Daniel Llanso
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Daniel Llanso is a fictional comic book character based on the Hellspawn concept and the original Spawn character. The character and it's story were written by Alan McElroy.
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[edit] Publication history
Llanso was featured in the first four issues of the Curse of the Spawn series. Those issues were later compiled in the form of graphic novel in the book "Curse of the Spawn : Soul Sacrifice" (ISBN 1-58240-096-2). Leaving the story inconclusive, a more appropriate ending was told in a second graphic novel "Spawn : Blood & Salvation" (ISBN 1-5824-114-4).
[edit] History
The story is set in a distant future, though we are never aware of the exact date. Daniel Llanso was 6 years old when he killed his abusive father in order to protect his family. He then spent the remainder of his life in juvenile detention centers and prisons in the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos. Through flashbacks we learn that he killed again, including a prison mate who belittled him. We also learn that he enjoyed a brief love affair with his public defender, named Noon. She apparently died, but the cause is obscure.
Daniel dies as a young man, travelling from Mars to Earth. His ship is destroyed during its entry into the Earth's atmosphere. He then goes to Hell, where the current demon ruler, Phlegethonyarre, turns him into a Hellspawn. The reason that Daniel agrees to make a bargain to return to Earth is never clear, although we are meant to believe that it has something to do with his sister Madrid. Phlegethonyarre has a lot of faith in this Hellspawn, remarking that he is better than any of the previous ten. The demon wants Llanso to command his army as General, since the Armageddon has just begun and Earth is now a demon-infested, post-apocalyptic nightmare, where what's left of humanity fights to stay alive.
Llanso awakens years from his death, and his first deed is saving Madrid and her son from the Desiccator, a demon that sucks out the liquid of human corpses. Madrid doesn't recognize him and thinking that he is another demon sent to kill her, she shoots him. However, his nephew Matthew instinctively knows who the Hellspawn is. Confused about his existence and tormented by an inner voice that urges him to kill, Daniel at first joins Abaddon, chief of the demon locusts, in the war against humanity. Later, when faced with a young mother protecting her family, Daniel remembers his former humanity and slaughters the attacking demons.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Pope, Hell's representative on Earth, disembowels the human called Abel (not related to the original biblical figure) and turns him into a soulless puppet. The new Abel is instructed to kidnap Matthew, which he manages to accomplish by entering the human enclave that he originally led. When this happens, Navkies, demons created from the souls of murdered children, attack Madrid and her friends. Hellspawn arrives in the nick of time, destroying the navkies and freeing the souls inside them. He then leaves in order to rescue Matthew, followed closely by Madrid in a tank.
Abel has taken Matthew to Abaddon, so he can coerce Hellspawn to turn again to the dark side. When Hellspawn arrives, Abaddon presents him with a choice, either kill Matthew now and send his soul to heaven or await the time when he is "baptized" and therefore dammed for all eternity. Daniel does neither, and instead teleports Matthew to the place where he wants to be. A fight ensues, and Hellspawn releases a powerful blast of necroplasmic energy, creating an explosion that wipes out everything in a ten mile radius. At the edge of the explosion, Madrid watches. Suddenly, Matthew appears out of thin air. They both stare at the remains of the battle, while somewhere else, Daniel raises his hand from underneath the rubble.
Abel has turned into a soulless entity, wandering without purpose or allegiance. He is about to kill himself when Hellspawn stops him. He was told by another voice that Abel would be in this place. Then Daniel lifts Abel and lightning strikes his body, turning him into an angel. At first, Abel attacks Hellspawn, believing him still an agent of darkness. Another demon attacks and Llanso mercilessly slaughters it. He then accidentally hits Abel, knocking him out.
Meanwhile, Madrid and Matthew are in another human enclave, waiting. The demon forces appear to have calmed down, and this is a period called "The Calm". The leader proposes a frontal attack on NuVatican, before the demons attack them. Those who have been selected to participate in the attack are loaded into a projectile train. Madrid is with them, but Matthew is told to stay behind, much to his dismay. Abel and Hellspawn arrive at NuVatican and Abel kills the Anti-Pope. Hellspawn remarks that it was too easy. At that moment the mysterious character Deurges appears. He says to Daniel "I give you in his name, what you fear most! Salvation and forgiveness".
Madrid is still on the train heading towards the city. Matthew emerges from his hiding place on the train and tells Madrid that his uncle told him not to leave his mother. As the train approaches its goal, the two jump out. The leader is left alone on the train as he prepares a bomb. Once the train hits, the bomb explodes. Madrid and Matthew give thanks for their lives. In Hell, Phlegethonyarre reflects on how the prophecy was fulfilled and questions if he really has free will or was a mere pawn in God's game.
[edit] Powers
Daniel Llanso apparently has the same powers as the original Spawn, super-human strength, endurance, able to channel his necroplasmic energy in destructive ways, teleportation. He doesn't show the full range of his powers and we presume they are greater than the original one, either because he is more determined and doesn't care if he runs out of energy or maybe Phlegethonyarre made him more powerful.
[edit] Appearance
- Human: Long and blonde hair, white skin tone.
- Spawn: Similar to the original Spawn, but his skin isn't smooth like a superhero uniform, but rugged and leathery. He has bone fomations protruding around his whole body, including his mask, a rib cage and spikes on his arms. Due to the fact that he died burned with his space suit on, in this form he is half-necroflesh, half-machine, and his skeleton is made of metal. His cape is ragged, broken and full of holes. In a clear departure from the original, he has two bone formations spreading from his back, resembling wings. In the second book, he has three stick-like protrusions on each side of his body, enhancing the effect of wings. Instead of chains, he has boney, barbed tnedrils, that he uses as weapons.
