Devil-Slayer

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Publication information
Devil-Slayer
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Publisher	Marvel Comics
First appearance	Marvel Spotlight #33 (April 1977)
In story information
Alter ego	Eric Simon Payne
Team affiliations	Defenders Agents of Fortune
Notable aliases	Agent of Death, The Reaper of Souls, "Cape Man"
Abilities	Telepathy, Telekinesis, Teleportation

Devil-Slayer (Eric Simon Payne) is a fictional character that has appeared in various comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The character exists in Marvel's main shared universe, known as the Marvel Universe.

1 Publication history
2 Fictional character biography
- 2.1 Belathauzer
- 2.2 The Initiative
3 Powers and abilities
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Publication history

He was created by Rich Buckler, who had created a similar character in Demon Hunter for Atlas/Seaboard Comics. For a time he operated as a member of the the Defenders. He first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #33 (April 1977).

The character subsequently appeared in The Defenders #58-60 (April-June 1978), #97-101 (July-November 1981), Marvel Team-Up #111 (November 1981), The Defenders #103-104 (January-February 1982), Marvel Graphic Novel #1 - 'The Death of Captain Marvel' (April 1982), Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions #1 (June 1982), #3 (August 1982), and The Defenders #110 (August 1982). The character faded into obscurity for several years until the 1990s, when he appeared in Marvel Comics Presents #37 (December 1989), #46-47 (March-April 1990), #143 (December 1993), #146 (January 1994), Over the Edge #2 (December 1995), and Man-Thing #3-5 (February-April 1998).

In May 2008, Marvel announced that there would be a new Devil Slayer series released in the MAX Dead of Night series, starring a new Devil-Slayer character, written by horror novelist Brian Keene with art by Kaare Andrews.^[1] ^[2]

Devil-Slayer received an entry in the original Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #3, and in the All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #3. (2006)

[edit] Fictional character biography

Eric Payne was born in Queenstown, Illinois. He was a member of a demon cult called the Agents of Fortune, who helped him unlock the psionic potential of his brain and gave him a mystically created dimensional cloak. He later turned on the cult and, with the aid of the Defenders, helped prevent the cult's mystical plans from being realized.

He assists the Defenders in confronting a cult leader named David. This man had been granted temporary mystical powers by a coalition of demons known as the Six Fingered Hand. Despite the passing nature of his abilities, Eric's wife Cory chose to stay with the cult leader.

As the Defenders returned to Doctor Strange's home after this confrontation, they were called into action again by the Avengers. The town of Citrusville, Florida had vanished, into a gigantic hole resembling a six-fingered hand.

Eric and the rest of the group confronted a possessed Man-Thing and then traveled through dimensional realms in order to find the source of the problem.

[edit] Belathauzer

During Eric's time with the Defenders, he helped confront a host of demons, including Belathauzer, who had taken over the form of an Air Force commander. The Defenders almost died when Belathauzar convinced innocent Air Force pilots that they were spies. Though his demon compatriots were eventually sucked back to their own realm, Belathauzer somehow stayed on Earth.

Still in the form of the Air Force soldier, he targeted Devil-Slayer personally. Belathauzar tricked Devil-Slayer into a bar full of disguised demons where Eric's drink was altered, thus removing his psychic powers. Despite this, Devil-Slayer held his own, using his magical accessories to battle the demons successfully. Belathauzer and Eric were drawn into the Borders of the Land of the Dead, where stood many of his Defender allies, now seemingly dead. It was here that Belathauzer was seemingly slain again.

There are indications he has returned another time but this might be Payne's mental instability.

[edit] The Initiative

Eric is being considered as a "potential recruit" for the Initiative program^[3].

In "The Last Defenders" #1, Nighthawk mentioned to have talked to Eric Payne and that he was willing to join a new team of Defenders. However, when Richmond suggested it to Initiative boss Tony Stark, he declined the offer. Payne was only mentioned in the issue, not seen.

[edit] Powers and abilities

Telepathy With telepathy Payne could alter his appearance and decipher languages.
Psychokinesis Telekinetic abilities included levitation and moving objects.
Shadow Cloak With the Shadow Cloak Payne could teleport to other dimensions and draw different weapons from across the ages