Marvel Spotlight #33 - Marvel Comics

MARVEL SPOTLIGHT No. 33, April 1977

Featuring both the first appearance of Devil-Slayer, as well as continuing the adventures of Deathlok the Demolisher after the cancellation of “Astonishing Tales”, this seventeen-page periodical’s plot probably proved something of a bemusing mess to many of its readers way back in January 1977 – at least to those who were unfamiliar with Luther Manning’s convoluted adventures in a post-apocalypse Manhattan. In fact, this comic’s opening pages are so primarily focused upon simply squeezing in as much backstory about its two central protagonists as David Anthony Kraft can manage, that it arguably appears that the North Dakota-born writer had scant regard as to just how much information his audience could realistically retain when it comes to the past exploits of Godwulf, Teresa Deveraux’s Central Intelligence Agency on Earth-7484, and Eric Simon Payne’s murderous demonic cult.

Happily however, for those bibliophiles able to navigate their way through such a bewildering morass of time travel, dimension jumping, Hell worshippers and shapeshifting assassins, Issue Thirty Three of “Marvel Spotlight” does contain a genuinely exciting, pulse-pounding punch-up. Admittedly, much of the misunderstanding behind the two anti-heroes locking horns is due to the American author trying to replicate Demon Hunter’s origin from the now redundant “Atlas Comics” so that the character could ‘live again’ under a new guise/publisher. Yet such is the ferocity of the fast-paced combat, that a lot of Devil-Slayer’s abilities appear to simply be on show to demonstrate how formidable Deathlok’s brute strength and computer-assisted skills actually are, rather than a blatant regurgitation of Gideon Cross' special skills.

In addition, the narrative also establishes that the planet’s population is not only under constant threat from extra-terrestrials and super-villains, but also a gaggle of horned, long-tailed ghouls who appear to go about their daily business unnoticed until they suddenly reveal themselves to strike. This notion proves particularly terrifying when the fiends initially encircle Payne’s poor ex-wife in the guise of concerned pedestrians, and then shockingly transform into heavily fanged monsters who plan to slaughter her simply to teach Devil-Slayer a lesson; “Blazes! All yer stinkin’ talk of demons was true!”

What does debatably work against this publication’s success though is possibly its interior layouts, which at times try to tell far too much within too small a space. There should be no doubt that when given the room Rich Buckler, Mike Nasser, Arvell Jones, and Klaus Janson do a splendid job depicting Eric’s increasing desperation to fend off the Demolisher once he realises he may well have bitten off more than he can chew. So it’s a real pity the creative team weren’t given an extra sheet or two so they could much more patiently illustrate the warring pair’s reconciliation, and subsequent team-up against the demons threatening Cory.

Author: David Anthony Kraft, and Artists: Rich Butler, Mike Nasser, Arvell Jones & Klaus Janson