Welcome to the review section for the guest appearances.

The reviews are divided into several individual areas: reviews of DEMON issues (by creators), and reviews of everything else. Like so:

THE DEMON, first series (Kirby issues)

THE DEMON, second series (Matt Wagner mini) COMING SOON

THE DEMON, third series (Grant, Semeiks and others)

Other titles guesting Etrigan/Blood

Everything Else

Books of Magic #1-4

In some degree, either Blood or Etrigan are present in all four installments of the beginning of Timothy Hunter's story. In the first issue, the Phantom Stranger takes Tim back in time, stopping briefly to visit a young and charismatic Merlin. An equally young Jason (who apparently had the streaky hair even as a boy) makes a bewildered appearance; he can't see either the Stranger or Tim. 'Myrddin' brushes him off condescendingly, and remarks to his guests that this 'is Iason, whom I love as a brother.' Ironic, in light of the fact that he later bonds his demonic half-brother to hapless Iason.

(By the way, this issue raises a little controversy when it comes to dealing with Jason and Merlin's ages. I actually wrote a sort-of essay on the subject.)

The second issue consists of young Tim's whirlwind tour of the occult world at the hands of John Constantine. Hunted by assassins, they seek brief respite in the home of Baron Winter, who just happens to be having Blood as a dinner guest that night. Jason remembers meeting one of John's ancestors, but not John himself, no matter that they met some ten years ago in Gotham (according to Constantine, anyway). After Winter and Jason both give their opinions on magic to Tim, he and John take their leave.

The third issue is a cameo appearance of Etrigan, glimpsed in Hell as Dr. Occult shows Tim 'the far lands.'

In the last issue, Mr. E takes Tim into possible futures, including a dark, disturbing battle where Tim leads the forces of evil. Etrigan and Blood have now been separated, something the Demon muses on briefly before ripping out Jason's heart (!).

The Bad and Crazy Opinion: With Gaiman's writing and the various great artists who contribute, how could it be anything but? Great moment (although it depressed me): Etrigan ripping out Jason's heart (!).

Chronos #3

Gabriel Walker is a small-time thief, sent back in time by a theft gone wrong. With the Linear Men hot on his trail, he winds up in the Renaissance, briefly meeting the creepy 'Jason Sangue,' who's posing as an English merchant. No real appearance of Etrigan, unless you count a statue and a shadow.

The Bad and Crazy Opinion: Jason's appearance only lasts a couple of pages, but is intriguing nonetheless. Great line: "I find religious art to be offensively one-sided, my lord."

Crisis on Infinite Earths #11-12

As the shadow-matter demons close in on Earth, Etrigan and other mystical characters of the DCU join forces in Dr. Fate's tower to destroy them.

Green Arrow #5-6

Green Arrow #5 starts with a memorable (but seemingly irrelevant) scene with Jason Blood purchasing a airplane ticket to Star City, home of the recently resurrected Oliver Queen... then deciding to change his flight to a later one. As the airport's agent modifies his ticket, the flight he would have been on takes off-to explode mid-air. A classic example of Jason's precognizant ability, but one that left Arrow fans wondering what it had to do with the story... at least until the end of the issue, where Etrigan attacks Oliver Queen and the Batman, vowing to destroy the 'undead man.'

The battle continues in GA #6, where Etrigan is stopped from killing Batman by a fire- extinguisher arrow ("I will never... ever... mock your trick arrows again," says Batman), then reverts to Blood. After some brief explanations on both sides, Queen and Batman agree to accompany Jason to his safehouse in Star City (one of many, apparently) so that the occultist can examine the supposed-to-be dead hero.

The examination confirms Jason's fears-Oliver Queen is a 'hollow,' a human body with no soul. A tempting thing for a demon to inhabit... and thus, a threat to the whole world. Jason changes back to Etrigan, then (resistance from some random demons, the Batman, Arsenal, and Black Canary not withstanding) sends the Emerald Archer to the Golden Arches.

The Bad and Crazy Opinion: Kevin Smith's writing is some of the more interesting out there, and he handles Etrigan's admittedly tricky dialogue well. I have developed a taste for Phil Hester's neat-o style of artwork, and it does very nicely in this story. My only regret? We never get to see how Bats and the others react to Etrigan toasting Oliver. Great line: "Humor as a defense mechanism. The most annoying character trait you share with your costumed friends."

Saga of the Swamp Thing #25-27

Oh, yeah. This is the really... really good stuff. Some of the most memorable writing of Etrigan I have ever seen, and the artwork contributes nicely to the tale. For me, at least, this rates as one of the scariest, spine-tingling, incredible Etrigan/Blood appearances in the realm of comics.

