorn make cameo appearances in issue #19. Ostellon, Master of the Living Bones (from Dagar #1) appeares 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
Owl (Dell Comics)
The Owl is a fictional superhero character who first appeared in Dell Comics in 1940; not to be confused with the Marvel Comics villain of the same name or with DC Comics’ Owlman.-Fictional biography:...
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 through 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, no.3 (Jan.-March 2003) pp.16-17.
- "Index and Price Guide for The Occult Files of Doctor Spektor." Trashfiend vol.1, no.3 (Jan.-March 2003) pp.18-19.