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DAVEY DREW

Real Name: Davey Drew

Identity/Class: Supernaturally-augmented human (World War II)

Occupation: Soldier

Group Membership: "Crazy SUES" (Specialized Unit, Enhanced Soldiers) - Archie the Gruesome, Blue Diamond (Elton Morrow), Captain Flame (Frank Cortez), Father Time (Larry Scott), Fighting Yank, Fin (Peter Noble), Robert "Flash" Foster, Invisible Man (Leonard Gade), Doug "Jap-Buster" Johnson, Albert "Slow-Motion" Jones, Merzah the Mystic, Moon-Man (Larry), Captain Bob Strong, Jim "Taxi" Taylor and T-Mech, Vagabond, Young Avenger (Bill Bryon)

Affiliations: American Ace (Perry Webb), Bucky (James Barnes), Captain America (Steve Rogers), Prince of Good, Sergeant Byrd, Victory Boys

Enemies: Axis soldiers, Demon

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Davey "Dean" (as called by Albert "Slow-Motion" Jones) (see comments)

Base of Operations: Mobile

First Appearance: Mystic Comics I#7/6 (December, 1941)

Powers/Abilities: Although having no paranormal abilities himself, young Davey displayed great courage in pursuing the wicked Demon after he was tricked into releasing the supernatural menace upon the world--during this time, Davey wore a protective magic cloak given to him by the Demon (see comments).

Davey was later apparently possessed by the ethereal Demon--the darkness within Davey left him mentally disturbed, and during his military service, he seemed to enjoy the death and carnage of warfare.

During combat missions, Davey would often stand at the top of a trench and fire indiscriminately, but he never got shot because the Demon was apparently protecting him as its host; however, the Demon did not prevent Davey from getting badly burned in a mishap during battle--this injury seemed to exacerbate Davey's insanity and he became further unhinged.

Davey also seemed to have the ability to foresee the deaths of his fellow servicemen--presumably, this ability was the result of his demonic possession.

Height: 5'10" (by approximation)
Weight: 170 lbs. (by approximation)
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black

History:

(Mystic Comics I#7/6) - The past of Davey Drew is unrevealed, but one night the boy ran away from an orphanage, with the intent of becoming an explorer in the wilderness.

The youngster took shelter in a strange cave, where he heard a cry for help coming from behind a wall. The voice of the concealed prisoner instructed Davey to unlock the barrier that imprisoned him, and thus Davey unleashed the Demon--the creature vowed he would take vengeance upon mankind, but in appreciation for liberating him, the Demon gave Davey a magic cloak that would protect the boy from his power. As the Demon left the cave and flew off into the night, Davey felt remorseful for releasing the evil creature and swore he'd imprison him again, so he chased after the Demon.

In a mid-western city, the Demon began his rampage of death and destruction; Davey arrived and rallied the police to confront the evil creature, but the giant Demon scattered the law-enforcers with one punch. As the Demon reached out to grab Davey, the power of the magic cloak protected the boy by giving the Demon a painful shock of mystical energy. The police began firing their guns at the Demon, and the evil creature was driven off by the stinging bullets, but the murderous fiend promised he'd return.

(Mystic Comics I#8/2) - At night, the Demon next struck in the small town of Midville. When Davey arrived on the outskirts of the town at sunrise, Midville was a scene of desolation and ruin--the horrified Davey vowed to destroy the Demon.

That night, the Demon returned to Midville to resume his unholy rampage, but he found Davey waiting for him, so he raced towards the boy with murder in his eyes; Davey tossed a tire at the Demon and tripped him, then Davey punched the fallen monster on his face, but his blows were ineffective. The Demon arose and tried to seize Davey, but the magic cloak once again protected the boy--since he couldn't touch Davey directly, the Demon threw a net over the youngster and snared him in its folds. The Demon carried the netted Davey back to his home in the cave, then began to stir a giant boiling cauldron. But before the Demon could throw the entrapped Davey in for a "bath," the large shadow of an unexpected "visitor" entered his cavern.

(Mystic Comics I#9/4) - The Demon found himself confronted by his arch-enemy, the Prince of Good, and the two giants began to battle. The Prince of Good punched the Demon against the wall, and the cave started to collapse. Davy (still entrapped within the net) was carried to safety outside the cave by the Prince of Good, while the Demon seemed to be buried under tons of rock. With his enemy seemingly vanquished, the Prince of Good bid Davey farewell and disappeared in a cloud of white smoke.

