The Demon Hunter , created by David Anthony Kraft and Rich Buckler , [1] is a fictional character , a superhero first featured in The Demon Hunter # 1 (September 1975) from Atlas / Seaboard Comics . The series lasted only one issue of Atlas Comics going out of business. [1]
The character was later used by Buckler and Kraft for their ” Devil-Slayer ” character at Marvel Comics in 1977 [1] and ” Bloodwing ” for Buckler’s Galaxia magazine in 1980.
Fictional character biography
The story begins with the sight of a sniper, who has named Damian Severs in his sights. The Demon Hunter (Gideon Cross) while masking his presence, sneak up on the sniper. Gideon recognizes the sniper and recalls serving in the armed forces. Before he fires a shot, Gideon materializes and gives the sniper a choice to face him or throw himself from the cliff. Frightful of his choice, the sniper jumps from the cliff to his death. The reader is then shown that Gideon Cross is a member of the Harvester of Night Cult in a flashback .
Back in the present, Gideon goes to the home of Damian Severs, in order to receive payment for his protection. While he is given money, he is also waiting to receive some of Damian’s blood, to be placed inside a flask. This price is part of every job he performs as a payment for the Harvester of Night Cult. Damian then proceeds to hire Gideon for a contract killing of his partner, who turns out to be Mafia Kingpin, who will be visiting Jamaica . Gideon begins to question why he has been doing these types of jobs, he agrees on the contract.
Gideon is then seen walking through an airport, masking his identity and costume so that he can not see his true nature. He is heading to his home. Once there, he begins to rest and dreams of becoming a Harvester of Eyes for the Night Cult. He remembers being doubtful about the Night Cult and the claims about them, but also how they helped him regain purpose in his life. This instills is more likely to be associated with Night Cult.
Some time later Gideon acts as a bodyguard for Damian Severs in a drug trading transaction. During the deal, Damian tells Gideon how to deal with this issue, and Gideon is contracted to kill. Gideon is here to travel to the airport again, awaiting a flight to Jamaica to fulfill his contract for Damian Severs. While waiting, Gideon sees a newspaper headline about how Damian Severs has committed suicide. Realizing this to be a trick, Gideon resigns in his mind that Damian was murdered.
As with every blood transaction, Gideon has to deliver the flask of blood to an agent of the Night Cult. The meeting to perform this task in the airport. When Gideon enters he is attacked by what looks like a ferocious demon, but is really an illusion-casting demon with very little power. Gideon defeats the demon and is made aware of the demon of how the Night Cult has gone that he would eventually betray them and their beliefs. This causes Gideon to finally go to Nigeria , back to the sacred temple of the Night Cult.
The temple, called the Dark Retreat, is atop a mountain hidden in a side dimension that appears to be 13 tombstones in a circular shape. Once Gideon crosses between two of the tombstones, he is transported to the Secret Sanctum of the Harvesters of Night Cult. Through flashback, we are shown the ceremony that made the Demon Hunter. Once inside the sanctum, he is surprised to see that his spell of invisibility hides him from the eyes of the Night Cult. He watches the Night Cult sacrifices to man on an altar. This sacrifice is to revive the Demon Astoroth, the Grand Duke of Hell. He is set on having the demon breed on Earth, known as Xenogenesis. As Gideon watches this ceremony, he realizes how to uncomplete and is expected to come together, expecting the Night Cult will eventually come for him.
As Gideon is traveling back to the states, he does not notice that Astoroth is also on the plane from the aisle from him, watching him. Astoroth smiles eerily, knowing that Gideon does not know what is in store for him. Gideon is thinking of how he will defeat Astoroth and prevent Xenogenesis from happening, which has the new purpose of his alter ego … the Demon Hunter. [2]
Powers and abilities
Gideon’s powers seem to be all based in magic. They were granted to the Harvesters of Night Cult in their Harvester of Eyes, named for their Demon Hunters. His strength, agility, and senses have all been heightened to a higher degree than normal.
Paraphernalia
Gideon wears a suit and cloak that also grants him the ability to mask his presence and appearance to those unaware of magic. He uses this for a variety of effects which include invisibility, and shapeshifting.
References
- ^ Jump up to: a b c DeAngelo, Daniel (July 2013). “The Not-Ready-For-Super-Team Players: A History of the Defenders”. Back Issue! . TwoMorrows Publishing (65): 10.
- Jump up^ “The Demon Hunter – Atlas Comics”