My Rating
“How To Trap A Devil!”
Sharon and Wayne wander from the movie set around midday to explore some ancient ruins in the nearby jungle canopy. Would the two be missed? Frankly, they didn’t care. All eyes were on Dan Cassidy and his special effects costume today. What a drag to be upstaged by the props department and a b-list stuntman such as him.
After laboring up a steep incline of 91 steps, the two actors reached the peak of the Mesoamerican temple as the sun reached its zenith. Sharon stopped to catch her breath, but her excitement got the best of her as she began to shuffle towards the ancient doorway leading into the chambers below. Wayne Tarrant on the other hand, hesitated. He had always been a coward, but to get into Sharon’s good-books he pushed on into the interior of the ancient space. Sharon was sweet on Dan, but the fool never seemed to pick up on her signals. If only Wayne could work the right angle, he could steal away her interest in the dork.
Deep inside the structure, the two began searching for bits of pottery or anything they thought would be of value. There were no archaeologists present, so a rusted bottle cap would have been a major find for them. Over the next few minutes, they searched in the low light, then Wayne Tarrant found it! A small indentation along the western wall.
He saw that hacky Raiders movie a couple of years ago, so he knew the scoop. The indentation had to be a locking mechanism, right? What Wayne didn’t know was Sharon had just found a key lying on the stone floor just yards away. The mask! It must fit the door. The sultry blond rushed to Wayne’s side to help figure out the door. What they discovered next would change their lives forever. If only the stuntman had just called in sick that day, none of this would have happened.
What lies on the other side of the temple doorway? Will Dan Cassidy’s Blue Devil suit be able to perform all the stunts in Marla Bloom’s latest Sci-Fi flick? Are all the lead Hollywood actors complete cowards? Collect the series to find out!
Reviewer Notes
I love lighthearted superhero comedies and Blue Devil qualifies for this genre. Before watching the Swamp Thing (2019) television show, I had never heard of the character in either comic books or television. After seeing Ian Ziering of Beverly Hills 90210 fame, I instantly became hooked on Blue Devil and his backstory. Now that I’ve read the first issue of the 1984 series, I can say Blue Devil has gained my interest.
The Blue Devil’s origins story is a bit different between this comic book and the 2019 television show. For one, in the comic book, Dan Cassidy is transformed by a blast of supernatural energy while fighting the Nebiros demon, whereas in the Swamp Thing television series, Dan is granted his powers from the Phantom Stranger. I kind of like the Phantom Stranger angle better, but hey, this comic book series was written a long time ago. So no worries on my end.
As far as the book itself, I thought the art and layouts were sharp, and in my opinion, Paris Cullins’ work was higher quality than some of the superhero books released in the early 1980s. I loved Dan Mishkin’s script! It was fun and engaging enough to hold the attention of most adult readers. Issue one of Blue Devil is not hacky or dumb down for grade school children. This is one of my major complaints about DC titles from the same period. Blue Devil is a cool character, and I will be adding this to my vintage read list. Dan Cassidy, stuntman, gets four out of five stars from me.
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