But the evil Demon was still alive, and after crawling from the ground, he headed toward New York City and began to destroy the metropolis. Davey heard a radio report about a giant attacking the city and guessed that the Demon was still alive, so he went to confront the evil creature. Since Davey was still protected by the cloak and was therefore untouchable to him, the Demon hurled a piece of wreckage at the boy, but Davey nimbly dodged the attack. Just then, the Prince of Good reappeared, and the two giants resumed their physical struggle. Gaining the upper-hand, the Demon escaped and climbed the Empire State Building, but the Prince of Good followed him up the skyscraper.

At the top of the Empire State Building, the Prince of Good grabbed the Demon and hurled him down to the street below, and the evil creature's impact left a large crater in the ground--Davey was certain that the Demon was dead, for no one could survive such a fall. The Prince of Good covered the hole in the street so the Demon would stay buried for all eternity, then he apparently disappeared. But far below the surface, the "dead" Demon's eyelids flickered open.

(Mystic Comics I#10/6) -The Demon burst from the pit and continued his journey westward; Davey eventually tracked the Demon to the Grand Canyon, where the monster was resting. The Demon hurled a boulder at the boy, so Davey took refuge in a cave, but the Demon followed him. Inside the immense cavern, the Demon broke off a stalactite and began swinging it like a club, but Davey noticed a stream of water pouring into the mouth of the cave, for an underground river had overflowed and it was rapidly filling the cavern.

Davey began swimming out of the cave tunnel, but the Demon's only passage of escape was cut off. Trapped in the swirling waters, the Demon cursed all mortals as he sank below the surface and apparently drowned.

Davey found his way outside to safety, and as he watched the sunset, he hoped the days of the Demon were at last over. (see comments)

(All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes #2 (fb) - BTS) - Davey's subsequent adventures (if any) are unrevealed, but at some point, under unspecified circumstances, he apparently became possessed by the Demon (see comments).

(All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes #2 (fb) - BTS) - During World War II, Davey Drew was recruited into the "Crazy SUES," a specialized military unit attached to the 101st Air Assault Division--these "super-soldiers" were minor heroes under the command of Sgt. Byrd and Captain America, and they would be sent on combat operations deep behind enemy lines. Davey wore a standard-issue infantry uniform, and he was armed with a standard military rifle.

(All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes #2 (fb)) - By May 17th, 1942, Timely Comics (at the request of the U.S. military) was publishing comic books featuring the fictitious adventures of various members of the Crazy SUES--although never explicitly mentioned, presumably Davey Drew's battles against the Demon were among these publications (see comments).

On August 7th, 1942, the Crazy SUES were aboard a transport plane flying over the South Pacific. When the plane reached the jump-zone, the Crazy SUES along with Captain America and Bucky parachuted down to Guadalcanal to take on the forces of the Imperial Japanese Army--apparently, Davey Drew was among the group (see comments).

(All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes #3 (fb)) - On August 13th, 1942, Davey and the Crazy SUES were fighting the Japanese at Guadalcanal--Davey seemed to enjoy the death and carnage.

During a combat mission, Captain Flame absorbed the force of an enemy grenade, but he was having trouble containing the power with so many explosions going off nearby, and he warned his teammates to get back. "Jap-Buster" Johnson was too engrossed in the heat of battle and refused to leave, but Davey urged Captain Flame to release the explosive energy because he wanted to "burn real good" (presumably because of the Demon's influence). As enemy soldiers began advancing, Captain Flame could no longer hold the explosive force and accidentally released it--he stopped the enemy attack, but inadvertently killed "Jap-Buster" Johnson and badly burned Davey Drew in the process.

(All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes #3 (fb)) - Following Captain Flame's fiery discharge, Davey Drew presumably received medical attention, but his face was left disfigured--regardless, he returned to the South Pacific battlefront with the other Crazy SUES (Albert "Slow-Motion" Jones: "Davey Drew got all blistered to hell but it didn't seem to bother him none. The whole thing with the accident just made him crazier").

(All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes #4 (fb)) - At some point, Davey and the other Crazy SUES were aboard a transport plane headed to Europe. After reaching the jump-zone, they all parachuted into the Normandy village of Sainte Mere Eglise.

Later, during a celebratory get-together with the Invaders and other military personnel, Davey "Dean" (see comments) took bets on which of the new recruits to the unit would be the first to take a bullet (Albert "Slow-Motion" Jones: "It's like he had a sixth sense for who was going to make it and who was going to die").

