Issue(s): Hellstorm #18
Cover Date: Sep 94
Title: "Bad days will end"
Credits:
Warren Ellis - Writer
Leonardo Manco - Art
Kevin Somers - Assistant Editor
Marie Javins - Editor

Review/plot:
This issue follows up on the revelations from recent issues (not counting last issue, which was an out-of-sequence fill-in) which revealed that Daimon Hellstrom had the "Black Halo". As that seemingly implied, Daimon has in fact overthrown his father. Jaine Cutter, whose mission statement is defending the world from both Heaven and Hell, has a conflict with dating the lord of Hell. But Daimon wants her to know that he's not like his father.

He inherited the throne accidentally, but he intends to use the throne to protect Earth from Hell.

Jaine accepts that, and also works towards gaining acceptance from Gargoyle.

She and Daimon then go to Hell to make his takeover official.

Meanwhile, Gabriel the Devil Hunter is shooting up Satanic cultists Punisher style.

The interaction between Jaine and Gargoyle is really nice character work, and Daimon embracing his father's throne (for his own purposes) is a really nice set-up with the potential for Seasons of Mist era Sandman style stories. Unfortunately, though, we are running out of time.

It's said in the lettercol that the critical reaction to Ellis' run so far "has bought us exactly four more issues". That must include this one, because the series will end with issue #21, and that also must mean that the critical response didn't result in higher sales. Not all of the critical response was positive, either, at least among older fans. One letter published this issue, which is said to be representative of others, complains about the characterization and usage of Hellstrom, Hellcat, and - especially - Gargoyle, in this series. Some of those fans were comparing the book to the Midnight Sons series, but Ellis' response makes it clear that he's not interested in anything superhero-ish: "no costumes, no sidekicks, no team-ups". He even refuses to use Isaac's super-name. "I won't have him called 'Gargoyle'! Pack it in!". There should have been room in Marvel's publishing line with a book with that kind of aesthetic, but Marvel's existing audience wasn't necessarily a natural fit for it, and getting it noticed by the Vertigo-inclined readers in the glut of Marvel's output wouldn't have been easy.

Quality Rating: B+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• We learned that Daimon had the Black Halo in Hellstorm #15. The confrontation with his father happened in Hellstorm #11 but it was truncated.
  
• Daimon learned information about his mother from Stephen Loss in Hellstorm #16.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A