With Hulu expanding its own Marvel live-action universe, they recently announced that Ghost Rider and Daimon Hellstrom will find their way to the streaming service in 2020. Marvel’s Helstorm will center around Daimon and Ana Helstrom, the son and daughter of “a mysterious powerful serial killer.”
First appearing in Ghost Rider #1 before becoming the lead of the ‘Son of Satan’ series in Marvel Spotlight, Daimon has a long history within Marvel Comics. An occult expert, demonologist, and exorcist, he is no stranger to battling supernatural entities or fighting alongside heroes. So before Marvel’s Helstrom hits our TV screens, let’s run down ten things you need to know about Daimon Hellstrom.
10 10. He Has Unusual Parents
Or an unusual father, at least. Daimon Hellstrom is the son of Satan, or at least, a demon claiming to be Satan. Many demons have used the title over the years, and Daimon’s true parentage has been speculated and debated as a result, with Marduk Kurios considered most likely to be his father. Nevertheless, the Hell-Lords believed they needed a child with a mortal woman to eventually rule Earth. ‘Satan’ took a human form and began a ‘regular’ life near Fire Lake, Massachusetts, where he met Victoria Wingate. The pair married and Daimon was born soon after. ‘Satan’ was unable to deceive his wife forever. She walked in on him carrying out a Satanic ritual. Driving her insane, Victoria spent the rest of her life institutionalized.
9 9. He Nearly Became a Priest
Desperate to follow the path of good rather than succumb to his father’s wishes to be evil, Daimon is often in inner turmoil about his destiny. Having grown up in a religious orphanage after his mother’s death, he later joined a monastery with views of becoming a priest. But before he could be ordained, he discovered his mother’s old journal which documented the truth about his birth and heritage. Daimon ventured to Hell to confront his father. Instead of joining Satan, he returned to Earth with a goal of eradicating all evil from the world. Combining his religious training with his knowledge of demonology and the occult, Daimon became a renowned demon hunter and exorcist.
8 8. His Character Was Inspired By The Success of Horror Comics
In the early 1970s, horror comics appeared to rise from the dead. Heavily impacted by the comics code in the 1940s and ‘50s, publishers began to experiment with more controversial titles again. Seeing the success of Ghost Rider and The Tomb of Dracula, Stan Lee was eager to introduce Satan himself to the comics page. In an era when Satanic panic was on the rise, editor Roy Thomas suggested that Marvel Comics perhaps focus on the son of Satan instead. Gary Friedrich and Herb Trimple were commissioned to design this new character, and Daimon first appeared in 1973’s Ghost Rider #1, before starring in Marvel Spotlight’s ‘Son of Satan’ series. As predicted, the series drew criticism about fearmongering and depicting sorcery and satanism in comic books. However, it also proved popular enough for Daimon to receive his own solo series, written by John Warner.
7 7. He Joined The Defenders
As an expert in the dark arts and occult, Daimon has aided many superheroes over the years, fighting side by side with Ghost Rider, The Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. But he is most notorious for teaming up with The Defenders. Added to The Defenders by Steve Gerber, the son of Satan first met the super team as they battled against Asmodeus and Satannish. He proved to be a good fit for the team and remained a member long after his solo title was cancelled. It’s a team he’s returned to over the years, recruited to help them battle the Six-Fingered Hand and as part of the Fifty States Initiative post-‘Civil War’. He even met and married Patsy Walker, a.k.a. Hellcat, during his initial run with the team. This close link to The Defenders has given some hope that the cancelled Netflix shows might find a new lease of life on Hulu.
6 6. He Doesn’t Always Get Along With His Sister
Family can be complicated, especially when your father is the ruler of Hell. But Daimon wasn’t the only child ‘Satan’ and Victoria had. Satana was born three years after Daimon and followed her father’s every word. Pleased with her eagerness to learn the dark arts and dedication to her heritage, Satana returned to Hell with her father while Daimon was sent to the orphanage.
