Comic Title: Spectre #10
Publisher: DC (National Periodical Publications, Inc.)
Address: 909 Third Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: May/Jun 1969
On Sale Date: March 18, 1969 Copyright Date March 18, 1969
Source: Library of Congress, Periodicals 1969

Newsstand Date March 18, 1969
Source: Comic Reader, #72

Frequency: Bi-monthly
Cover Price: $0.12
Page Count: 32
Editor: Dick Giordano

Title: "How Much Can a Guy Take?"
Pages: 5

Feature(s):
Spectre (of Earth-2)

Artist: Jack Sparling

Reprinted In:
Showcase Presents:The Spectre TPB (2012)
Spectre:The Wrath of the Spectre Omnibus HC (2020)

Feature Character(s)

• Spectre (last appearance in Spectre #10; next appearance in Spectre #10)

Villain(s)

• Nichols (a thief; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Allie Johnson (a bootblack; no further appearances)
• Mary and two children (Allie's wife and kids; no further appearances)

Synopsis:
In high school Allie Johnson was thought to be a nice guy who would grow up to become a lawyer or doctor. Instead Allie became a shoe shine man who can barely feed his family. Nichols, a former classmate, has become a financial success and taunts Allie daily while getting his shoes shined.

After considerable humiliation, Allie breaks down and tries to steal a briefcase from Nichols that supposedly contains a fortune. Nichols catches him, so Allie pulls a gun. The Spectre stops him from shooting, then shows him that the briefcase is empty. He also shows Allie that Nichols is a criminal. After preventing Allie from becoming a murderer, the Spectre takes retribution on Nichols.