Broken Frontier

The curse of El Diablo is passed on to an unlikely recipient, gang member Chato Santana.

After being betrayed by one of his partners in crime, Chato finds himself on the run, and despite his best efforts is caught by the long arm of the law. Worse still, he is crippled and unable to walk. Despite offers of clemency and being subjected to some unusual roommates, he refuses to betray his gang. Agent Aaron, from the Department of Justice, tires of the stalemate, and condemns Santana with a rather dirty trick. It is at this point that he inherits the curse of El Diablo, and learns of the mysterious nature of Lazarus Lane, one of his hospital roommates.

I remember seeing old issues of El Diablo in 25 cent bins at comic conventions, but was never excited enough with it to part with my pennies. It took nothing more than Phil Hester's name on the credit to attract me to this revival. As always, Hester's artwork is brilliant. With studio mate Ande Parks on inks, Hester's recognizable style brings an animated feel to the comics page, but with a gritty edge. His characters are charming and expressive and he portrays action with an able hand. The visual payoff is El Diablo's horse. Set in modern day Los Angeles, the horse provides a fantastic, unexpected juxtaposition, and Hester captures that beautifully. El Diablo is armed with six-shooters, an Old West figure in the 21st century.

As first issues go, El Diablo #1 delivers on the important points. Jai Nitz develops the character of Chato Santana well. He may begin on the wrong side of the law, but he is fiercely loyal and exhibits both bravery and ingenuity. His rebirth into the magical identity of El Diablo will no doubt change his outlook on a great many things, but Nitz has created a complex character with much room for self-discovery. El Diablo himself is a spirit of vengeance, with brutal firepower, but complete inability to injure the innocent. The parallels to Ghost Rider are strong, but hopefully future issues will serve to separate the identity of El Diablo.

Nitz also plants seeds for an as yet mysterious nemesis for the title character. Along with Chato Santana's old gang, his dastardly ex-partner, and the unscrupulous federal agent, there are more than enough plot points to keep this six-issue limited series flowing. It is an off-beat series but boasts a well written script and excellent artwork. I am not sure how much the new series has to do with the prior incarnations, but the series is instantly accessible without any background whatever to the character. With the feel of a modern western, and an interesting Latino protagonist, I hope El Diablo can find an audience amidst the crowded competition on the comic racks.