Etrigan the Demon

Etrigan

Artwork for the cover of Blood of the Demon #1 (May 2005), by John Byrne.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance The Demon (vol. 1) #1 (August 1972)
Created by Jack Kirby (writer - artist)
In-story information
Alter ego Etrigan
Species Demon
Place of origin Hell
Team affiliations Demon Knights
Justice League
Justice League Dark
Partnerships Batman
Martian Manhunter
Wonder Woman
Notable aliases The Demon, Iason Blood, Jason Blood
Abilities Superhuman physical attributes
Extrasensory powers
Regenerative healing factor
Expert in maleficium
Precognition
Telepathy
Can project flames of mystical hellfire

Etrigan the Demon is a fictional superhero and antihero appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, Etrigan is a demon from Hell who, despite his violent tendencies, usually finds himself allied to the forces of good, mainly because of the alliance between the heroic characters of the DC Universe and Jason Blood, a human to whom Etrigan is bound.[1] Etrigan is a muscular humanoid creature with orange or yellow skin, horns, red eyes, and pointed, webbed ears. The character was originally based in Gotham City, leading to numerous team-ups with Batman.

Etrigan was inspired by a comic strip of Prince Valiant in which the eponymous character dressed as a demon. Kirby gave his creation the same appearance as Valiant's mask.[2]

Publication history

Etrigan the Demon first appeared in The Demon #1 (August 1972) and was created by Jack Kirby. He created the Demon when his Fourth World titles were cancelled.[3] According to Mark Evanier, Kirby had no interest in horror comics, but created Etrigan in response to a demand from DC for a horror character. Kirby was annoyed that the first issue sold so well that DC required him to do sixteen issues and abandon the Fourth World titles before he was done with them.[4]

Etrigan returned for a four-issue miniseries in 1987, written and illustrated by Grendel creator Matt Wagner. Alan Grant followed this with an Etrigan feature in Action Comics Weekly #636-641 and a second ongoing title in 1990. The 1990 series lasted 60 issues, including two annuals. Garth Ennis took over the title beginning with issue #40. Ennis' run included the first appearance of his character, Hitman

While his first monthly comic book series was short-lived, and his second was canceled after five years, Etrigan remains a popular supporting character with occasional additional mini-series.[5] Popular series in which Etrigan has appeared include Neil Gaiman's The Sandman (see Characters of The Sandman - Minor Angels and Demons), Alan Moore's Swamp Thing, Kevin Smith's Green Arrow and Batman: The Widening Gyre, Garth Ennis's Hitman, and Cosmic Odyssey by Jim Starlin and Mike Mignola.

The New 52

DC Comics launched a new series featuring Etrigan titled Demon Knights, with issue #1 on September 14, 2011 as part of their company-wide relaunch.[6] It was written by Paul Cornell and drawn by Diógenes Neves.[7][8][9]

Fictional character biography

Pre/Post-Crisis

Etrigan, son of the demon Belial, is summoned by the wizard Merlin, his half-brother.[10][11] Unable to gain the creature's secrets, he bonds the demon with Jason Blood, a knight in King Arthur's Camelot. This renders Jason immortal, though at times he considers this either a penance or a curse.

Centuries later, Jason Blood resurfaces in recent times, becoming a prominent demonologist in Gotham City. Jason is called to the crypt of Merlin and discovers a poem that changes him into Etrigan. Unfortunately, he is followed by the long-lived Morgaine le Fey, who lusts for Merlin's secrets. That leads to Etrigan's first major battle. Over the years, Etrigan both clashes with and occasionally aids Earth's heroes, guided by his own whims and Jason's attempts to turn his infernal power to good use.

Some time after his first appearance, Etrigan begins speaking in rhyme due to a promotion in Hell,[12][13] though he is not limited to rhyme.[14] He led the forces of Hell in the great battle against The Darkness and was in brief contact with the entity in its questions about its nature - he barely survived the attempt.[15][16] His high rank would also see him guide Dream of the Endless from Hell's gates to Lucifer.

