(I originally read these comics in late July 2016)
I took a while reading these. They're consistently enjoyable, but a little undiluted Kirby goes a long way. Jack's prose sometimes flows like a pile of bricks and reads like a poor translation, ie, "TERROR IN TRANSYLVANIA IS A CONDITION AS ANCIENT AS THE STRANGE PRACTICES WHICH PRODUCE IT THERE!"
Come back, Stan...
The plot is as thus: In medieval times, as Camelot is under siege by the evil forces of Morgaine Le Fay, the wizard Merlin conjures up a demon called Etrigan as a last resort to turn the tide in Camelot's favour. But it's to no avail. As the court falls, a change comes over Etrigan and he assumes human guise. Centuries later in modern-day Gotham City, demonologist Jason Blood is about to discover his true nature as Morgaine Le Fay returns to plague the world again.
That's it, really. Kirby displays his usual propensity for ripping off pop culture in 'The Phantom of the Sewers' in issues 8-10, which has big nods to the Phantom of the Opera, Mad Love and possibly the contemporaneous Dr. Phibes films. The subsequent tale in issues 11-13 introduces a 'Baron Von Evilstein' (groan), assisted by an 'Igor' modelled after Bela Lugosi in Son of Frankenstein. Both stories are stretched out a bit far at three issues each.
The most memorable foes introduced here are Klarion the Witchboy, a malevolent and sorcerous teen, and his cat Teekl.
The problem with Kirby's post-Stan comics for me is that they're just slam-bang action with no quiet moments or respite. They're fun, but the lack of variation in pacing and tone can be wearing.
(NB: I believe some of these cover reproductions may have been scanned from Kirby's original art and so may or may not always appear as originally published.)
As extras, here's the original art for the cover of The Demon # 1, pencils by Jack Kirby (left) and inks by Mike Royer (right).
As extras, here's the original art for the cover of The Demon # 1, pencils by Jack Kirby (left) and inks by Mike Royer (right).
The Demon (1972) # 1-16 are collected in:
Hardcover:
