Issue(s): Haunt of Horror #2 (Gabriel the Devil Hunter story only)
Cover Date: Jul 74
Title: "Gabriel, Devil Hunter"
Credits:
Doug Moench - Writer
Billy Graham - Penciler
Billy Graham - Inker

Review/plot:
This is actually the second Marvel magazine to be called Haunt of Horror. The first, published in 1973, lasted just two issues and contained illustrated prose pieces, not comics, and there was nothing that was in continuity for the Marvel universe. The first issue of this second series did have comics, but again nothing Marvel universe related, and nothing that became an ongoing feature. Beginning with this second issue there are two ongoing features: Gabriel the Devil Hunter and Satana (whose story is covered in a separate entry). Satana will relatively quickly get tied in to Daimon Hellstrom, and her series also introduces the N'Garai demons that Chris Claremont will use in other Marvel universe books. But Gabriel the Devil Slayer, very obviously inspired by the popularity of the film The Exorcist, doesn't have anything to tie him into the Marvel universe and it's not until a 1980 appearance in Fantastic Four (written at the time by Doug Moench, the writer here) that Gabriel is connected with the MU. The character will finally play a larger role in the 1993 Hellstorm series.

Gabriel's Haunt of Horror stories are straightforward exorcism tales (as an aside, it's just amazing how popular Satanism was - as a topic, not necessarily a practice! - and how much that reflected on Marvel's 70s output, from Ghost Rider to Son of Satan to this book). If there's anything beyond "exorcist fights devil" in this story, it's the elements of Gabriel's history that are teased.

Gabriel's office is on the 13th floor of the Empire State Building; he's said to be the only tenant on that floor due to superstition. Gabriel's secretary is Desadia, who shows signs of precognition.

Gabriel's client for this issue is a priest that has a history with Gabriel. It seems Gabriel was a priest himself, but he was driven out for his beliefs by another priest. It seems the idea that demonic possession was real was the point of contention. Ironically, that priest is now possessed by a demon.

Although i have to admit when i first saw the history between Gabriel and Father Artemis hinted at "I remember him -- and what he did to me", i immediately assumed that Gabriel had been an altar boy under Artemis and perhaps experienced some bad touches. Is that wrong?

The demon that has possessed Father Artemis is one that Gabriel has had personal experience with.

She's a former witch that was burned at the stake.

Gabriel doesn't really do the formal Latin rituals to exorcise demons. He seems to basically smart-ass them out. It also comes out during the session that Gabriel has a cross-shaped scar on his chest...

...and it turns out that Catherine once possessed him - and forced him to pluck out his eye - but he used a cross to drive her out.

This time, Catherine leaves Father Artemis and tries to possess Gabriel again, but finds that he's too strong, so she seemingly dies.

There's a basic format here that makes it easy to see how it can work as an ongoing series. The trick will be to see if it can be varied up enough each time to avoid feeling repetitive.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 2 - first Gabriel the Devil Hunter

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: Essential Marvel Horror vol. 2

The demon that Gabriel fights in Marvel Comics Presents 106 claims to be Catherine, so you might want to add her as a character appearing.

Added her (it?) but i gave that MCP story a read and it's definitely ambiguous. I guess more on that when i get to 1992!