7

Essential DC Horror Heroes

Joshua Lapin-Bertone
May 2, 2019

The DC Universe can be a frightening place, and sometimes
its saviors are more than a little, well, spooky. While some
characters like Superman or Wonder Woman are known for their
sunny dispositions, the world has its share of champions who
represent dark forces that lurk in the shadows. It's not always
easy to distinguish these good guys from the bad guys. So here's a
handy guide to 7 of DC’s most horrifying heroes...

John Constantine



FIRST APPEARANCE: The Saga of Swamp Thing #37 (written by Alan
Moore and penciled by Rick Veitch)

POWER SET: John Constantine is a master of the darkest forms of
magic, granting him the ability to call upon spells from both Heaven
and Hell.

ORIGIN: Constantine comes from the bloodline of a family of magic
users known as the Laughing Magicians. After learning of his
heritage, John decided to travel the world to investigate
supernatural happenings, and have his own mischievous brand of
fun along the way.

RECOMMENDED READING: Constantine (2013) #1-23

BONUS: Check out Matt Ryan’s critically acclaimed take on the
character in the live-action TV series Constantine. Ryan’s popular
portrayal of the character led to him reprising the role on
TV’s Arrow andDC's Legends of Tomorrow.

Andrew Bennett



FIRST APPEARANCE: House of Mystery #290 (written by J.M.
DeMatteis and penciled by Tom Sutton)

POWER SET: Like most vampires, Bennett has the powers of flight,
telepathy, and shape-shifting.

ORIGIN: Andrew Bennett was an English nobleman whose life was
changed forever after a vampire attacked him. Although Andrew
was able to kill his attacker, he soon found himself transformed into
a vampire. Andrew vowed to only feast on animals. His primary
mission is stopping his former lover Mary, a vampire who doesn’t
share his same restraint against hurting humans.

RECOMMENDED READING: I, Vampire (2011) #1-19

BONUS: Check out Andrew Bennett along with the DC Universe’s
other supernatural characters in the 2005 limited series Day of
Vengeance.

The Phantom Stranger



FIRST APPEARANCE: The Phantom Stranger (1952) #1 (written by
John Broome and M.W. Wellman, penciled by Carmine Infantino and
Murphy Anderson)

POWER SET: The limits of the Phantom Stranger’s powers have
not been fully revealed, but he has regularly used clairvoyance,
energy projection, teleportation, and a variety of other
mystical abilities.

ORIGIN: The Phantom Stranger’s origins are as mysterious as he
is. Some say he's a soul condemned by an angel to forever walk the
earth. Others say the Phantom Stranger is himself a fallen
angel, punished for refusing to side with Heaven or Hell. It’s also
been suggested that the Phantom Stranger is a remnant from an
extinct universe. Wherever he came from, the Phantom Stranger has
proven a powerful ally against the DC Universe’s deadliest threats.

RECOMMENDED READING: The Phantom Stranger (2012) #1-22

BONUS: Watch the Phantom Stranger team-up with the Caped
Crusader in the acclaimed Batman: The Brave and the Bold episode
“Chill of the Night.”

Swamp Thing



FIRST APPEARANCE: (Alex Olsen) House of Secrets #92 (written by
Len Wein and penciled by Bernie Wrightson), (Alec Holland) Swamp
Thing #1(written by Len Wein and penciled by Bernie Wrightson)

POWER SET: Swamp Thing can control all forms of plant life and
transfer his consciousness to them. This power has given him the
ability to regenerate himself from even the tiniest forms of plant life.
He also possesses super strength.

ORIGIN: Dr. Alec Holland was a scientist working on a chemical
formula designed to stimulate plant life -- when a bomb
unexpectedly went off. The resulting explosion bathed Alec in his
formula even as he sought to douse the flames in the
nearby swamp waters. The explosion and formula created an
unexpected reaction, fusing Alec’s consciousness with the local flora
and giving birth to the humanoid Swamp Thing.

RECOMMENDED READING: Saga of Swamp Thing #21-24

BONUS: As you may have heard, Swamp Thing will be DC Universe’s
next original live-action series. Check out the trailer here to get a
taste of what’s to come.

The Spectre


FIRST APPEARANCE: More Fun Comics #52 (written by Jerry Siegel
and penciled by Bernard Baily)

POWER SET: The Spectre has super-strength, invulnerability and
can manipulate space, time, and matter. His powers are vast but can
only be used on those he judges guilty.

ORIGIN: The being now known as the Spectre began as a demon
named Aztar, who sought penance for joining in Lucifer’s rebellion
against Heaven. Seeking redemption, the Spectre became God’s
instrument of vengeance. Over the years, the Spectre has
employed a variety of human hosts. The most notable was a
detective named Jim Corrigan.

RECOMMENDED READING: The Spectre #1-62

BONUS: Check out the Spectre’s creepy DC Showcase animated short
film, found after the credits of Superman/Shazam: The Return of
Black Adam.

Etrigan the Demon



FIRST APPEARANCE: The Demon #1 (story and art by Jack Kirby)

POWER SET: Etrigan has control over fire, which he usually
channels by breathing vicious hellfire from his mouth. Wounds do
little to hurt Etrigan, thanks to his healing power and the way his
mind perceives pain as pleasure. Etrigan also has super-strength,
clairvoyance, and telepathy.

ORIGIN: Etrigan is a demon who was summoned to our realm by the
wizard Merlin. When Etrigan refused to give Merlin the secrets of
the underworld, the wizard retaliated by bonding the creature with
a human knight named Jason Blood. This symbiosis made Jason
immortal, and he went on to become a traveling demonologist.
Whenever his services are required, Jason recites a poem and
transforms himself into Etrigan the Demon, who himself speaks in
rhyme.

RECOMMENDED READING: The Demon (1972) #1-12

BONUS: Check out Etrigan’s animated debut in The New Batman
Adventures episode “The Demon Within.”

Deadman



FIRST APPEARANCE: Strange Adventures #205 (written by Arnold
Drake and Otto Binder, penciled by Carmine Infantino)

POWER SET: Like a ghost, Deadman is invisible to most people and
has the power of flight and intangibility. He can take over the body
of any living creature and temporarily make them do his bidding.

ORIGIN: Boston Brand was a circus acrobat, whose life was cut short
by an assassin’s bullet during one of his aerial performances. Brand
was given a second chance by the Hindu Goddess Rama Kushna.
Since Brand had lived a life of kindness, Kushna granted the
wandering soul the ability to walk the earth as a body-jumping spirt
in order to find his murderer.

RECOMMENDED READING: Deadman: Love after Death #1-2

BONUS: See Boston Brand fight alongside the World's Greatest
Super Heroes in the Justice League Unlimited episode “Dead
Reckoning”, and watch an adorable animated version of the
character in the DC Nation Shorts "Deadman".


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