One can only imagine Grant Morrison or Peter David's take on The Spirit... ;)

Anyway, yes. Part of what makes The Spirit work is that whirl from gritty reality to sheer lunacy--all of it done noir, of course, but with the right touch--say, Will Eisner's, for example--even noir can be goofy.

I'd feel better about the project if someone with proven chops on the lighter side were involved. To really work, this movie doesn't have to be dark. It has to be pulpy.