[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:The Spirit]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/spiritcomic.png]]
The Spirit [[BadassNormal does not have any super-powers nor does he have any special training]]. He is an excellent fighter, and survives mostly on force of will and luck. He works mainly out of Central City ([[BigApplesauce New York City]] in the first few issues) but often travels internationally. His base of operations is a crypt in Wildwood Cemetery that has been refitted for comfortable living.

His costume consists of [[CoatHatMask a blue suit, with white shirt and red tie, hat, gloves]] and [[DominoMask domino mask]]. Throughout the series he is seen in various states of undress, but he is never seen without the mask, aside from his very first adventure when he was still Denny Colt.

* BadassNormal: He's got no super powers but given his intellect, toughness and determination, he doesn't need them.
* BoxingBattler: He's a skilled boxer and it tends to be his go to fighting style, taking out most opponents with just his fists.
%%* CelibateHero
* ClarkKenting: When he needs to be in disguise, The Spirit dons a pair of large dark glasses and no one notices the mask. He has, on other occasions, simply ''removed'' his mask (more common in the Darwyn Cook-helmed reboot) since very few people know or care who "Denny Colt" is thanks to being legally dead.
%%* ChickMagnet
* CoatHatMask: He IS a pulp hero after all.
* DeadpanSnarker: Definetly carries shades of this, especially in his solo adventures.
* DatingCatwoman: Touches on this with Sands Sareef and Silk Satin.
* FedoraOfAsskicking: He's almost never seen without his famous hat and he can kick ass with the best of them.
* NiceGuy: When not whaling on criminals, The Spirit comes off as the nicest guy in the world
* TheNarrator: In the stories that he isnt the main character, The Spirit will often take the role of this.
* LightningBruiser: Can dish out and take a LOT of damage, despite essentially just being a brawler.
* JamesBondage: Would often find himself tied up by his various opponents.
* SupportingProtagonist: Oftentimes.
* WalkingShirtlessScene: Borders on this on occasion, especially during one series of stories where Spirit went off the grid in the Caribbean for a while.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Supporting Characters]]

!Commissioner Eustace ([[EmbarrassingMiddleName Diogenes]]) Dolan
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dolan_8.jpg]]

Commissioner of the Central City Police Department. Friend of Denny Colt. Dolan often competes with The Spirit in solving cases.

* AlterKocker: Invoked by name in TheMovie.
* TheCommissionerGordon
* CoolOldGuy:
* DistinguishedGentlemansPipe
* EmbarrassingMiddleName
* SecretKeeper: One of the few people who know that The Spirit is in fact Denny Colt.

!Ellen Dolan
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ellen_dolan_001.jpg]]

Daughter of Commissioner Dolan and girlfriend of The Spirit. (Though not always [[SheIsNotMyGirlfriend according to The Spirit himself]]). When she was first introduced, she was an upright psychology student with big ol' NerdGlasses; however, when The Spirit decided to [[TheGlassesGottaGo take her glasses off]] and give her a big smooch, she became considerably less upright.

* TheNotLoveInterest: Its on and off exactly how involved she and the Spirit are.
* ShesNotMyGirlfriend

!Ebony White
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ebony_white.jpg]]

Black kid sidekick to The Spirit and main provider of comic relief. (He was replaced later in the series by Sammy, a white boy, mainly due to concerns over racial stereotyping.)

* BookDumb: He's a smart kid, just uneducated.
* DeadpanSnarker: In the reboot.
* TheDriver: ''Underage'' driver.
* KidsDrivingCars: Ebony drives a cab for a living despite being underage.
* {{Sidekick}}
* UncleTomfoolery: Visually, if not characterwise.
** Undone in the Darwyn Cooke reboot for a more realistic characterization.

[[/folder]]

[[folder:Villains]]

!Doctor Cobra
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/doctor_cobra.jpg]]

Mad scientist whose chemicals and machinations inadvertently helped Denny Colt become the Spirit.

* CreateYourOwnHero: It is Cobra's experiments that cause Denny Colt to rise from the dead as the Spirit, and the Spirit's first heroic act is to take down Doctor Cobra.
* FourEyesZeroSoul
* MadScientist
* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: With a name like Doctor Cobra, it's no wonder he never made it as a general practitioner.

!Gerhard Shnobble
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gerhard.png]]

Complete nobody who finds that he can fly.

* {{Flight}}
* TheGreatestStoryNeverTold: Nobody noticed that he was flying because the Spirit was too busy fighting criminals at the time.
* TallPoppySyndrome: He first discovered he could fly as a child. His parents forbade him from ever flying again, afraid of what the world would think of him.

!Hazel P. Macbeth
[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hazel_2.jpg]]

Witch with apparent magical powers who often appears in Halloween themed stories.

* HotWitch

!Mr. Carrion
[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/carrion.jpg]]

Con man who has a pet vulture, Julia.

!The Octopus
[[quoteright:196:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/octopus_spirit_001.png]]

As the Arch-nemesis of The Spirit, The Octopus appears more often than any other non-cast member. His face is never seen: it is either obscured or hidden by a disguise. He can always be recognized by his distinctive gloves. His origin would be told, not in the original strip, but in a story penned by Eisner for a comic reprint series put out in the 1960s collecting the old Spirit stories in traditional comic format.

* ArchEnemy: To The Spirit
* TheFaceless: His face is not seen once in the entire comics run. Averted in the movie, in which Creator/SamuelLJackson plays him.
* IconicItem: The Octopus can always be identified by his striped gloves.
* StealthyCephalopod: {{Invoked|trope}}. He uses the octopus as his namesake, and always hides his appearance with obscuring clothes or by staying just outside the panels.

!P'Gell
[[quoteright:310:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pgell.jpg]]

Crime lord with a "black widow" m.o. who often tries to seduce The Spirit.

* BlackWidow
* TheVamp

!Plaster of Paris
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/plaster.jpg]]

Not much is known about the Plaster of Paris other then being a sexy French belly dancer and assassin in the employ of the Octopus. She is somewhat eccentric and is known to wield tri-pronged throwing knives and a sword.

Played by Creator/PazVega in the movie.

* BedlahBabe: her outfits usually invoke this.
* DanceBattler: Incorporates dance moves into her fighting style.
* EveryoneLooksSexierIfFrench
* EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench
* FemmeFatale
* GratuitousFrench: Peppers her speech with French words and expressions (invoking EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench).
* MsFanservice: Wears the skimpiest outfits of any of the Spirit's female foes.

!Sand Saref

Denny Colt's childhood friend who is, in actuality, a spy.
[[quoteright:239:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sand_serif.jpg]]

* ChildhoodFriend
* CopHater: Developed a hard-core hatred of cops due to her father being killed by one.
* FemmeFatale

!Silk Satin
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sylvia_satin_earth_spirit.jpg]]

Spy and potential alternate love interest for The Spirit.

* LadyOfAdventure
* StatuesqueStunner

!Silken Floss
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/silken_floss.jpg]]

Evil scientist who works with The Octopus.

* TheDragon: For the Octopus.
* FemmeFatale
* OnlySaneMan: At least in the movie. Though considering the company she keeps is typically the Octopus and/or his cloned henchman, well...
* PunchClockVillain

[[/folder]]