Jason Blood arrives one lovely morning by bus in Baton Rouge, where he's tracking down 'The Monkey King'-also known as the fear demon Kamara. The demon has taken a young orphan boy named Paul as its master, after slaying Paul's parents when they inadvertently summoned it with a ouija board. Paul, understandably a bit traumatized by the whole affair, is in a home for autistic and otherwise special orphans... where Abigail Cable, girlfriend-to-be of the Swamp Thing, has just started work.

Blood starts his day in Louisiana by making a memorable prophecy to an obnoxious salesman: "And at 5:32 this evening, you will be impaled by a swordfish." It comes gruesomely true in an interesting little path of cause and effect. He also has a talk with Mrs. Cable that freaks her out, makes another unnerving prediction, contributes some money to a now-scarred-for-life priest gathering for the mission fund, buys a ouija board and a poster by Goya (whom he knew, apparently) entitled, "The sleep of reason brings for monsters," and finishes off the day by summoning Etrigan to fight Kamara.

I could go on about Alan Moore's incredibly vivid writing, his masterful use of dialogue, Etrigan's insanely good poetry, the enchanting and unsettling ending to the story... But if you haven't read it yet, no amount of description on my part will make it clear, and if you have, then you already know what I'm talking about.

The Bad and Crazy Opinion: Did I mention I really, REALLY liked this one? Great line: "Your self-pity interests me not even slightly, Mrs. Cable."

Saga of the Swamp Thing Annual #2

Abigail Cable is dead-killed by her murderous uncle, Anton Arcane, who has taken over the body of her husband. With his dying breath, Matthew Cable tries to undo some of the damage caused-but only succeeds in restoring her body to life. Her soul is still trapped in hell. But is the Swamp Thing going to be detained by a little thing like that? 'Course not. So he sets outs on a journey to the afterlife to retrieve her soul.

He runs into a gallery of the mythic and mystical, including Deadman, the Phantom Stranger, the Spectre, and finally Etrigan, who guides him through Hell. There's an interesting little discussion between the two on the role of God as damning judge, and an even more interesting episode where Etrigan plants a flower from Heaven in the pits of Hell. Eventually Swamp Thing and his guide reach Abby, and must then flee from the enraged demons who were feasting on her. Etrigan then gets two wonderful moments: opening a portal with a really spiffy rhyme so ST and Abby can escape, and kicking the head of Anton Arcane a good 100 yards. Oh, if he played soccer...

The Bad and Crazy Opinion: Excellent writing, excellent artwork. Beautiful mix of philosophy, humor, action, and tragedy. The gestalt does kick in on this one. No Jason, but hey, we can't have everything.

Showcase '96, #6

Etrigan (sort of) teams up with Superboy to retrieve a mystical dagger stolen by a Cadmus dweeb. This after Superboy's already been sliced open by said dagger, requiring Blood's magical abilities to heal him. Nice little fight scene, and there's a homunculus! (Sorry, I have a soft spot for little magical men.)

The Bad and Crazy Opinion: Short but satisfactory story and the rhymes ain't half bad either. The artwork...? Well, I know they were trying to do it in the animated style. It's not that bad but some scenes look rather hastily and shoddily done.

Starman #42

First off, James Robinson's writing it. Automatically earns it at least three Etty points... Second, Matt Smith's pencils on the interior-see my review of the Green Arrow? How I'm developing a taste for that style of art. Ditto here. Another Etty point. Top that with the oh-my-gosh-I'm-speechless-in-homage cover by Tony Harris (drool...) and that figures in another point... Gosh, we're already at five, and I haven't even gone into the story yet!

Seriously, this is a very nice issue. Most times when a guest star shows up in a comic, s/he hangs around, teams up with and/or fights the hero, and that's about it. Here, Etrigan is used to foreshadow Ted Knight's coming breakdown and cast harsh doubt upon his belief in a world of science and strict physical laws.

It's World War Two, and Nazi spies in America are planning on using a spell from an ancient book to engulf Opal City. But Jason's hunting the book too. (There's a really well-done scene where we see Ted and Jason researching in their own ways: Ted amid beakers and burners, Jason among grimoires and candles.) As the Nazis begin the rite, Starman's there to stop them-but so is the Demon. A brief fight ensues, ending unresolved for all parties. The second time the spell's begun, however, Etrigan roundly kicks ass, and saves Ted's life along the way. There follows a brief discussion as Ted tries to reconcile his utter disbelief in things like demons and hell with the evidence before his eyes. Simply because I cannot resist, I must list some of the dialogue here:

"You honestly claim to be a demon? That's-- No. I can't believe it."

"You assume I care one jot, / If you believe I am or not./ You want the proof, I'll give it here./ You'll know true hell within a year.

"The toy you helped men to conceive/ Its fiery breath shall live and breathe./ But you will feel so far from proud/ At that o mighty mushroom cloud./ You'll lie crazed in sickly bed,/ The hell I speak of in your head."

Cool stuff!

The Bad and Crazy Opinion: One of my favorite issues. Gotta read it, gotta own it. I'm tingly just thinking about it...

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