When Jason Blood's daughter was born, he decided to destroy Etrigan and hired metahuman hitman Tommy Monaghan to help him. After a battle against both Merlin and Etrigan, the two of them rescued the baby and Blood was able to steal the demon's heart, essentially neutralizing the demon and binding him to Jason's will. However, at the end of the battle to gain the demon's heart Jason Blood left the child, Kathryn Mark, with her mother, Glenda Mark. Jason told Glenda before he had left, "Take care of our daughter, Glenda. I think it would be best if she never knew about her father." Blood then skipped out on paying Monaghan the $2 million he'd promised.[17] Etrigran became listless and ceased to rhyme. However, when Monaghan needed an edge against the demon Mawzir, he conned Blood into returning to Gotham and using Etrigan to retrieve an anti-demon rifle from Hell, all while preparing to force the demonologist to let the monster onto Earth again. Despite the real risk that Etrigan would kill him in vengeance, Monahgan traded Etrigan his heart for the Ace of Winchesters, once more forcing Blood to have the full burden and returning Etrigan to his full strength (though Etrigan went back on the deal and tried to kill Monaghan anyway).[18]

Despite Blood's own doubts about himself, when the Justice League vanished during their attempt to rescue Aquaman from the past, Batman's emergency program — designed to assemble a substitute Justice League in the event that the originals were ever killed — selected Blood as the team's magic expert, a pre-recorded message Batman had left for Blood assuring the sorcerer that he would not give Etrigan the keys to the Watchtower unless he was certain he could be controlled. While working with the team, Jason spent some time reinforcing the Watchtower's magical defences. During the subsequent fight with Gamemnae, Jason sacrificed himself to free Zatanna from her control, although he later escaped Gamemnae's quagmire spell thanks to the Martian Manhunter telepathically prompting his transformation into Etrigan.[19] The crisis resolved, Jason handed his duties as the League's magic expert over to Manitou Raven, newly arrived in the present, before departing.[20]

The series Blood of the Demon, plotted and drawn by John Byrne, and scripted by Will Pfeifer, began in May 2005. Etrigan apparently loses the restrictions imposed upon him by the wizard Merlin which turned him from evil, caused by his "murder" at the exact moment he was transforming from his human guise, Jason Blood, into his demon self. It turns out that the incident has resulted in Jason Blood being able to exert some will over Etrigan's violent nature, whereas previously the two remained separate, only one existing at a time. Blood of the Demon ended with issue #17 in July 2006.

Etrigan later attempts to use Lucifer's trident to take control of Hell. A makeshift Shadowpact team successfully takes the Trident from him and flees to the supernatural Oblivion Bar. Etrigan follows and battles the team inside the bar. He is turned into stone via magical pistols and is used as a hat rack. The pistol's magic would return Etrigan to normal at sunrise, which never happens within the bar.[21]

Etrigan takes part in the war for control of Hell on behalf of Neron, duelling Blue Devil. Later, due to the effects of a magical drug Satanus had infested Hell with, he was transformed into a physical human, a perfect duplicate of Jason Blood. Blood, meanwhile, has taken steps as to interfere with any possible attempts of Etrigan's to re-merge.[22]

During the Blackest Night, Blood's body is possessed by Deadman, who invokes Etrigan's transformation, using his flames to hold back the Black Lanterns.[23]

Etrigan briefly appears in the prelude to the JLA/JSA crossover during the Brightest Day event. Etrigan travels to Germany in order to find a crashed meteorite that contains an unconscious Jade, and is drawn into a confrontation with the Justice League after attacking a squad of German superheroes. He mocks the League by claiming they are an inferior team of substitutes, but is ultimately defeated when Donna Troy uses her Lasso of Persuasion to force him back into his Jason Blood form. Jason apologizes for the trouble he caused and departs from the scene, but not before warning Batman and his teammates that the meteorite possesses supernatural qualities. The meteor is later revealed to be the Starheart, a legendary entity that has the power to possess metahumans with magical or elemental abilities.[24]

Etrigan is shown aiding the JLA during their mission into Hell, where he helps Hawkman defeat a demonic beast.[25] He also was the guide to the Secret Six in their trip to Hell and led Catman to see the fate of his father, all the while amused by the confusion and pain they were suffering as a result of their visit.

