Wrath of the Spectre #4 (1988)

A number of buildings have been set on fire by an unknown arsonist and both Detective Jim Corrigan and reporter Earl Crawford investigate the case. When another building is set on fire, Corrigan saves some innocents from the fire by transforming into The Spectre and Crawford's theory about a ghost in town is reassured. Crawford continues his investigations until he learns that the possible arsonist is one Freddy "The Torch" Fisher, an arsonist working for slumlord Harrison DeMarko. Meanwhile, The Spectre learns the same information by interrogating one of the souls of the victims that died in the most recent fire. At that moment, Fisher is about to burn another building when he is spotted by Crawford. The reporter proceeds to take out his camera in order to capture the moment of the crime, but when Fisher lights the matches, The Spectre comes out of the fire and confronts the arsonist. Fisher draws his gun and shoots at The Spectre, who uses his cape to cover himself and the bullets ricochet back into Fisher's body. The arsonist is killed and The Spectre vanishes, but the whole event was captured in photos by Earl Crawford, who leaves them to be revealed at the editorial office of the newspaper as evidence of his ghost theory. Once the pictures are developed, Crawford's editor assumes that the reporter forged the images in order to validate his theory and murdered a criminal in the process. The New York City Police Department arrive soon at Crawford's place and he is arrested before the trial, where all the evidence seems to point to him as the killer of Fisher. However, Crawford tells the jury the truth of the events and he is found not guilty by reason of insanity. After the veredict, Crawford is taken to a mental hospital for the criminally insane.