DEMONS

BIOGRAPHY

SPECIES DATA

Homeworld: Unknown
Physical characteristics:
Eyes: Varies
Fingers: Varies
Toes: Varies
Skin Color: Varies
Average Height: Varies
Distinguishing Features: None

HISTORY

Several billion years ago the Maltusian known as Krona attempted to learn the origin of the universe by opening a portal to see the beginning of creation. As he gazed upon creation, reality shattered and the universe was split in two halves: the positive matter universe and the anti-matter universe. With the release of the anti-matter universe a wave of evil was also unleashed on the positive matter universe. This evil manifested itself on the newly created Earth in the form of demonkind. The origin of the demons themselves is under some dispute though. A number of them are known to be fallen angels, who rebelled against God's will at the dawn of time. Others may be former deities of forgotten pantheons, corrupted long ago. Still others are born in Hell, although that's an extreme rarity.

The demons would rule Earth for several million years before they were eventually banished to the Netherworlds known as Hell by mystic beings known as the Timeless Ones, who established a barrier which should prevent the Demons from returning to the Earthly plane. As a result of this most demons cannot access the mortal realms easily, but have to use a vessel of sorts, such as a human conductor, a talisman, a spell, or a portal. The denizens of Hell use a mystical device called "Chymic Windows" to watch Earth from Hell. (Chymic Windows were first seen in Swamp Thing Vol. 2 #59)

The oldest demons are also the most powerful, and they traditionally use antiquated feudal systems of rulership to govern their infernal domains. There is a complex hierarchy of Kings, Queens, Princes, Lords, Arch-Dukes, Dukes and other rankings among the demons. Among the most prominent demons are the Rhymers, who speak in rhymes as a sign of their social status. Other gifted creatures are the Succubi, female demons who seduce men, and the Incubi, male demons who do the same to women. The lowest cast of demon is the Abortives - creatures born in Hell without a language or the ability to travel. (The Abortives can only escape Hell by inhabiting a "hollow" - a human without a soul.)

The high ranking demons are in constant battle for control and some of the more prominent also want to extend their reach and reclaim Earth. Most minor demons however seem content in their new home, and are assigned one sole purpose in existence - to punish the damned souls so that these can ultimately reach redemption and eternal salvation. In that aspect, the demons actually work for the ultimate good according to God's will. However, that hardly bothers most demons who thrive in tormenting the stained souls. After all, redemption in Hell is such a rare thing.

Few demons try to escape their duty, but there are those who have managed to leave Hell because they didn't agree with the ways of demonkind. Aztar and Stanley's Monster left the realm because they opposed the evil, Chantinelle fled because she had broken Hell's rules, while Beelzebub and Asteroth have been known to leave to conduct infernal affairs on Earth.

Some forces have taken it as their mission to exterminate unwelcome demons from the face of Earth. Among them are the heroic demon called Blue Devil, the team known as the HellEnders, and formerly also the Demon Etrigan, who briefly played the role of "Hell's Hitman" on Hell's own behalf.

"Demon" is a collective epithet for evil spirits, and almost every religion or pantheon has them in some form or another. Widely different entities such as Koth, Trigon the Terrible, M'nagalah the God Cancer, the Gothodaemon of Gotham City, Doctor Fate's friend Petey, and the Dementor, have all been referred to as Demons. There are also the otherworldly Empire of Tears, the Para-Demons of Apokolips, and the Incubus and Succubus of the Nightshade realm.

CHRONOLOGY

For a definitive list of appearances of the Demons in chronological order click here