Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #61
Published March-April 1966
Frequency Bi-monthly
Cover Price 0.12
Pages 36
Editing Julius Schwartz

Cover Details - "Beyond the Sinister Barrier"

Characters The Spectre
Genre Super-hero; Occult
Pencils Murphy Anderson
Inks Murphy Anderson

1 page public service announcement "Do You Make Life Hard for Yourself?"

Script Jack Schiff
Pencils Bernard Baily
Inks Bernard Baily
Letters Ira Schnapp
Notes This item appears on the inside front cover, in black and white. In the title, the word "You" is underlined.

23 page The Spectre story "Beyond the Sinister Barrier!"

Characters The Spectre; Shathan (villain); Azmodus (flashback)
Synopsis The Spectre battles the demonic Shathan the Eternal.
Genre Super-hero; Occult
Script Gardner Fox
Pencils Murphy Anderson
Inks Murphy Anderson
Notes Single picture of The Spectre from page 3, panel 1 is reprinted in The Spectre #10 with a background of a business envelope. May have been used as or intended for use as a letter column head. Source and speculation from Ted Watson via the error-list (October 2007) Credits for script, pencils and inks (all of which are given in the splash panel) confirmed from Julius Schwartz's editorial records, provided by DC Comics [May 2008]. Story is divided into three parts, with page 6, 16 and 24 being 0.66 each, 6 & 24 each having a house ad beneath, while 16 has Sequence 7.
Reprinted in Spectre, The (DC, 1967 series) #10 (Spectre figure only); in Adventure Comics (DC, 1938 series) #492 (October 1982)

Half page Direct Currents promo (ad from the publisher) "By popular demand--the feature you've asked for...."

Synopsis Promotional capsule descriptions for Blackhawk #219, Hawkman #13, Lois Lane #64, Our Fighting Forces #99, 80 Page Giant--The Flash #160, Sugar and Spike #64, Tales of the Unexpected #94, Star Spangled War Stories #126 and Superboy #128.
Letters Typeset
Notes This feature appears on the bottom half of the page following Sequence 2, p. 6, shared with a paid ad.

Half page Cap's Hobby Hints filler "Here are some tips...."

Characters Cap
Synopsis Formerly the humor cartoon Cap's Hobby Shop, the feature turns serious, here giving some general helpful tips to model enthusiasts. It also asks readers to send in their own, with those whose submissions are depicted receiving $5.00 and the original artwork. The vast majority of subsequent entries would be based on readers' submissions.
Pencils Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Inks Henry Boltinoff (signed)
Notes This item appears on the top half of the page following Sequence 3, with Sequence 5 below it.

Half page What's the Difference Between-- filler "Tornado...Cyclone...Hurricane"

Synopsis A description of the distinctions between the three titular weather phenomena.
Genre Fact
Notes Appears beneath Sequence 4.

1 page cartoon "Cloud 9"

Synopsis Four one-panel gag-cartoons, all involving ghost-like angels on clouds.
Genre Humor
Script Mort Drucker
Pencils Mort Drucker (signed)
Inks Mort Drucker (signed)
Letters Mort Drucker
Notes Follows the page with Sequences 4 & 5, between pages 6 & 7 of the main story.

Half page Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation statement of ownership

Synopsis The annual legal requirement.
Script Irwin Donenfeld (signed)
Letters Typeset
Notes This appears on the bottom third of the main story's page 16.

1 page Readers' Rendezvous letters page "With this second showcasing of The Spectre...."

Synopsis One reader's letter each, after an editorial introduction, on the two Dr. Fate/Hourman team-ups in Showcase #s 55 & 56, and the Starman/Black Canary ones in Brave & Bold #s 61 & 62.
Script Julius Schwartz (?)
Letters Typeset
Notes Appears between pages 16 & 17 of the main story.