A Damn Shame...

BLOOD OF THE DEMON #17
Written by John Byrne & Will Pfeifer
Art by Byrne & Dan Green
Cover by Byrne
What will be the fate of Etrigan?
The long skein is unwound in this final issue extravaganza!
On sale July 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • Final Issue

Unbelievable. As many of you are aware, I'm a huge fan of the comic book medium and of John Byrne's stellar work in particular. Having him breathe new life into one of my favorite characters, Jack Kirby's The Demon, was like a dream come true...

And now the dream is over...

DC Comics has shut the door on of the most unique comic series ever created. Byrne and Pfeifer were really hitting on all cylinders with this one. It was near perfection, with what I feel has been comic legend John Byrne's best artwork...ever. This book and its creators deserved better. So long Demon... we hardly knew ya.

For those of you unfamiliar with the concept of the Demon...

Etrigan is the demonic spawn of Belial (an Arch Duke of the Netherworld) and half-brother to Merlin the Magician. He spent many years imprisoned in The Void at the hands of his half-brother who rightfully feared his power. With Etrigan imprisoned, Camelot was safe from the demon and his machinations.

During the final days of Camelot, Merlin freed Etrigan from his bonds and then placed him into a host body ... a disgraced knight known as Jason Blood. The mage's plan was simple ... Blood would harness the power of the demon and do battle against the forces of Morgaine Le Fey.

To the chagrin of Merlin, the demon proved to be not so easily tamed. The forces of Le Fey continued to exact victory while Blood and Etrigan vied for control of their shared body ... the incantation of "Gone ... gone ... oh form of man ... and arise the demon ... Etrigan" being instrumental in their changing control.

After the fall of Camelot, Blood survived for centuries due to the demon being bound to him.

While Jason Blood roamed the Earth as an immortal, he would, in times of great need, call upon the demon for assistance. Etrigan never served willingly, twisting every request he could, but Blood's precise demands rarely afforded the demon much opportunity to do real harm.

The Demon is Dead, Long Live the Demon.