Harry Matthews (New Earth)

It was this devotion to his demonologist pal that cursed him with becoming a living cushion after he was taken as a blood sacrifice by the Demon's father, Belial.

Harry had been good friends with Jason and Randu before even Jason knew of his own dark secret. Harry was attending a party at Jason's apartment with his date, Mona, when it was interrupted by an imposing animated statute at the door.^[1] The Unliving was a messenger from Merlin, and soon Harry learned that his best friend was host to a real life demon! Harry was terrified by Etrigan, even fainting after witnessing the transformation at one time.^[2] After facing his worst fear with the Kamara,^[2], meeting his scheming "cousin" Klarion,^[3], encountering possessed wax figures,^[4] and visiting the Institute of Parapsychology with Randu,^[5] Harry slowly grew accustomed to the supernatural.

Of course the friendship came with risks. When Klarion returned seeking revenge on Jason, the witchboy created a doppelgänger of Blood and sent it to kill his three closest friends. Harry was the first victim, badly beaten and thrown from the roof, only to be save mid-fall by Etrigan.^[6] Harry was also attacked by the restless spirit of Jack Dobbs because he was dressed in his sailing attire. Etrigan rescued him before he was seriously hurt which led to the Demon's first encounter with Batman.^[7]

Tragically, Harry eventually paid the highest price of assisting his occultist friend. When Jason came knocking at his apartment late one night claiming Glenda had been dragged to Hell, Harry wasted no time to help. He hired Jason a vacant warehouse on the waterfront and stayed by his side for eighty-seven hours until the binding circle was completed. Harry refused to abandon Jason when he was ready to summon Belial, watching as the Archduke of Hell was conjured. It took great power to contain Belial, and required blood sacrifice for any requests. Though the stock of live pigeons provided ample blood to answer Jason's questions, it was not enough to bring back Glenda. Finding a weakness in the circle, Belial took Harry's life for Glenda's. And so Harry was eaten by Belial and his skin was used make a cushion.^[8] From then on, Harry existed as an animate cushion with a face for a while, being cared for by Jason and Rondu. However, Belial still owned his soul, and Jason tried several methods to get it back.

Powers and Abilities

Powers

Magic: After his time spent in Hell, Harry picked up a few tricks from Belial. He combined his limited magical energy with Klarion's to save the world.^[9]

Abilities

Charisma: Harry was always the life of the party and a successful advertising executive.^[1]^[8]
Occultism: Harry has spent enough time around Jason, Randu and Belial to have more first-hand knowledge of the occult than most people.

Paraphernalia

Transportation

Harry owned a 30-foot boat.^[7]

Notes

Although this character was originally introduced during DC's Earth-One era of publication, their existence following the events of the 1985–86 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths remains intact. However, some elements of the character's Pre-Crisis history may have been altered or removed for Post-Crisis New Earth continuity, and should be considered apocryphal.

Trivia

Harry's greatest fear is dragons.^[2]
Harry was a chain cigar smoker, rarely seen without one, even when he was a cushion.
Harry was a senior vice-president at an advertising firm making over $150,000 a year (in 1987). His apartment was in the Upper East Eighties.^[8]
Harry secretly wet himself the first time he saw Etrigan, and consumed nothing but coffee for the next four days after.^[8]

Harry Matthews (New Earth)

Contents

History