Marvel Spotlight #15
Published and © by Marvel, May 1974
Title: “Black Sabbath!”
Synopsis: Satan confronts his son in a dream, then battles Daimon in real life as the demon Baphomet.
Writer: Steve Gerber
Artist: Jim Mooney
Review: How exactly did Marvel get away with publishing a Code-approved book in the 1970s about the Devil’s literal offspring? This reviewer came from a fairly liberal family but Grandma still would’ve been outraged by this concept. Writer Steve Gerber taps into the Satanic panic of the era, layering his script with other occult elements as well as various hipster flourishes. The main plot point here is presented as a pivotal battle for Daimon Hellstrom’s soul, but it proves to be a minor skirmish instead. Jim Mooney’s art does little to elevate the proceedings. Very much a product of its time.
Grade: C+
Cool factor: The audacity of the concept.
Not-so-cool factor: The reality of the execution.
Collector’s note: Beware, this issue contains Marvel Value Stamp (Series A) #21 (Kull). … According to MyComicShop.com, there is a Mark Jewelers variant of this issue.
Character quotable: “I am neither demon nor human – I am both – and the whole is less than the sum of its parts!” – Son of Satan, deep in thought
Editor’s note: This review was written May 28, 2025.
