The Spectre from DC/Vertigo, seems to have some of the most impressive feats, yet some of the lowest and most embarassing showings as well.
When pitted against other characters from DC/Marvel/Image, is it possible to be consistant ? Or do we always gauge him at full potential automatically ?
Classic Spectre was defeated by the Spear of Destiny.
Hal Jordan Spectre was duped by the likes of Darksied and Stigmonus.
Spectre had also been defeated by the Anti Monitor, Mr. Myx, and Emporer Joker.
Not to mention total manipulation at the hands of Eclipso.
AS well as being beaten by Micheal, and dissed by Lucifer.
Yet at the same time, he has merged with all. He has survived the journey to and from the Source. He had destroyed the Lords of Chaos and Order, emilimating the Ninth Age of Magic, destroying the disembodied form of Nabu.
He is virtually immortal and nearly omnipotent.
So what's the deal ?
How can one properly gauge or pit Spectre against anyone ?
Some claim that Spectre would defeat Thanos with IG, rather easily, yet beings of far lesser power than the IG have gotten the better of Spectre.
So I don't get it...can someone explain this to me ?
Well, then again Spawn had both the most impressive feats (scarring Mammon, killing Malebolgia, recreating the Earth, defeating Zera, defeating Urizen, etc.) as well as the most embarrassing (defeat by gunshot to the head, being taken prisoner by the Curse, being defeated by the Ku Klux Klan, etc.).
However, Spawn had existed through different ages and power levels, through his personal evolution.
What are you talking about?
You sure you've read read his books and understood what was happening?
Spectre's History has only been retconned twice,iirc.
The last one being in V4 when Spectre became the Logoz.(which makes him more powerful,anyway).
Spectre has had inconsistant showings. Sometimes he is virtually omnipotent, other times he is extremely physically/mentally vulnerable.
I already gave my examples:
So..
In pitting Spectre against Thanos w IG, how do we properly gauge Spectre and assume that he cannot be defeated by Thanos w IG, when he was defeated/stomped by weaker characters ?
the way I've always seen it with the Spectre is that he has exactly enough power to accomplish the task that Heaven wants him to. If the Presence was opposed to the action that the Spectre was attempting, the Spectre would be powerless to perform it. However, if the Presence is not specifically opposed, then he has what I guess would be his "standard" level of power, which is pretty insanely high. Finally, if it's an action the Presence specifically decrees, he can draw on any level of power in order to accomplish it. Thus, because the Presence did not specifically want him to destroy magic in Days of Vengeance, he was able to be harmed by the amped Captain Marvel. Further, it's the same reason why beings like Micheal and Lucifer can humble him- they are higher up in the Heavenly hierarchy, and thus, because of their precedence in terms of the wishes of the Presence, they are more powerful than him. I've always interpreted it literally when its mentioned that the Spectre is one of the "hands of god." his power level is dependent upon the wishes of his master.