The New 52

In The New 52 the 2011 reboot of the DC Comics universe, his past and origins are largely changed. Before the Dark Ages, Etrigan was a rhyming demon (one not yet good at rhyming) in Lucifer's service and after too many indignities, he led a rebellion. Lucifer waited until the last moment before handing him over to Merlin: the two had struck a deal. Jason of Norwich had been sent to Camelot as a scribe to Merlin and was growing frustrated with life, believing he was meant for greater things and suffering from rages. A prophecy showed that if Jason did not have some sort of quest to force him to heal himself, his rage would grow and cause him to kill his love, Madame Xanadu; at the Fall of Camelot, Merlin bonded Etrigan to Jason in an attempt to provide this quest.[26]

Now immortal, Jason and Etrigan came to an agreement and shared their existence. Madame Xanadu began traveling with Jason only to find Etrigan had now begun falling for her as well and would slaughter innocents if he thought she and Jason were happy together. In order to placate the demon, she pretended to be in love with him and cuckolding Jason.[27]

Over the centuries, Jason became known as Jason o' the Blood and Etrigan continued to practice his rhymes. By the Dark Ages, he and Etrigan became the centre of a rag-tag team of adventurers, the "Demon Knights": Jason/Etrigan, Xanadu, Vandal Savage, Shining Knight, the Horsewoman, Saracen inventor Al Jabr (The Numbers in Arabic), and the Amazon Exoristos (The Exile in Greek). They first fought Mordru and the Questing Queen's army to a standstill, before being tasked by the city of Alba Sarum to return Merlin to life at Avalon. (Both Jason and Etrigan were enraged at having missed the chance to get him to separate them) Etrigan plotted to betray his teammates' souls and Avalon itself to Lucifer, in order to curry favour.[28] While he successfully manipulated the Knights into letting Hell invade Avalon (and secretly felt guilty about his treatment of Xanadu), he was himself captured and used by the Questing Queen to get access as well. Lucifer believed Etrigan had done this deliberately and condemned him; outraged, the demon refused to serve anyone again. At the end of the battle, Jason was tasked as a member of Avalon's Stormwatch but neither he nor Xanadu wanted to serve Merlin after having Etrigan forced on them again. Jason vowed to not let the demon out so often.[29][30][31]

In the present, Etrigan's body lies buried in London, it is explained that he was sealed there by his own friends because of his betrayal of them, but magic emanating from it is able to possess persons above, eventually freeing the demon who promptly attacks Apollo and Midnighter.[32] The entire Stormwatch then battles Etrigan but even after being defeated, he is able to possess a host and flees.[33]

During the "Trinity War" storyline, Etrigan the Demon is among the superheroes that feels the disturbance in the magical plane when Shazam picks up Pandora's Box.[34] In the timeline of The New 52: Futures End, Zatanna is romantically involved with Etrigan.[35][36]

Powers and abilities

Etrigan

Even among demons, Etrigan is considered to be extremely powerful. He has above superhuman strength (mystically enhanced) to the degree that he can stand against other powerhouses such as Superman, Wonder Woman, and Lobo. He has a high degree of resistance to injury and can project hellfire from his body; usually from his mouth. He has a very high command of magic. Other powers include mystically enhanced fangs and claws, enhanced senses, super speed, agility, telepathy, energy blasts, and precognition. His sadomasochistic nature allows him to enjoy pain as if it were pleasure, making him generally fearless in the face of combat and torture. His healing factor can handle an incredible amount of damage, allowing him to recover from wounds that have removed large sections of his body. He also has pyrokinesis and cryokinesis enabling him to manipulate fire and ice.