The subsequent events for Davey Drew and his service with the Crazy SUES during World War II remain unrecorded at this time. (see comments)

Comments: Created by an unidentified writer and an unidentified artist.

Although the blurb at the end of the story in Mystic Comics I#10 implied there would be further tales of Davey and the Demon, it was actually the final issue of that series, and Davey and the Demon would not be seen again for seven decades, until the Band of Heroes mini-series.

All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes was supposed to be an 8-issue mini-series, but it was cancelled with the fifth issue due to low sales, so unfortunately the story was never completed, thus the final fate of Davey Drew remains unrevealed.

Since the Band of Heroes mini-series established that the Earth-616 (mainstream Marvel Universe) version of Timely Comics was publishing fictional adventures of the various members of the Crazy SUES, then it's likely that all of Davey's Mystic Comics adventures (along with the magic cloak and the Prince of Good) were merely the fictitious creations of Timely; or maybe the Timely stories were based on "real" events that happened to Davey in his younger days, but the frightening and blasphemous details were sanitized to make the comics more appropriate for children.

The images from Band of Heroes with the ethereal Demon superimposed over Davey were probably done for the benefit of the readers to show that Davey was possessed, and were not meant to imply that the other characters in the story could see the Demon as well (kind of like those squiggly lines when Spider-Man uses his Spider-Sense).

With so many members of the Crazy SUES wearing similar uniforms, it was difficult to distinguish which one was Davey unless he was specifically identified or the superimposed Demon was seen, so I may have missed some of Davey's appearances in group scenes--he was not officially shown to be a member of the group until the third and fourth issues.

In regards to Davey "Dean": While "Slow-Motion" Jones was telling Alyssa Bryon about the past of the Crazy SUES, his narration referred to Davey once by that surname--I'll just attribute that to the elderly Jones having a "senior moment" and misremembering Davey's last name (...as opposed to blaming the book's editor).

Profile by Ron Fredricks

CLARIFICATIONS:
Davey Drew has no known connections to


The Demon has no known connections to


The Prince of Good has no known connections to

Demon


 Self-described as "the embodiment of all evil on Earth," the Demon stood perhaps 30 feet tall. He was extremely long-lived (if not immortal), and he was strong enough to easily toss cars. Although he was depicted once as being able to fly (despite having no wings), and he was bulletproof to some degree, the Demon demonstrated no other supernatural abilities.

"In the days before time began," the Demon had previously ravaged other planets before coming to Earth, but he had been confined behind a barrier in his cave by the Prince of Good.

After countless centuries of imprisonment, the Demon eventually tricked young Davey Drew into releasing him when the boy took shelter in his cave. The Demon appeared in a cloud of black smoke, and although he vowed to take his vengeance upon mankind, the Demon was grateful for Davey liberating him, so he gave the boy a magic cloak that would protect Davey from the Demon's power.

The Demon went on a rampage of death and destruction in two cities, and both times he was confronted by Davey, but the power of the magic cloak gave him a painful shock and prevented him from touching the youngster; the Demon eventually used a net to capture Davey, and he took the boy back to his cave to throw him in a large boiling cauldron.

Davey was saved when the Prince of Good entered the cave to once again fight the Demon, and their struggle caused the Demon's cave to collapse; their battle eventually continued in New York City, where the Prince of Good threw the Demon from the top of the Empire State Building to the street below; assuming his foe to be dead, the Prince of Good covered the impact crater and disappeared.

But the Demon still lived, and he burst from the pit to continue his journey westward; he eventually stopped in the Grand Canyon to rest. Davey tracked down the whereabouts of the Demon and lured him into a cave; the cave was flooded with water, and although Davey escaped, the Demon apparently drowned.

At some point prior to Davey Drew's military service during World War II (see comments), the ethereal Demon took possession of Davey--as the evil creature's host, Davey's mind was affected by the Demon's dark influence, for Davey enjoyed the death and carnage of warfare.

The Demon apparently protected Davey from being killed in combat, although it did permit him to get badly blistered by a fiery blast.

Note: I'm only assuming that the ethereal possessor of Davey Drew was the same Demon whom he fought earlier.

--Mystic Comics #7/6, 8/2, 9/4, 10/6; All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes#3, 4









Demon's cave


 A subterranean cavern containing arcane idols and a large cauldron, it was where the Demon dwelt in ancient times.

But the Demon's home became his prison when the Prince of Good confined him behind a barrier. The Demon eventually tricked young Davey Drew into releasing him. The cave was later destroyed when it collapsed during a fight between the Demon and the Prince of Good.