There she learned to use her powers and became a deadly succubus. She had full control over a demon named Basilisk which possessed her, able to combine their powers when required. Often venturing to Earth to consume human souls and do her father’s bidding, she fought against Daimon frequently. Nevertheless, Satana became tired of her father constantly testing her strength and loyalty, eventually turning against him and trying to overcome her evil side.
5 5. He Married Patsy Walker
While fighting side by side in The Defenders, Daimon and Patsy fell in love and married. Leaving the super team, but continuing to battle against forces of evil together, they were fiercely dedicated to each other. However, when Daimon neared death after being separated from his Darksoul, Patsy did the unthinkable, tracking down one of Daimon’s old dark magic books, summoning his father, and asking him to restore the Darksoul to her husband. This magic revealed Daimon’s true demonic face to Patsy which gradually drove her insane. She finally called upon the messenger of death, Deathurge, to end her life. Her soul condemned to Mephisto’s Hell dimension, Daimon tricked Hawkeye and his Thunderbirds into rescuing Patsy’s soul, successfully resurrecting her.
4 4. He Moved to San Francisco
Daimon and Patsy’s relationship wasn’t all doom and tragedy, however. Leaving The Defenders, the pair moved across the country to San Francisco where they became renowned supernatural investigators. They became so well known that Daimon decided to create a costumed identity to keep his mortal life safe when battling demons and creatures, calling himself Hellstorm. The pair were often called upon by the West Coast Avengers while living in San Francisco, helping them in battle against the paranormal. Together they exorcised Allatou and were able to defeat the demon-limbed Master Pandemonium and Egyptian Serpent-God of Death, Seth.
3 3. He Is One of Marvel’s Most Powerful Sorcerers
Daimon’s powers have changed frequently over the years, but he has always been considered one of the most powerful sorcerers in the Marvel universe, even being sought out by Doctor Strange to content for the position of Sorcerer Supreme. Initially, his powers came from the demonic part of his human soul stored in the upside-down pentagram birthmark on his chest. This source of power was named Darksoul.
It gifted him incredible strength and the ability to project soulfire – a blast of fiery force from Hell which attacked the victim’s soul rather than their body. Without his Darksoul, he’s equally as powerful, able to cast spells and teleport himself and others to various dimensions. While he can’t willingly conjure soulfire, he does have a magical trident which casts it for him.
2 2. He Has Defeated Some of Marvel’s Most Powerful Demons
Daimon has battled his fair share of ghouls and monsters over the years, his extensive occult knowledge and own powers sending them running. But perhaps most impressive is that Daimon has taken on some of the most powerful demons in the entire Marvel universe – and won! Perhaps his most notable victory was against not one but two of Marvel’s mightiest demons. Dormammu planned to invade and usurp all of Hell’s realms, recruiting Satannish to help him with his nefarious plan. Taking a stand against his possible-grandfather, Dormammu (although, as we’ve already established, this is a messy family tree!), Daimon joined forces with Pluto, Hela and Mephisto to weaken the demons and send them running back to the Dark Dimension.
1 1. He Is The Ruler of a Hell Dimension
Daimon spent years trying to defeat and dethrone his father to maintain balance between Heaven and Hell. His first attempt was a failure, but he was able to steal his father’s satanic trident and chariot, pulled by three demonic horses, while also turning a number of his father’s slaves against their ruler. Spending years honing his powers with a view of returning to Hell to defeat his father, Daimon eventually teamed up with Gabriel the Devil-Hunter, the Gargoyle, Nekra, and LaVoisin to help with his goal. Together they were able to find out information which would help destroy ‘Satan’ once and for all, including the demon’s real name: Marduk Kurios. Armed with this knowledge, Daimon finally defeated his father and was rewarded with the Black Halo, becoming ruler of the Hell dimension. As leader, he now holds the vast power of his entire realm, making it possible for him to conduct almost any magical feat imaginable.