Super Heroes From Hell
Article by Bindi Lavelle

The medium of comics allows genres the bend in a manner rivalled be few other forms. Horror, is a particularly interesting example because horror is already a highly mailable genre; with its various sub-genres and eclectic combinations such as horror/comedy, horror/sci-fi horror/erotica etc. What we will be taking a look at over the next few weeks in not the pure horror comics, such as Tales from the Crypt, rather the hybrids that can only be realised in comic book form.

Role call;
The Darkness provides an intriguing mix of super-natural and crime thriller. With a plotline following Jackie Estacado, who has a plethora of little demons inside him which he can manipulate and morph to his will.

There is also the dark addition to the Marvel universe, Ghost Rider. Marvel has quite a few anti-heroes but what you get with Ghost Rider is a little different; a human bonded with a demon each fighting their own battles.

For pure beautiful vengeance, you simply cannot go past James O’Barr’s classic tale The Crow. In which an average man is brought back from the dead with super powers, for the soul purpose of avenging his girlfriend.

And then, of course there is the ultimate of hellish superheroes, Spawn. Al Simmons makes a career of doing the wrong thing for the right reasons, this continues after his death when he agrees to become the general in Hell’s army for the chance to see his wife again.

The way these protagonists are seen despite the slightly dark tendencies is still heroic, even if there methods are horrific; this is the characteristic we will examine.