by: RJ Young

Jack Kirby has come up with some of the greatest characters in comic’s history, including Captain America, the New Gods and the Fantastic Four. His greatest contribution to the horror genre is the Demon.

The Demon, also known as Etrigan, was first introduced in 1972, after Kirby’s Fourth World series were all canceled. Kirby decided that instead of mythology, he would use the supernatural as the inspiration for his next creation. The popularity of the 1971 novel “The Exorcist” also likely contributed to Kirby giving birth to the Demon. The name Etrigan came from the old “Prince Valiant” newspaper comic strip.

Kirby tied the Demon’s origin in with the popular King Arthur legend. During the fall of Camelot, Merlin the magician (half-breed son of the demon Belial) conjured up his hell born half brother Etrigan to help Arthur fight against Morganna and Mordred. Unfortunately, Camelot fell anyway, and the dangerous Etrigan was still on the loose, causing chaos. Merlin used his magic to trap Etrigan inside a human named Jason Blood, making both immortal. Blood was chosen as punishment for betraying Camelot to Morganna.

Years later, Blood was summoned to the tomb of Merlin where he discovered a chant that could release Etrigan from Blood’s body. Blood and the Demon can only exist on Earth one at a time and so they must alternate, one being in Hell and the other being here. Over the centuries, Jason Blood became a Demonologist and fought the dark forces of the supernatural, invariably with the help of his demonic counterpart. Although the Demon is a creature of chaos, he often plays the role of anti-hero. Basically, he just loves a good fight.

The chant to revive Etrigan has altered slightly over time, but the original Kirby version was…
“Change, change the form of man.
Free the Prince forever damned.
Free the might from fleshy mire.
Boil the blood in heart of fire.
Gone, gone the form of man.
Rise the Demon Etrigan”.

The chant to bring Jason Blood back goes…
“Gone, gone, oh Etrigan. Assume once more the form of man!”

The creepy looking horned demon with yellow skin starred in a short lived monthly series that ran 16 issues until 1974. Even since then, he’s popped up as a frequent guest star in many other DC Comics titles, usually to aid the hero but sometimes to fight them.

In DC Comics Presents # 66, Len Wein, the creator of the Swamp Thing, brought a new wrinkle to the Demon’s character by having him speak in Rhyme. This has since become the Demon’s signature characteristic. Alan Moore, who so brilliantly revamped the Swamp Thing, took Wein’s idea and ran with it. He gave the Demon more intricate and eloquent rhyming speech. Moore explained this change in Etrigan’s speech pattern as being the result of his promotion in the hierarchy of Hell. Etrigan was raised to the rank of one of the Rhyming Legions, all of whom only speak in verse.

One of the Demon’s best appearances in comics was in Swamp Thing # 50, when Etrigan joined DC other mystic and supernatural characters to defeat the ultimate threat. Another key Demon storyline was the excellent 1987 four issue mini series, when Etrigan faces off with Merlin. He’s also appeared in TV cartoon form, in “Justice League” and “the Brave and the Bold”.

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