# Crispus Allen

Crispus "Cris" Allen is a fictional anti-hero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, created by Greg Rucka and Shawn Martinbrough while first debuting in Detective Comics #742 (March, 2000). While associated with Batman, Allen's character is the third mainstream incarnation of the Spectre, a supernatural cosmic being that embodies the divine wrath of God and punishes the guilty harshly.
Allen is depicted as an African-American detective and family man from Metropolis who transfer to Gotham City. Partnered with Renee Montoya, the pair are examples of dedicated and honest officers of law enforcement in Gotham, bringing justice to both criminals and corrupt officers alike. Detective Allen is eventually murdered by fellow officer but is resurrected as the human host of the Spectre.
The character appeared in the 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises and was played by Rob Brown, Andrew Stewart-Jones in the first season of the television series Gotham and by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith in Justice League, part of DC Extended Universe.

## Publication history

Greg Rucka and Shawn Martinbrough created the character in Detective Comics #742 (March 2000). Allen later went on to be one of the main characters in Gotham Central. After he was killed by a corrupt police technician named Jim Corrigan (unrelated to the Jim Corrigan who was a host of the Spectre), Allen became the third host for the Spectre.

## Fictional character biography

Originally from Metropolis, Detective Crispus Allen is a police veteran who transfers to Gotham City, where he is partnered with detective Renee Montoya. Allen has a loving wife and two teenaged sons, who he puts above his job and the safety of others. Allen sees Batman as a necessary evil, not wanting to deal with him but tolerating his presence. Their occasional interactions illustrate his views on Batman, notably during Brian Azzarello's "Broken City" storyline. Allen is an agnostic who doubts the existence of God in spite of his family's strong faith.

### The Spirit of Vengeance

Allen is killed by corrupt officer Jim Corrigan (unrelated to the original incarnation of Spectre). As a lost wandering soul unable to interact with the living, Allen is selected to be the Spectre's new host. While he initially refused, Allen reconsidered once frustrated with countless crimes going unpunished. Undergoing a trial of sorts to make his bond with Aztar permanent, Allen is conflicted in simply punishing the guilty only after a they committed a sin and in his final test Allen is forced to punish his young son when he kills Corrigan in revenge but learns the Spectre's role merely sends being to the afterlife to be judged but is granted a moment with his son by Aztar and fully accepts the responsibilities.
In Final Crisis, Cain uses the Spear of Destiny to separate Allen and the Spectre. However, Renee Montoya recovers the Spear, enabling Allen and the Spectre to reunite. In Blackest Night, Allen's original body is temporarily resurrected as a Black Lantern.

### Dawn of DC

In DC Power 2024, Allen's version of Spectre teams up with the Question (Renee Montoya), who acts voice of reason. Reminded of the importance of deductive ability, Allen punishes a therapist who uses therapeutic hypnosis to control a patient's power to manifest a monstrous creature and targets those whom she believed personally wronged her.

## Powers and abilities

As the Spectre, Allen possess the same typically associated with the character, which includes near omnipotent magical and physical abilities, making him capable of virtually any feat and to control space, time, reality, and matter. However, Allen's powers has limits; some stories depict him as being disallowed from directly interact with those unrelated to his divine mission in the world of living.

## Other versions

Crispus Allen makes a cameo appearance in Batman: Year 100 #3 via a photograph.

## In other media

* Crispus Allen appears in Gotham, portrayed by Andrew Stewart-Jones.
* Crispus Allen appears in Batman: Gotham Knight, voiced by Gary Dourdan. This version is the partner of Detective Anna Ramirez who originally despised Batman's vigilantism before changing his views after the Dark Knight saves him and Ramirez from a gang war.
* Crispus Allen appears in Justice League, portrayed by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith.