Was Alan Moore the first writer to present Etrigan speaking in rhyme? I'm not sure I remember any other writer doing that with the character before seeing it in the pages of Swamp Thing. Whoever came up with it, it's a brilliant technique to make The Demon unique, even among occult characters. It makes him a little trickier to write for, but the storytelling effects are worth the extra effort.
But, none of Etrigan's rhymes will ever surpass Deadpool's classic retort in STF #2202. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI remember being told in a high school lit class (geez, five decades ago) that rhyming demons are the most powerful. Every time I read stories with the rhyming Etrigan I can't help but recall the discussion when discussing the witches in Macbeth.
ReplyDelete"No more rhymes now! I mean it!" "Anybody want a peanut?"
ReplyDelete(Perfect dialogue for, say, the Punisher with Etrigan.)
I agree, Ross. Etrigan's rhyming is surely a challenge to write, probably leading to more than one dog-eared thesaurus, but it does help him to stand out from the rest.
"Not only in the North and South. But, also, in the East and West!"
ReplyDelete"it's a brilliant technique to make The Demon unique,"
ReplyDeleteDid you do that on purpose? Brilliant!!
What tim Brown said. :-)
ReplyDeleteHaha I think I just have rhymes on the brain when Etrigan is the topic.
ReplyDeleteToo bad DC has lost so many writers and editors that has led to better story telling. Now, i fear most are myopic.
ReplyDeleteWhile it amazes me that Etrigan still has pale yellow skin after inhabiting realms so tropic.
ReplyDeleteLet's face it, though. Grown-up Hellboy would stop all that rhyming by giving him a fat lip with that trademark big whammer!*
ReplyDelete*As that U.S. Army officer from the original movie's prologue would've said.
Ross, Len Wein was the one to make Etrigan rhyme for the first time. In the pages of Detective comics back when it was $ 1.00. Right before he teamed him up with Man-bat! Another colossally great idea DC had they then failed to capitalize upon!
ReplyDeleteIsaac
Len Wein was an amazing writer, and this is yet another great contribution of his.
ReplyDeleteOf course, Dwayne McDuffie may have come up with Etrigan's best rhyme ever.
ReplyDelete"For rhyming demons nothing vexes quite as much as 'orange.'
It's not exact, but in a pinch, I often opt for 'whore binge.'"
Benny Hill had the same problem with "Christmas" and "bismuth." ;-)
ReplyDeleteEtrigan spoke in rhyme in the early Kirby issues, but he didn't make a habit of it. See https://www.cbr.com/the-abandoned-an-forsaked-does-the-demon-rhyme-all-of-the-time/
ReplyDeleteI remember Mario Lopez having the same problem on "Saved By The Bell" (where he'd been bought at one of those fund-raising bachelor "slave" auctions by a trio of cheerleaders).
ReplyDelete@Cary: Benny also had a similar relationship to names like Parton, Barton, Martin, and Fargo.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Ross would be able to do a cover showing Benny being chased by someone like Black Racer or the Hulk?
Whereupon, Benny would yell something like: "Get my seven-league boots, Randolph!"
ReplyDeleteThis cover has given me a good incentive to backtrack on the appearances of The Demon: he actually works well with so many other characters, like a good spicy mustard with a favorite dish. Relating to Phylo97's comment, Etrigan's verses have to be well crafted, otherwise they start to sound like old "Burma Shave" slogans. Although some of those were pretty good actually.
ReplyDeleteDoor hinge?
@Ken Roskos: of course, nowadays, the product would have to be renamed "Myanmar Shave" in order not to be labeled "racist" or "retro-imperialistic" (he said with politically incorrect sarcasm).
ReplyDelete