Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

Blood of the Demon #4

By Leroy Douresseaux
July 2, 2005 - 12:06

While the other comic book series that John Byrne is writing (Doom Patrol) is wildly inconsistent, the series that he plots (and Will Pfeifer scripts), BLOOD OF THE DEMON, is wildly entertaining. Fun in the vein of Byrne’s mid-90’s run on Wonder Woman, the series minds Arthurian legends and the arcane continuity of DC Comics “universe” to create a hodge podge of intrigue that is part mystery, part superhero, and part fantasy/occult-lite.

This issue (“Masks”) recounts the relationship between the title Etrigan the Demon and the sorceress, Morgaine Le Fey, going back to mid 17th century London coming back to a shocking present-day cliffhanger ending. This is spirited and energetic like all of Byrne’s re-workings of Jack Kirby’s creations, which the Demon is. Byrne has a love for Kirby’s comics and loves to do his own version of them. Thus, every panel of a Byrne Kirby comic is fun, even the goofy moments, because he genuinely has a love for the material.

The art here is not as good as in the first three issues of this series; in fact, the clothed figure drawing on the opening page is horrendous. The inker, named Nekros, is more or less an inker-as-tracer, so his best moments are when Byrne gives him something good to trace. B

Last Updated: November 29, 2025 - 16:51