As seen in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, it appears that he also has some matter manipulation power on a molecular level. His powers can be extended by other magical devices, such as the Crown of Horns. Etrigan is also provided with insight to religious aspects and other forbidden or secret knowledge.

Jason Blood

Jason Blood is a highly skilled hand-to-hand combatant. His skills include mastery in swordsmanship. Jason is also adept at magic, and is often called upon to act as an advisor or investigator in occultic matters (such as in the series Arkham Asylum: Living Hell). He also has limited precognition and telepathy. Jason is technically immortal as he is connected to the demon Etrigan. He also has the combined experiences of all the time since he was bonded to the demon. Jason Blood shares all of Etrigan's weaknesses.

In order to transform into Etrigan, Blood must recite the poem from Merlin's crypt (though usually he only recites the last two lines):

Change! Change! O' form of man!
Free the prince forever damned!
Free the might from fleshy mire!
Boil the blood in the heart for fire!
Gone! Gone! O' form of man
Rise the demon Etrigan!!

To return to human form, this poem must be recited:

Gone now, O Etrigan!
And rise again (or rise once more) the form of man!

The poem does not have to be spoken for it to work. For instance, in one adventure, Blood is magically transformed into a fly. Unable to speak, Blood wrote out the poem in the dust in a desperate hope of it triggering the change; it proves successful and Etrigan emerged in his true form with full power.[37]

Limitations

Etrigan has all the limitations usually associated with a demon, including a weakness towards holy powers and iron. Additionally, when Green Arrow once shot a "fire extinguisher arrow" into his mouth, Batman told Etrigan that the only way to stop the pain was to change back to Jason Blood.

His command of magic is strong, but considered to be less than his father, Belial, and half-brother, Merlin the Magician. Additionally, Belial granted the "power of Etrigan" to both Merlin and another son, Lord Scapegoat.

He is also helpless against those with powers strong enough to control Etrigan, such as Morgaine le Fey.

Other versions

Collected editions

Title Material collected Year ISBN
Jack Kirby's The Demon The Demon vol. 1 #1–16 2008 978-1401219161
The Demon: From the Darkness The Demon vol. 2 #1–4 and vol. 3 #22 2014 978-1401242503
The Demon: Hell's Hitman The Demon vol. 3 #40, 42–48 and Annual #2 2015 978-1401258214
The Demon: The Longest Day The Demon vol. 3 #0, #49–58 2016 978-1401260996

In other media

Television

Etrigan the Demon in The New Batman Adventures.

