Writer: James Harren
Artist: James Harren
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Read this book, admire the art
The story is strong, a promising start
A world that burns with the thirst to explore
I demand the next, and many more
I got more than expected out of The Demon #1. My only source of knowledge about Jason Blood/Etrigan is the DC animated movie Justice League: Dark. I should probably give that a rewatch. Although I don’t remember every detail, I remember the main points. Also, I don’t think I need to remember every detail in order to think Etrigan is awesome. I thought this first issue would just introduce the world and characters. I did not expect it to do that and set up the story so quickly.
Hell On Earth
The major conflict of this issue is the malevolent sorceress, Morgaine Le Fey. She is dying and is not as powerful as she once was. Thinking of mankind “as a brief phase in the arc of intelligence”, Morgaine wants to unite the creative forces of the universe and turn Earth into a proper orchard of divine energy. She hopes this will end her struggle and grant her eternal life. She has Merlin, a very famed wizard, locked up in Hell to use just for his magic. As I said before, this is my first time reading about Etrigan and the adjacent characters. Hearing Morganie’s line about mankind makes me understand her villainy so much more!
A Changing Of The Guard?
While Morgaine still has to take orders from someone, she also has her own coven. Keith, the cult leader of the master eye, gave mankind the cell phone. They are described as “a handheld soul siphoner that changes the human nervous system and shatters social order.” Then, Baron Von Rakenstein turns humans into more docile and loyal hybrids (pets). Next, Ugly Meg and Somnambula, the Dream Beast, are in charge of pharmaceuticals and child development. Iron Duke, the last member of her coven, questions her big plan and thinks letting them continue their dominance is better than forcing a bigger move. I don’t know what is to be told about her coven, but seeing the cracks form already makes me interested in their dynamic.
Help Comes In All Sizes
After having a nightmare about Etrigan, Blood is startled as he’s stepped on by fairy folk. Not everyone can see them, so they ask him to join them on their journey. They are fleeing the land because of Le Fey. This is when Blood learns of her. He figures she bound Etrigan to him, and he will try to stop her in hopes of ridding himself of The Demon. He also tells them of his quest. It’s to follow the way pointed by a friend, and to help the helpless along the way. As he is telling them this, they are approached by a demon in the sewer. Blood handles it and is rewarded with their aid on his journey. I wonder how far they will help him on his journey.
Let Your Demons Out
The biggest moment of this issue is by far the emergence of Etrigan. It's the biggest moment not only because he's the titular character, and it's why we all bought the book, but also because Etrigan finally got to be unleashed. We got a sneak peek of him when Jason Blood had a nightmare (which is a great scene), but nothing compares to the real thing. Another reason it's so good is that Blood finally relented to Etrigan. Etrigan kept pestering Blood any chance he got. It's only when Blood is overwhelmed by demons on Earth that Etrigan comes out and sets them all ablaze. I guess Blood's bag of knickknacks wasn't all that powerful. I like the mention that Blood's memory is a little fuzzy. It makes sense that he doesn't want Etrigan running amok. So, this being when he is unleashed makes it seem like it was out of desperation. I am curious to see where the relationship between them goes from here.
The Art
Now, this is my introduction to Harren as a writer plus an artist. So far, so good. This book reminds me of Hellboy. It has a deep atmosphere to it, and I would love for it to be explored more. My favorite scene shows the final moments right before Blood lets The Demon out. Blood is on a rooftop trying to fend off very colorful demons who are climbing up to get him. It's a great showing of composition and character design by Harren, and Stewart makes everything so clear to see with his colors. At night, all of the foreground is still very visible. I hope to see more art like this later in the run.
Final Thoughts
I'm really happy with The Demon #1. Harren has a distinct art style that serves the world of The Demon well. The protagonist’s conflict is very clear, though the antagonist’s conflict could be more explicit. The new line of books DC is putting out seems fairly friendly to new readers, and this book is no exception. This is a good showcase of what beings exist in the greater DC Universe. I can only speak for myself, but this makes me want to go back and read earlier books of the Demon, at least just for the art. I cannot wait to see what unfolds in this book.