NIGHTFIRE

Real Name: Nick Malloy

Identity/Class: Human/demon

Occupation: Soul stealer, drug dealer

Group Membership: None

Affiliations: Ren, Stephie

Enemies: Traci Austin, Herb, Illuminator (Andy Prentiss), Skip Prentiss, unidentified demon

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Fairview, Tennessee

First Appearance: Illuminator#1 (1993)

Powers/Abilities: As a human, Nick Malloy was a tough drug dealer who carried a switchblade.

As the demonic Nightfire, he wore a necklace which granted him mystical powers, but forced him to feed on the souls of others for sustenance. After feeding off of a person's soul, his victims would become ghoulish, mindless creatures that obeyed his will. He could also walk on air, and could generate a mystical "sword of nightfire" made of demonic energy.

History: (Illuminator#1) - Nick was a local drug dealer, and enjoyed tormenting young Andy Prentiss and his friend Herb. Nick, Ren and Stephie confronted Andy and Herb on the street and tried to pressure them into buying some drugs, but Andy got out of it by suggesting to Herb that the drugs were laced. After that, Nick met with a customer who was actually a demon. When the demon revealed that he did not have money for his drugs, Nick suggested that he turn over his amulet instead. The demon refused and attacked Nick, but Nick killed him with his switchblade. Nick claimed the amulet and placed it around his neck, just before the demon burst into flames. Nick then turned on Ren and drained his soul. When he found Stephie spying on him, he turned to claim her soul as well.

Later that evening, Nick attended a party being held by Traci Austin, and brought his drugs with him-- to Traci's annoyance. Andy Prentiss was also present, and at one point walked in on Nick as he was claiming the soul of another party-goer. When Nick tried to claim Andy's soul, Andy suddenly exhibited his own superhuman powers and flew away. Nick was astonished to have encountered someone else with superhuman powers. Nick then turned on Traci and demanded to know where Andy lived. He then prepared to feed on her soul.

(Illuminator#3 (fb)) - Nick fed off of Traci's soul, and boasted that young people were easy prey for him because they were so unsure about life. Now dependant on his power, Traci followed Nick, and he provided her with drugs.

(Illuminator#1) - Nick came to the Prentiss house the next day, steadily becoming more demonic. He confronted Andy's brother Skip, but Andy quickly interceded to save his brother, flying into Nick at top speed. The two fought in the streets, but Nick outmatched Andy in strength. Andy finally tried to run away. As he fled, Nick fed on the soul of another passerby, with Andy powerless to save him. Andy finally stumbled across a church, and the custodian, a man named Gus, pulled him inside. Nick was about to follow when he realized where Andy had gone. Apparently unable to enter a church, Nick turned his sights elsewhere.

Nick led his thralls to the local mall, emulating his favorite film "Dawn of the Dead." Andy was quickly mentored by Gus and donned a costume with the codename "Illuminator" as he arrived to battle Nick. Amused at Andy's alias, Nick chose a codename for himself-- "Nightfire." Nightfire fought Illuminator, but he found that the Illuminator's blasts of light were harmful to him. To distract the Illuminator, Nightfire commanded his thralls to begin jumping from the upper level of the mall. While Andy flew to save the innocents, Nightfire attacked Andy's brother Skip and claimed his soul. Now fully demonic, Nightfire created his "Sword of Nightfire" and slashed at what he thought was the Illuminator, but proved to be a hologram illusion. Illuminator still hoped that there might be some way to save Nick and held back, but Nightfire was now powerful enough that he could manage to claim Andy's soul. As he tried to take Andy's soul, Andy saw astral images of his friends and family trying to tempt him to give in, but an image of Gus convinced him to resist. As Nightfire began to claim his soul, he glimpsed what his true purpose on Earth was-- but just then the Illuminator resisted him, and released a powerful blast of light at him. As Nightfire pleaded with him, saying it would kill him, Andy replied, "No Nick. You died some time ago." Nightfire was destroyed by the energy, and all of his thralls were returned to normal.

Comments: Created by Glenn Herdling, Craig Brasfield and Frank Turner.

Note that in his human and demon forms, Nick retained his single gold tooth.

Illuminator was a co-production of Marvel Comics and Nelson Publishers. The comics identified the trademark as belonging to Marvel, but it still seems unlikely that elements from Illuminator will ever be tied into the Marvel Universe.

by Prime Eternal

CLARIFICATIONS:
Nightfire should not be confused with:

• Nightfire, a Navajo mutated by Zoran, @ Son of Satan#1

The demon who possessed the amulet prior to Nightfire was on Earth for unknown reasons, and sought drugs from Nick Malloy. When Nick suggested that the demon give him his amulet in place of cash, the demon flew into a rage and attacked him, but Nick stabbed it to death with his switchblade. As Nick claimed the amulet, the demon warned him that while its suffering was over, Nick's was just beginning. The demon suddenly burst into flame and said "See you in Hell" as it perished.

--Illuminator#1 (1d