Devil-Slayer
a/k/a Eric Simon Payne is on a tiny rock in the Negative Zone, his only
companion is the corpse of Ira “Sunshine” Gross whose death he blames himself
for. But he doesn’t want to die—so Ira’s ghost suggests they leave. They show
up at a dingy saloon on Earth to have a drink; Payne demands liquor for himself
and his unseen friend. Ira questions Payne’s desire for a drug (alcohol),
having helped Ira get over his addiction. He also insists helping him was the
first human thing Payne had done since the 1960s. Payne takes on the form of
Devil-Slayer and uses his Shadow Cloak to depart through the wall, terrifying
the bartender. And into the plane of dimensions….
Interlude
One: Lawyer Milton Rosenblum informs Luann Bloom that her patient, Kyle
Richmond, has died, having received a report from Nick Fury that Kyle died in
service to his country though the details are classified. Luann flies into a
rage, insisting they are being lied to and the Defenders must be involved
somehow and she is determined to find out what is really going on….
A
drunken Eric Payne collapses in an alley, switching in and out of his
Devil-Slayer identity, hating himself and vowing that someone will pay. By
night, he comes to a mansion in California as Devil-Slayer, fights off guard
dogs, and smashes his way though the front door, intruding on a quiet family
gathering. The family is that of mob boss Carlo Boccino, whose henchmen appear
as demons to Payne. DS tells Boccino that it is his fault that innocents have
died; Boccino refuses to accept that, reminding Payne how he helped him and
gave him a job and refusing to bear Payne’s sins. DS draws a gun, intending to
kill Boccino but the sight of his frightened family leads him to apologize and
return to the Negative Zone….
Interlude
Two: A glimpse of Washington, D.C., and the surprise that Kyle Richmond is
President of the United States….
Eric
Payne arrives in his hometown, Queenstown, Illinois, and goes to the home of
his old friend and Army buddy, Brian Kingston; Brian invites him in to have
dinner and meet his family. Payne realizes that he had been hoping to learn his
friend had endured a miserable life like he had. Brian’s happy family makes him
want to attack and beat Brian but he dashes out instead. Brian runs after him
but can’t find him…
…because
Devil-Slayer is back on the rock in the Negative Zone with the ghost of Ira
Gross, who tells him the truth he couldn’t admit to himself: he, not the war or
his wife, is responsible for his problems. Eric Payne then finds himself in
Jerusalem where he falls down a flight of steps. He is found by his ex-wife
Cory who takes him home to dress his wounds. She tries to comfort him, saying
“It’s all right,” but he slaps her, ridiculing her interest in the
pseudo-Messiah David Kessler. She responds that David was a fraud but she has
come to a stronger, more sincere faith and offers Eric the possibility of
forgiveness. But he doesn’t think God would want to forgive him; both Cory and
the ghost of Ira Gross try to convince him otherwise but he vanishes to the
rock in the Negative Zone but Cory has come with him, offering to die with him.
Instead, they return to her apartment as he begs for help….
Epilogue:
Doctor Strange receives a letter from Cory Payne explaining that Eric returned
to the USA and surrendered to the authorities and is now serving a sentence in
prison; she has taken an apartment near there and is helping guide Eric on his
spiritual journey, thanking Strange for his kindness and concern. And Dr.
Strange sheds a tear….