The Octopus (comics)

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Publication information
The Octopus
Although The Octopus had faced The Spirit many times throughout the run of the feature - it is probably the six part Showdown with The Octopus series which appeared in 1947 that most fans remember the character for.
First appearance	First appearance: 14 July 1946
Created by	Will Eisner

The Octopus is a fictional character from the comic book The Spirit, by writer-artist Will Eisner. He first appeared in The Spirit in July 14, 1946 and became the primary nemesis in later stories. The Octopus has never showed his face in the stories but readers could always identify the character by the distinctive gloves he always wore. The Octopus, a madman, is always heard, but never seen except for his gloved hands. A master of disguise, The Octopus was involved in the epic fight with The Spirit which left Denny Colt blinded.

1 Origin
2 "Showdown With the Octopus"
3 Appearances
4 Film
5 References

[edit] Origin

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An origin story tells of 'Zitzbath Zark', a young man who seems to have been killed when trying to blow up the city's power plant. However, a month later Zark's mother receives a package - it contains some jewelry along with a note: 'From "Z" with love'. She throws the package out, shouting that: "He probably stole them. He should burn", not realizing that she is being watched across the street by her son.

Time moves onto the present day (in this case, 1966), and Zark's mother has found The Spirit and asks him for help in finding her son. It is revealed that The Octopus is alive and well and planning a major robbery - at this stage one of his men decides to leave.

The Spirit is at police headquarters when a man asks to see him - it is the man who left The Octopus earlier. With The Spirit is Zark's mother, who immediately shoots the man when he tries to speak - she tells The Spirit that it is her son. However, with his last breath the man tells The Spirit that in fact it is The Octopus who is disguised as his own mother.

Finding himself cornered, The Octopus jumps into a blazing incinerator - after the incinerator has been cooled down no trace of The Octopus is found.

[edit] "Showdown With the Octopus"

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The story starts with The Spirit getting a beating from The Octopus to try and uncover some information about a stolen bankroll which had been hidden by 'Spider Webb', who died in The Spirit's arms. With The Spirit missing from Central City (having been taken by The Octopus for further interrogation), Commissioner Dolan assigns young officer Sam Klink to find him and the payroll.

Finding The Spirit along with Crusher, The Octopus' right hand man, who is put into prison, Klink congratulates himself. The Spirit goes off on a picnic, and stumbles across the payroll.

Releasing the false information to the press that Crusher has escaped jail, The Octopus tracks him down, only to find The Spirit as well! Killing Crusher (who had seen the face of The Octopus), a major fight ensues in which The Octopus first nicks The Spirit's left hand with a gun shot, and then his face! The gun flash so close to his face causes The Spirit to temporarily lose his vision, but he still fights on.

With the police rapidly closing in on the two, The Octopus releases a grenade which seemingly kills him instantly as a body is found, but it also blinds The Spirit.

Receiving medical attention, The Spirit is captured by Mr Carrion who has found a new miracle cure called Fluid X - during a fight with the villain on a ship there is an explosion, which along with the Fluid X causes The Spirit's vision to return.

As for The Octopus, he would reappear alive and well several months later in the story "Umbrella Handles

[edit] Appearances

14 July 1946 - "The Postage Stamp"
17 November 1946 - "Return to Caramba"
1 December 1946 - "The Portier Fortune"
6 July 1947 - "Wanted - Mortimer J. Titmouse"
10 August 1947 - "Sign of The Octopus" aka "Klink Versus The Octopus"
17 August 1947 - "The Picnic"
24 August 1947 - "Showdown with The Octopus"
28 December 1947 "Umbrella Handles"
25 January 1948 - Montabaldo"
1 February 1948 - "El Espirito"
1 August 1948 - "The Eisner Travel Agency"
31 October 1948 - "Hallowe'en Spirit"
5 December 1948 - "Stop the Plot"
26 December 1948 - "Will Eisner's Almanack" (cameo)
4 February 1951 - "Showdown with The Octopus" (reprint)
11 February 1951 - "Octopus Back in U.S.A."
18 February 1951 - "To The Spirit with Love"
25 February 1951 - "The Portier Fortune" (revised reprint)
18 March 1951 - "Darling Unmasks The Octopus"
15 July 1951 - "Heat" (cameo)
22 July 1951 - "Hospital Zone - Quiet"
25 November 1951 - "I Hate The Spirit Because Contest" aka "The League of Liars" (cameo)

[edit] Film

Main article: The Spirit (film)

From The Spirit Samuel Jackson as The Octopus in the The Spirit.

On July 19, 2006, The Hollywood Reporter reported that comic book writer/artist Frank Miller would write and direct the feature film adaptation The Spirit,^[1] previously announced as a project in 2004.^[2] The film is scheduled for release by Lionsgate on January 19, 2009.^[3] The film will feature Gabriel Macht in the title role, and Samuel L. Jackson as the criminal The Octopus.