See DC's New Strongest Hero Use Their Powers for the First Time

Published Aug 2, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT Shaun Corley has been with ScreenRant for over 5 years, and is currently the Coordinator for PR and Outreach for the Comics Team. Warning: contains possible spoilers for JSA #22! There is a new strongest hero in the DC Universe, and they are using their powers for the first time. While characters like Superman, Wonder Woman or Captain Marvel may immediately come to mind as some of DC’s most powerful heroes, there are in fact those who put them to shame. Many of these heroes originate from the magical side of the DC Universe. The Spectre, one of the oldest characters in this corner, is also one of its most powerful. Debuting early in the Golden Age of Comics, the Spectre helped lay the foundation for all other magic/supernatural characters to come. With his green cloak and ghostly complexion, the Spectre cut an eerie presence in the earliest days of the medium. A founding member of the Justice Society of America, the Spectre has remained a fan favorite for 85 years. The Spectre first appeared in More Fun Comics #52, and was created by Jerry Siegel and Bernard Baily. As the Spectre’s mythology has progressed, various people have held the mantle. Jim Corrigan is the best known host for the Spectre, but the two have parted ways. In the pages of JSA, the Spectre-entity has been on the search for a new host, and found one in Yolanda Montez, the second Wildcat. The Spectre-entity is hard to control, as Wildcat, and the Justice Society, discover in a preview for issue 22. Wildcat Yolanda Montez Kicks Off Her Run as the Spectre in a Grand Fashion Can the Justice Society Stop Their Former Teammate? JSA #22 is written by Jeff Lemire and drawn by Diego Olortegui, and is the concluding chapter in “The Search for the Spectre.” As the name implies, the Justice Society has been trying to contain the Spectre, who was running rampant without a host. In situations where the Spectre does not have one, it becomes a mindless force of rage and wrath. Hosts, like Jim Corrigan, help tether the Spectre, tempering its worst aspects. In the previous issue, the Spectre chose Wildcat for its new host, and in this preview, she gets a taste of the power the entity contains. She travels to Belle Reve Prison, entering effortlessly. Bypassing other incarcerated villains, she comes to Lady Kobra, who murdered her mentor, the previous Wildcat Ted Grant. Wildcat/Spectre walks through the bars of Kobra’s prison, seemingly dissolving them into nothingness as she does. The new Spectre pronounces judgment on Lady Kobra, condemning her to death, and as the preview ends, the Justice Society confronts their former teammate. The Spectre's Powers Are Vast, and Wildcat is Learning This Quickly Since the Spectre’s introduction, fans have seen the character use his powers in creative and visually stunning ways. While the Spectre’s Golden Age adventures created the template for these types of characters, it would be his Silver Age appearances that used him to his full visual potential. It was not uncommon in this era for the Spectre to grow to massive proportions, to the point where he could hurl planets and suns at his opponents. These stories showed the grand scope the Spectre worked on. However, Fleisher and Aparo took this aspect of the character to its brutal and violent extreme, depicting the Spectre killing his victims in gruesome fashions that were reminiscent of the classic, pre-Code horror titles. Then, a few years later, in the Bronze Age, the Spectre’s adventures took a dark turn. Under the guidance of writer Michael Fleisher and artist Jim Aparo, the Spectre once again became a grim dispenser of justice. However, Fleisher and Aparo took this aspect of the character to its brutal and violent extreme, depicting the Spectre killing his victims in gruesome fashions that were reminiscent of the classic, pre-Code horror titles. Fleisher and Aparo pushed the boundaries of the Comics Code with their Spectre run. Can Wildcat Control the Spectre? And now the Spectre has chosen Wildcat as its new host, inaugurating this new era in a dramatic fashion. Belle Reve is one of the most secure sites in the DC Universe, and the bars of its cells are no doubt made from some of the strongest available materials, yet the Spectre was able to dissolve them with but a thought. Wildcat is still learning to control the entity, which is unfortunate for her Justice Society teammates. Given the display of power seen in this preview, the JSA will have their work cut out for them as they attempt to reign in their old friend. JSA #22 is on sale August 5 from DC Comics!