Demon Knights #13

I like Lucifer portrayed with blood up to the elbows. Is this a standard literary image of him that I've missed out on? Or is this just a Chang and Maiolo thing? Nice job.

At the end of Issue #12, Etrigan had destroyed all of his comrades and fled to hell with their souls. Jason Blood was left alone outside of Avalon unable to swap places with The Demon.

Of course Etrigan is going to double cross Lucifer. He's always working on his own plans to get what he wants.

Etrigan's companions are currently acting out scenes which make them vaguely uncomfortable. That's the real secret of Hell. People don't undergo torture and misery for all eternity. It's mostly just awkward conversations and ill-fitting clothes.

The Shining Knight is sexually harassed by a demon priest and told to choose a sexual orientation. This [art of Hell must take place in 20th century America.

Al Jabr has to put up with some minor peer pressure while sitting on an uncomfortable chair in a warm room.

Vandal Savage is reunited with all of the children he abandoned. So far, this seems like the most uncomfortable punishment.

The Horsewoman's parents want her to do some work. Gosh, dad! Lay off!

Exoristos is tempted by Lucifer. He'll free her to return to Earth if she works for him by sending souls back to Hell for him. To help her decide, he makes her privy to a vision of the future.

This must be why the other versions of Hell are so vanilla. Lucifer's follow up plan (after Etrigan betrays the first plan) only concerns Exoristos.

Madame Xanadu's Hell must be the surprise twist ending (perhaps fucking Lucifer?) because after showing all of the other companions, the story returns to Vandal Savage. His children want him confess to all of the horrible acts he's committed over the centuries. But his confessing sounds a lot like bragging and reminiscing which his children don't appreciate.

Stupid children. They always think they're so important.

Oh, Madame Xanadu is up next. She's been forced to tend to every whim of Etrigan.

His main whims are dinner and conversation. What kind of a shitty demon is he? Perhaps they'll cuddle while fully clothed later.

Back to the Shining Knight's torment, it is revealed that she has drunk from The Holy Grail so when a demon wound him, the demon explodes in a burst of light. The Shining Knight takes off across Hell to rescue its comrades. Lucifer watches curiously and then lets Etrigan know that his companions are escaping. If he needs them, he'd better get off his turkey leg eating ass and get to work. Besides, he only has one day to get his plan in motion and he's busy playing house.

While all of this insanity is going on in Hell, Jason Blood is on Earth acting like a broken hearted teenager. He can't live without Madame Xanadu so he's about to take his own life. That way he can find Xanadu and get revenge on Etrigan at the same time. He somehow thinks killing himself and ending up in Hell will somehow allow him free reign to do as he pleases once he gets there. Luckily his suicide attempt is interrupted by The Questing Queen and Mordru.

Whoops. Or thank heavens! Or something.

Demon Knights #13 Rating: +1 Ranking. This comic felt like it had as much plot as the first nine issues of Supergirl. Fun and entertaining like always. And Diogenes Neves art was barely missed because Bernard Chang was more than an adequate replacement. Glad that a few of The New 52 titles are maintaining their quality.