Film

Video games

See also

References

  1. ↑ Greenberger, Robert (2008). "The Demon". In Dougall, Alastair. The DC Comics Encyclopedia. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 99. ISBN 0-7566-4119-5. OCLC 213309017.
  2. ↑ Cronin, Brian (January 8, 2009). "Comic Book Legends Revealed #189". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on August 18, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2013. Jack Kirby based the face of Etrigan the Demon on a mask from an old Prince Valiant story by Hal Foster.
  3. ↑ McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1970s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 152. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. While his "Fourth World" opus was winding down, Jack Kirby was busy conjuring his next creation, which emerged not from the furthest reaches of the galaxy but from the deepest pits of Hell. Etrigan was hardly the usual Kirby protagonist.
  4. ↑ Evaier, Mark (2008). "Introduction". Jack Kirby's The Demon. DC Comics. pp. 3–5. ISBN 978-1401219161.
  5. ↑ Markstein, Don (2009). "The Demon". Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on October 31, 2014.
  6. ↑ "DC Comics Announces Justice League Dark, Swamp Thing, Animal Man and More". Comics Alliance. June 7, 2011. Archived from the original on January 6, 2013.
  7. ↑ Rogers, Vaneta (June 7, 2011). "Cornell Creates Sword & Sorcery Superheroes in Demon Knights". Newsarama. Archived from the original on June 23, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
  8. ↑ Manning, Shaun (June 9, 2011). "Cornell Summons Demon Knights". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on January 6, 2013. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
  9. ↑ Rogers, Vaneta (August 26, 2011). "The DCnU Take 2: Paul Cornell's Demon Knights". Newsarama. Archived from the original on January 6, 2013. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
  10. ↑ Wagner, Matt (w), Reeder Hadley, Amy (p), Reeder Hadley, Amy (i). "Chapter the First By the Runes" Madame Xanadu v2, 1 (August 2008)
  11. ↑ Wagner, Matt (w), Reeder Hadley, Amy (p), Reeder Hadley, Amy (i). "War. Ancient scourge of mankind, of prosperity, of life itself" Madame Xanadu v2, 2 (September 2008)
  12. ↑ Moore, Alan (w), Bissette, Stephen R. (p), Totleben, John (i). "...A Time of Running..." The Saga of Swamp Thing 26 (July 1984)
  13. ↑ Moore, Alan (w), Bissette, Stephen R. (p), Totleben, John (i). "...By Demons Driven!" The Saga of Swamp Thing 27 (August 1984)
  14. ↑ DeMatteis, J. M.; Giffen, Keith; Maguire, Kevin (2005). Justice League: I Can't Believe It's Not the Justice League. DC Comics. ISBN 978-1401204785.
  15. ↑ Moore, Alan (w), Woch, Stan (p), Alcala, Alfredo (i). "The Summoning" Swamp Thing v2, 49 (June 1986)
  16. ↑ Moore, Alan (w), Bissette, Stephen R.; Veitch, Rick (p), Totleben, John; Mandrake, Tom (i). "The End" Swamp Thing v2, 50 (July 1986)
  17. ↑ Ennis, Garth (w), McCrea, John (p), McCrea, John (i). "Suffer The Children part 1" The Demon v3, 52 (November 1994)
    Ennis, Garth (w), McCrea, John (p), McCrea, John (i). "Suffer The Children part 2" The Demon v3, 53 (December 1994)
    Ennis, Garth (w), McCrea, John (p), McCrea, John (i). "Suffer The Children part 3" The Demon v3, 54 (January 1995)
  18. ↑ Ennis, Garth; McCrea, John (2000). Hitman Vol. 4: The Ace of Killers. DC Comics. p. 144. ISBN 978-1563896149.
  19. ↑ Kelly, Joe (w), Mahnke, Doug (p), Nguyen, Tom (i). "Tragic Kingdom" JLA 75 (January 2003)
  20. ↑ Kelly, Joe (w), LaRosa, Lewis (p), Milgrom, Al (i). "Picking up the Pieces!" JLA 76 (February 2003)
