Blue Devil
Blue Devil (Eng. "Blauer Teufel / Teufel in Blau") is the title of a series of comic publications that the US publisher DC-Comics has been publishing since 1984.
The humorously colored Blue Devil Comics are in the genre of superhero comics, an American sub-form of science fiction / fantasy comics. In the past, the series was particularly characterized by the self-deprecating, genre-parodistic approach to its theme, the "eternal struggle" of super heroes against super villains . When it was first published in the 1980s, the series marked the attempt to "brighten up" the American comic market , which was characterized by dark comics that were conceptually grim n 'gritty in line with the spirit of the American comic industry at the time , by using the idea of fun -Comics promoted comedy stories in the "packaging" of a superhero saga.
Release dates
The first issue of Blue Devil was released in June 1984 as issue # 1 of an indefinite series. After that, the series, the issues of which appeared on a monthly basis, continued for almost two and a half years until it was finally discontinued in December 1986 with issue # 31. There was also a double-volume special issue entitled Blue Devil Annual # 1, which was published in 1985. In addition, there was a sixteen-page "test story" about Blue Devil published in the back of Fury of Firestorm # 24 in 1984 , which preceded the start of "his" own series.
The creators of the series were the authors Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn, as well as the illustrator Paris Cullins , who not only developed the concept for Blue Devil, but also designed almost all of the series' books artistically.
action
Blue Devil is centered around Dan Cassidy, a Hollywood stuntman and special effects expert who, by accident, clashes with a reanimated demon named Nebiros . Because at the time of their fight for a scene shoot for a horror film called "Blue Devil" he wears a film costume based on lifelike high-tech that depicts a blue-skinned devil and gives him superhuman strength, resilience and the gift of being able to fire bursts of energy , Cassidy can hold his own against Nebiros.
To his horror, however, Cassidy is "fused" with his costume in the course of the fight, so that he can no longer take it off and has to remain "the blue devil". As a prisoner of his costume, the enterprising Cassidy tries to make the best of his situation: He specializes professionally in appearing in horror and science fiction films and in his spare time works as a "part-time superhero": He has to do it most of the time Taking up time with all sorts of supernatural threats, like demons, murderous robots and the like, which it attracts almost magnetically. Cassidy's predicament at being trapped in a devil's body is given additional piquancy by his firm Catholic faith.
He is supported on his adventures by his boss, producer Marla Bloomberg , his girlfriend, actress Sharon Scott and his sidekick, Kid Devil (from # 14), alias Marla's nephew Eddie Bloomberg. Then there was the cunning Filou trickster , alias James Jesse, who first appeared as an opponent of the blue devil, but later became his friend and work colleague as a stuntman.
In later comics, Cassidy sells his soul to the demon Neron, dies soon after in battle with him trying to win back his soul, and is finally reborn in Hell as a real demon (instead of a man trapped in demon disguise) . In the years that followed, the character was used primarily in the JLA team series as a member of the eponymous group of superheroes. In the fight with the villain "The Mist" he is killed again, but later returns - through a ritual of the magician Felix Faust, who "conjures" him anew with the help of his remaining bones - to henceforth as demon hunters other hell creatures from To "ban" the face of the earth.
In the more recent past, the "Blue Devil" character has appeared in all kinds of mystery comics, for example as a member of the Sentinels of Magic , a team of "magical heroes" that includes the characters Ragman , Sentinel and Phantom Stranger , as well as the obscure ones Group Shadowpact , a team of occult detectives that includes Cassidy and the talking chimpanzee Detective Chimp .
Individual evidence
- ↑ In the 1980s, superhero series were the only halfway viable series on the US market: The traditional publishers Golden Key and, which had specialized in comic humor, had to cease operations at the beginning of the decade due to a lack of demand .