"SKY DEMONS"
Identity/Class: Extradimensional (Earth-78411 (Dinosaur World)) extraterrestrials
Membership: Names unrevealed
Purpose: Analysis and experimentation of alien species, and mass extermination of those considered a threat
Affiliations: Prime Computer
Enemies: All denizens of the Valley, notably Brown-Back, Devil Dinosaur, Eev, Moonboy, Seven-Scars, Stone-Hand, Swarmers, White-Hair
Base of Operations: Mobile on Dinosaur World and surrounding space
First Appearance: Devil Dinosaur#4 (July, 1978)
Powers: All of the very large humanoid "Sky Demons" were equipped with special technologies that included anti-gravity flight plus arms incorporating multifunctional end-pieces such as flame blasts, concussive shocks, entangling cable, sensing equipments and sedative bursts, and could connect to other items of their technology. They used spacecraft and had developed a destructive device called a Land Crusher. They were regimental with designated stages for occupation, and were analytical with a drive to study the fauna of a planet and determine its threat level. Water could cause their power circuits to malfunction and energy packs explode.
History:
(Devil Dinosaur#4 (fb) - BTS) - The aliens that came to be dubbed "Sky Demons" journeyed to Dinosaur World to gather data on the local organisms there.
(Devil Dinosaur#4) - Moonboy and Devil Dinosaur saw the spaceship land, but their primitive minds limited their understanding of the true nature of the visitation. Several of the extraterrestrials emerged and fired flame to repel the two away from the ship, but this was quickly followed by a an order to kill. Devil Dinosaur was knocked out and Moonboy captured for study and vivisection. Other "Sky Demons" expanded the perimeter (stage 2 in their occupation agenda) around their spaceship by burning nearby dinosaurs and scattering members of the Hill Folk, with White-Hair and Stone-Hand escaping the flames only to find Devil Dinosaur. The "Sky Demons" progressed to harvesting larger organisms alive for chemical processing (stage 3), but one was destroyed by Devil Dinosaur and Stone-Hand. Other Hill-Folk were bound as captives, although Brown-Back was incinerated by an alien when trying to escape.
(Devil Dinosaur#5) - Imprisoned in a capsule inside the aliens' spaceship, Moonboy saw various holding pens containing dinosaurs and Hill Folk, but was then sedated for further studying. The alien invader killed by Devil Dinosaur was retrieved by his fellows and emotionlessly taken elsewhere in the spacecraft. Outside, Devil Dinosaur, Stone-Hand and White-Hair speculated how to defeat the "Sky Demons" but were pursued by two of the aliens. Devil Dinosaur led them to a nearby hot bubbling geyser and caused it to blast skyward, knocking down the pursuers into the scalding water that then damaged their technological suits with one exploding while the other tracked the three. The chase led to the lair of the giant ants known as Swarmers. The alien's flame blasts caused them to come out and overwhelm the metal-clad being until he exploded. Inside the invaders' spaceship, the aliens' analysis of Moonboy revealed his significant potential. The "Space Demons" registered similar results from Devil Dinosaur, but the beast's destructive capacity compelled the aliens to exterminate him and a destructive Land Crusher machine was launched, carried high by four of the aliens, who then encountered the Swarmers. Not recognizing this type of lifeform, the four ventured closer but were soon overwhelmed by the sheer number of them.
(Devil Dinosaur#6) - The Swarmers next marched toward the spacecraft in retaliation. Inside, the "Sky Demons" determined Moonboy's potential to be a future threat and the alien invaders concluded genocide of all hominids. However, at that precise moment, the Swarmers' attack destabilized the spaceship, destroying the inner hull and allowing Moonboy, as well as many of the captive dinosaurs and Hill Folk, to escape. The Swarmers also downed the remaining "Sky Demons". The aliens' ship finally exploded in an inferno, with only the aliens' Prime Computer from aboard their ship surviving the destruction.
Comments: Created by Jack Kirby (writer & pencils) and Mike Royer (inks).
The aliens never named themselves or gave an indication if they were living creatures or robots (or a combination of both), hence I've profiled them as a group, not a race.
They were dubbed "Sky Demons" by the Valley folk, but there is no evidence that they were actual demons.
The "Sky Demons" look a little like
Galactus's Punisher robot (@ Fantastic Four I#49)--maybe there's some
connection?
---John Kaminski
Profile by Grendel Prime.
CLARIFICATIONS:
The "Sky Demons" have no known connections to:
The "Sky Demons" mobilized the Land Crusher to eliminate the threat of Devil Dinosaur. It required four of them to carry it aloft and fired a wide-range and destructive red beam. It was destroyed by Swarmers.
--Devil Dinosaur#5
images:
(without ads)
Devil Dinosaur#5, p7, pan3 (main image, flying)
Devil Dinosaur#4, p7, pan3 (flaming arm)
Devil Dinosaur#4, p7, pan1 (spacecraft)
Devil Dinosaur#5, p12, pan2 (Land Crusher)
Appearances:
Devil Dinosaur#4-6 (July-September, 1978) - Jack Kirby (writer,
pencils, editor), Mike Royer (inks)
First Posted: 10/17/2010
Last updated: 10/17/2010
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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