Gotham by Midnight #1 Cover (New 52 Spectre) (Midnight Shift 1st appearance)

This is one for the wife's collection!

Gotham by Midnight Vol. 1 "We Do Not Sleep" written by Ray Fawkes and illustrated by Ben Templesmith is my wife's singularly favorite comic. For some reason, it hadn't occurred to us to check Ben's site to see if any art from the series was still available. The idea struck us like an epiphany over the holidays, and lo and behold not only was art available, but the single best piece - the #1 cover - was there to be had! In a surreal moment we anxiously put in the order and waited to hear the inevitable certainty that the piece had already been sold. Surely a #1 Spectre cover from 2014 couldn't still be available in 2020.

To our joy, this gorgeous cover is now in hand. Gotham by Midnight is an incredibly unique take on The Spectre, utilizing the character as a midnight shift detective investigating the paranormal and unnatural in Gotham City. Ben Templesmith's art perfectly complements the ghost-of-the-week storytelling as it twists and turns into an overarching narrative. Give it a read! And if you don't trust my recommendation, trust my wife's!

This cover is also the first appearance of a slew of characters comprising the aptly titled Midnight Shift. The first appearances include:

Det. Lisa Drake
Lt. Weaver
Dr. Szandor Tarr
Sister Justine
Sgt. Rook

An incredible thanks to Ben Templesmith for helping make this acquisition happen! My wife had a blast meeting him at the 2019 HeroesCon as well and we've included a picture of her signed TPB from the con.

Published: November 26, 2014
Published as TPB cover: August 25, 2015