--Mystic Comics #7/6, 8/2, 9/4









Davey Drew's magic cloak


 In appreciation for releasing him from imprisonment, the Demon gave Davey Drew a golden cape.

The magic cloak prevented the Demon from making physical contact with the youngster, for it delivered a painful shock of mystical energy to the Demon whenever he tried to touch Davey.

Note: The cloak only seemed to be effective when Davey was wearing it, because the Demon was able to hand it to him without any pain.

--Mystic Comics #7/6, 8/2, 9/4, 10/6



















Prince of Good


 Referred to by the Demon as "a magician," he stood perhaps 30 feet tall. He had fought the Demon "in primordial times" and imprisoned the evil creature behind a barrier in the Demon's cave.

After the Demon had been released by Davey Drew, the Prince of Good eventually reappeared to continue their battle in the cave; the Prince of Good punched the Demon into the wall, causing the cave to collapse and bury the Demon under tons of rock. Assuming his foe to be dead, the Prince of Good bid Davey farewell and vanished in a cloud of white smoke.

But the Demon still lived--he burst from the ground and went to destroy New York City. The Prince of Good eventually reappeared and cast the Demon from the top of the Empire State Building to the street below; once again assuming his foe to be dead, the Prince of Good covered the impact crater made by the Demon's fall. With his foe seemingly buried for all eternity, the Prince of Good apparently disappeared to parts unknown (see comments).

Note: For a "Prince of Good," he looked kind of demonic--with his hair color and those pointed ears, the Prince of Good kind of reminds me of the original appearance of Daimon Hellstrom.

--Mystic Comics #9/4










images: (without ads)
Mystic Comics I#8/2, p3, pan6 (Main Image - Davey Drew, wearing magical cloak (right), punching Demon's face)
Mystic Comics I#9/4. p1, pan1 (Headshot - Davey Drew)
All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes#3, p6, pan3 (Davey Drew in military uniform, image of Demon superimposed around him)
All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes#3, p18, pan4 (Davey Drew wants Captain Flame to burn him real good; "Jap-Buster" Johnson (background))
All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes#4, p17, pan2 (Davey Drew with burned face, image of Demon superimposed over him)
Mystic Comics I#7/6, p3, pan1 (Demon released by Davey)
Mystic Comics I#7/6, p3, pan3 (Headshot - Demon)
All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes#4, p17, pan1 (Demon's image superimposed over Davey Drew)
Mystic Comics I#7/6, p2, pan5 (Davey Drew inside Demon's cave)
Mystic Comics I#7/6, p2, pan6 (Demon's voice instructs Davey Drew to release him)
Mystic Comics I#7/6, p3, pan4 (Davey Drew receives magic cloak from Demon)
Mystic Comics I#8/2, p4, pan3 (Demon screams in pain as he attempts to grab Davey Drew, who is protected by power of magic cloak)
Mystic Comics I#8/2, p4, pan4 (Davey Drew grateful for protection of magic cloak)
Mystic Comics I#9/4, p2, pan1 (Prince of Good (left) confronts Demon (Davey Drew entrapped within net))
Mystic Comics I#9/4, p2, pan4 (Prince of Good (right) punches Demon into cave wall)
Mystic Comics I#9/4, p3, pan1 (after defeating Demon, Prince of Good (right) bids Davey farewell)

Appearances:
Mystic Comics I#7/6 (December, 1941) - unidentified writer, unidentified artist, Joe Simon (editor)
Mystic Comics I#8/2 (March, 1942) - unidentified writer, Howard James (pencils and inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Mystic Comics I#9/4 (May, 1942) - unidentified writer, Howard James (pencils and inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Mystic Comics I#10/6 (August, 1942) - unidentified writer, Howard James (pencils), Stan Lee (editor)
All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes #2 (September, 2011) - Paul Jenkins (script), Carmine Di Giandomenico (pencils and inks), Andy Troy (colors), Dave Lanphear (letters)
All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes #3 (October, 2011) - Paul Jenkins (writer), Carmine Di Giandomenico (pencils and inks), Andy Troy (colors), Dave Lanphear (letters)
All-Winners Squad: Band of Heroes #4 (November, 2011) - Paul Jenkins (writer), Carmine Di Giandomenico (pencils and inks), Andy Troy (colors), Dave Lanphear (letters)

First Posted: 10/27/18
Last Updated: 10/27/18

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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