SOULFIRESOULFIRE
Real Name: Jason Maldonado
Identity/Class: Human, possessed by
demon;
American, of Latino descent
Occupation: Unrevealed, possible student
Group Membership: None
Affiliations: Gabriel Rosetti, Hellstorm;
unwitting pawn of Armaziel and Sammael
(and through them the forces of Heaven and Hell,
respectively)
Enemies: Satan (see comments), Marglar and other demons, Jack + Mariel + Kim Riley
Known Relatives: Esteban (father), mother (unnamed)
Aliases: None
Base of Operations: Brooklyn, New York
First Appearance: Hellstorm#4 (July, 1993)
Powers: Jason is possessed by an unnamed
demon. He can transform into a powerful form, possibly the form
of that demon, or a hybrid of himself and the demon. In that
form, he possesses great strength (Class 10-15) , durability,
etc. Its metaplasmic integument (skin) contains its energies,
much like the armor of Jack of Hearts. If its skin is breached,
its energies may leak out, resulting in injury to those around
him, and possibly death to himself.
He can also unleash magical bursts of energy that can temporarily
disrupt the control of a demon over its host.
History: (Hellstorm4(fb)) - Jason Maldonado was
originally a part of some centuries old game of strategy between
"Satan" and one of the hosts of Heaven, played out by
the angel Armaziel and the demon Sammael.
As a youth, Jason was possessed by a host of demons. Gabriel
exorcised the demons and Jason was seemingly cured, however, one
demon managed to remain hidden deep within him. For three years,
Jason lived a normal life.
When Jason reached adolescence, the demon attempted to reassert
itself, but instead found that Jason had developed the strength
of will to keep it repressed. He did this for four more years.
(Hellstorm#4-5) - The demon Marglar from Satan's realm stumbled across the chess-like game which involved Maldonado. Unable to fathom the complexities of the contests, Marglar grabbed the piece representing Jason and infused it with its own energies.
Meanwhile, on Earth, Jason was at Kennedy
Airport at the start of a struggle between Hellstorm and Jack
Riley (who had summoned demons to possess his own wife and
daughter, to use against Hellstorm). As Marglar in Hell infused
its powers into Jason's icon, the demon within took over Jason's
form, transforming it in the process. Calling itself Soulfire,
the demon attacked Hellstorm. After some back and forth struggle,
Hellstorm infused Soulfire with his own hellfire, which caused
Jason's memory to return, and his mind to take ascendancy over
the demon form.
Now in control, Jason switched sides and helped Daimon route the
demons he had been fighting. In the course of the battle, one of
the demons lacerated his "metaplasmic integument"
causing his vital energies to drain out. Hellstorm repaired the
damage to Soulfire, and then exorcised the demons from the two
they had been fighting.
Satan returned to find Marglar messing with his game and punished him. He Satan sentenced it to five millennia of licking flaming bile out of the Netheranium latrines while Satan could then conceive of a more suitably severe torment. Satan then went to confer with the game's other player (presumably a high-ranking figure in Heaven).
(Civil War: Battle Damage Report) - Tony Stark considered Soulfire as a potential Initiative recruit.
(New Avengers#53) - The Eye of Agamotto appeared to Soulfire as it considered him a possible replacement for Dr. Strange as Sorcerer Supreme.
Comments: Created by Rafael Nieves, Len Kaminski, and Michael Bair.
Satan, or at least the version that is the father of Daimon Hellstorm/Hellstrom, was definitively revealed to be Marduk Kurios, who either was the Mesopotamian God, or was mistaken for him in the past. Subsequent stories written by writers who never read Hellstorm have conflicted with info. Nonetheless, the demon who went by Marduk Kurios is the version of Satan who had set up the plot involving Soulfire.
What can I say? Hellstorm was a cool series,
even before Ellis took it over. It should be standard reading for
any fan of supernatural stories/characters...as well as Marvel's
writers...
Anyway, Soulfire certainly looks interesting, but we never got to
learn enough about him, and probably never will.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Not to be confused with:
Hellfire, Mikal Drakonmegas, son of Cassandra Drakonmegas and the demon Beelzeboul, @ Terror, INC#1
Satan. see comments.
Appearances:
Hellstorm#4-5 (July-August, 1993) - Rafael Nieves & Len Kaminski (writer), Michael Bair (artist), Fabian Nicieza (editor)
Civil War: Battle Damage Report (2007)
New Avengers#53 (July, 2009) - Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Billy Tan (pencils), Matt Banning (inks), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Last updated: 01/09/03
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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