It is the Demon who dominates, now! It is the Demon who will deal with our ruthless enemies! Instead of fading into Limbo, so an imposter can take my place -- I now have another chance to fight for my existence!
- — Etrigan
The Demon #15 is an issue of the series The Demon (Volume 1) with a cover date of December, 1973.
Appearing in "The One Who Vanished!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Klarion the Witchboy
- Teekl
- Jason Blood Doppelgänger (Final appearance)
- Etrigan Doppelgänger (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
Locations:
- Gotham City
- Jason Blood's Apartment
- Glenda Mark's Apartment
- Beyond Region (First appearance)
Items:
Synopsis for "The One Who Vanished!"
Klarion the witchboy welcomes the return of his doppelgänger, now taking the form of the Demon. However, the beast is not as compliant as its mortal counterpart, claiming to be his own master. Klarion proves to the rebellious spirit that he is in command, and recites the incantation to revert the duplicate Etrigan into the facsimile Blood. The false Jason is far more subservient, but Klarion makes sure it knows its place with a display of cruel force; choking him remotely, inflicting him with illness, before turning him into a tree. After the indignities suffered, the false Jason acts as a willing slave, and starts preparing food for his master. Laughing at the success of their plan, Klarion and Teekl celebrate with a dance, in which Teekl transforms into an anthropomorphic cat-woman. The ecstatic pair magically transmute the paltry spread provide by their servant into a feast, gorging themselves until they are interrupted by the doorbell. With no reply, the police officers enter Blood's darkened apartment. Despite hearing voices and seeing the table set, they find nothing but a toad, a cat, a framed picture of his creepy "nephew" and a handwritten note.
The note is taken to the apartment of Glenda Mark, who called the police about the hostile encounter she had with Jason. She tells the detective it is his handwriting on the note which proclaims he's on a business trip. The detective informs her that he confirmed the validity of the note by calling the destination and speaking with Blood on the phone. Glenda insists that it's impossible when she saw him standing if front of her not long ago. The police leave Glenda distraught and confused. Trying to shake the uncomfortable feeling, Glenda searches her apartment, stumbling across a strange object she believes is the fabled Philosopher's Stone Jason once described to her. Knowing the stone could appear wherever Jason was gives her the proof she needs, but has no idea what do do with that information. She slumps over a cabinet wishing she could help and, without her knowledge, the stone reacts to her will and restores Etrigan to his tangible form.
The Demon slips out silently behind Glenda's back, leaping across the Gotham skyline until he arrives home to face the wretched witchboy. Klarion initiates the transformation of his Blood doppelgänger into the Demon, and the fearsome duo clash. Etrigan overpowers his false adversary, until Klarion adds his magic, turning his slave into a tentacled beast that smothers the Demon. As the tentacles tighten, Etrigan musters all his inner strength, releasing it in a powerful explosion, dispersing his enemies. Though surprised by the Demon's abilities, Klarion is relentless and casts a hex that turns Etrigan to stone. The young warlock's victory is short-lived as Merlin has prepared his Demon with many counter spells. Free from the stone, Etrigan uses another curse passed down by Merlin, opening a portal to the Beyond Region. Klarion, Teekl, and the doppelgänger are sucked into the gaping void before the mystic door closes behind them. The phone starts to ring and Jason takes the Demon's place to answer it, reassuring Glenda that all is well.
Notes
- This is the first instance of Teekl changing sex. Klarion previously referred to Teekl using masculine pronouns, but when Teekl takes anthropomorphic form, becomes female. Teekl is later referred to solely as female in Grant's The Demon Vol 3, but solely as male in Morrison's Seven Soldiers of Victory Vol 1.
- Klarion and Teekl escape the Beyond Region in The Demon (Volume 3) #3.
Trivia
- While Jason Blood's doppelgänger is identical to the original, the duplicate Etrigan has pointed ears and longer horns. His arm bands also have a triangular pattern rather than circular.
- An Elderly woman is reading a novel entitled, Terror by Night: Stories of the Occult by Hillary Krine.
- Klarion's spell to create a banquet was, "Power cast -- Lightning fast -- Make of this a king's repast!"
- Klarion's curse to turn the Demon to stone went, "Harden, harden, head to shoulder --- Travel downward, now a boulder!"
See Also
- Discuss The Demon Vol 1 15 on the forums
- Cover gallery for the The Demon series
- Images from The Demon Vol 1 15
