The Spectre entered a coma after fighting the Anti-Monitor at the Dawn of Time in Crisis on Infinite Earths #10. He was being assisted by all of Earth's magical protectors but was unable to completely defeat the Anti-Monitor.
- The Anti-Monitor tried to ursup the energies which would convert the newly aborning DC Universe into a Multiverse. The Spectre, aided by all of Earth's magical guardians attempts to stop him. They are ultimately unsuccessful and the Specter is rendered comatose.
The Spectre appears before the Anti-Monitor, channeling all of the mystical energy of Earth's most powerful sorcerers. He attacks the Anti-Monitor directly and their fight unleashes an explosion of energy, which appears to consume all reality.
The Spectre is later seen in Crisis On Infinite Earths #12 in a comatose state, unable to be roused by Earth's sorcerous elite.
The Spectre, as a character had become quite a problem for the DC Universe because his powers made him almost omnipotent and this became a convenient way of neutralizing the character until the editors could decide a new direction for the character.
- Following the Crisis, Corrigan found that much of the Spectre's power had been stripped from him, and that the Spectre could not exist outside of him for more than 48 hours, otherwise both of them would cease to exist. Eventually, in his first encounter with the Martian Manhunter, Corrigan learned that, feeling the weight of his alienation from normal people, he had split the Spectre's power in two, using one half of that power to create a simulacrum of his living body. With this understanding, Corrigan dissolved the simulacrum and reclaimed the other half of his power.
Several attempts would be made to destroy the Spectre using the Spear of Destiny, when his power seemed out of control and eventually Jim Corrigan would give up the struggle and retire to Heaven.
The Spear of Destiny was eventually retrieved by a group called the National Interest, who sought to use the Spear to eliminate the Spectre. In the end, the Spectre prevailed, reclaiming the Spear and once more casting it into outer space. In time, Corrigan grew tired, the anger and rage that had kept him going now a burden. He relinquished his role as the Spectre and passed on into Heaven, letting the Spectre Force return whence it came.
This new direction would eventually come when DC would remove the previous host character Jim Corrigan and allow him to go to Heaven. Then a renegade angel would attempt to steal the power of the Spectre and this would cause the power to need to seek a new host.
The new host was the recently deceased Hal Jordan who had disgraced the Green Lantern Corps by trying to reverse the destruction of Coast City under the influence of Parallax, a fear-causing entity bound in the Green Central Power Battery (and reputed to be the cause of the inability of the rings to affect yellow objects.)
Hal Jordan becomes the Spectre, the Spectre returns to the DC Universe, a bit out of control and there is a period of adjustment for all involved.
Eventually, Corrigan's soul finds peace. He relinquishes the Spectre and goes on to the afterlife. The role of the Spectre is later assumed by Hal Jordan, the spirit of the former Green Lantern, during the Day of Judgment storyline written by Geoff Johns, when a fallen angel attempts to gain the Spectre's power. Corrigan is asked to come back, but refuses as he has found peace.
The Spectre chooses Jordan as his new host because Jordan seeks to atone for his universe-threatening actions as the villainous Parallax. His next appearance was in a four-part story arc in Legends of the DC Universe #33–36.