  21. ↑ Willingham, Bill (w), Derenick, Tom (p), Faucher, Wayne (i). "The Lucifer Trident: Part Three of the Demon Triptych" Shadowpact 11 (May 2007)
  22. ↑ Giffen, Keith; Derenick, Tom; Sienkiewicz, Bill; Justiniano (2009). Reign in Hell. DC Comics. ISBN 978-1401223137.
  23. ↑ Tomasi, Peter J. (w), Syaf, Ardian (p), Dell, John; Cifuentes, Vicente (i). "Who Burns Who, Part One" Blackest Night: Batman 1 (October 2009)
    Tomasi, Peter J. (w), Syaf, Ardian (p), Cifuentes, Vicente (i). "Who Burns Who, Part Two" Blackest Night: Batman 2 (November 2009)
    Tomasi, Peter J. (w), Syaf, Ardian (p), Cifuentes, Vicente (i). "Who Burns Who Conclusion" Blackest Night: Batman 3 (December 2009)
  24. ↑ Robinson, James (w), Bagley, Mark (p), Hunter, Rob; Rapmund, Norm (i). "Brightest Day The Devil In the Details" Justice League of America v2, 44 (June 2010)
  25. ↑ Prado, Joe (w), Prado, Joe (p), Prado, Joe (i). "Violence" JLA 80-Page Giant 2011 1 (June 2011)
  26. ↑ Cornell, Paul (w), Chang, Bernard (p), Chang, Bernard (i). "The Prologue" Demon Knights 0 (November 2012)
  27. ↑ Cornell, Paul (w), Chang, Bernard; Neves, Diógenes (p), Chang, Bernard; Albert, Oclair (i). "The Ballad of Nimue & the Demon" Demon Knights 8 (June 2012)
  28. ↑ Cornell, Paul (w), Neves, Diógenes; Rocha, Robson (p), Albert, Oclair; Ferreira, Julio; Rocha, Robson (i). "The City Stilled by Death" Demon Knights 9 (July 2012)
  29. ↑ Cornell, Paul (w), Chang, Bernard (p), Chang, Bernard (i). "Torment" Demon Knights 13 (December 2012)
  30. ↑ Cornell, Paul (w), Chang, Bernard (p), Chang, Bernard (i). "Occupy Hell" Demon Knights 14 (January 2013)
  31. ↑ Cornell, Paul (w), Chang, Bernard (p), Chang, Bernard (i). "The Moment of Forgetting" Demon Knights 15 (February 2013)
  32. ↑ Milligan, Peter (w), Conrad, Will; Richards, Cliff (p), Conrad, Will; Richards, Cliff (i). "The Rise of the Demon Part One: The Dreaming Tower" Stormwatch v3, 13 (December 2012)
  33. ↑ Milligan, Peter (w), Conrad, Will; Richards, Cliff (p), Conrad, Will; Richards, Cliff (i). "The Rise of the Demon, Part 2: London's Burning" Stormwatch v3, 14 (January 2013)
  34. ↑ Lemire, Jeff (w), Janin, Mikel (p), Janin, Mikel (i). "Trinity War, Chapter Five" Justice League Dark 23 (October 2013)
  35. ↑ DeMatteis, J. M.; Wein, Len (w), Guinaldo, Andres (p), Wong, Walden (i). "Scars" Justice League Dark: Futures End 1 (November 2014)
  36. ↑ "Zatanna & The Demon Makes Strange Bedfellows in Justice League Dark: Futures End #1". Newsarama. September 19, 2014. Archived from the original on November 27, 2014.
  37. ↑ Haney, Bob; Calnan, John (October 1977). "Hour of the Serpent". The Brave and the Bold. 1 (137).
  38. ↑ Bridwell, E. Nelson (w), Fradon, Ramona (p), Colletta, Vince (i). "Masquerade of Madness" Super Friends 28 (January 1980)
  39. ↑ Murakami, Glen; Timm, Bruce; Dini, Paul (w), Murakami, Glen; Timm, Bruce (p), Murakami, Glen; Timm, Bruce (i). "Demons" The Batman Adventures Annual 2 (1995)
  40. ↑ Peaty, James (w), Jones, Christopher (p), Beatty, Terry (i). "Night of the Demon" The Batman Strikes! 50 (December 2008)
  41. ↑ Carlin, Mike (w), Morales, Rags (p), Bryant, Rick (i). "The Scoundrel's Tale" Flashpoint: The Canterbury Cricket 1 (August 2011)
  42. ↑ John, Geoff (w), Kubert, Andy (p), Hope, Sandra (i). "Flashpoint Chapter Three of Five" Flashpoint 3 (September 2011)
  43. ↑ Abnett, Dan; Lanning, Andy (w), Gugliotta, Gianluca (p), Gugliotta, Gianluca (i). "Live and Exclusive" Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance 2 (September 2011)
  44. ↑ Abnett, Dan; Lanning, Andy (w), Duce, Christian (p), Wong, Walden (i). "Kill the Story" Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance 3 (October 2011)
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