El Diablo (Jay Hernandez)
There have been three incarnations of El Diablo in the DC comic book universe. The first was known as Lazarus Lane, and was essentially a vigilante in the Old American West – arriving in All Star Western #2 in 1970. It transpired that Lane was cursed by a shaman named “Wise Owl” to be the host for a vengeful demon named El Diablo. This version has been portrayed in animation, voiced by Nestor Carbonell.
In 1989, El Diablo returned as Rafael Sandoval – a city council member in Dos Rios, who created the persona using a costume and local legends in order to generate some social justice. Currently, El Diablo is Chato Santana – a former criminal who encounters a comatose Lazarus in hospital. Santana falls into the more conventionally heroic end of the Suicide Squad spectrum, as an Olympic-standard boxer and athlete – albeit with a tendency to be possessed by questionable spirits and demons. His association with the Squad began with the New 52 re-launch of DC comic books, and his appearance in the Suicide Squad film will feature Santana’s iconic face markings.
Published: Jul 15, 2015 01:12 pm