Satan badly needs a Management Consultant…

SYNOPSIS: Two invisible (and comically inept) demons have been sent by "The Big Man Downstairs" (as they put it), to keep an eye on a most undesirable character who is in the habit of saving young souls.

Impressionable adolescent lad (we never learn his name), the epitome of ‘60s cool, (never mind that this was published in 1973), is sitting on a park bench minding his own business when he’s suddenly approached by the aforesaid Mr Undesirable, who sits down and with just a few sentences, diverts the lad from a lifetime of wickedness and straight into the arms of Jesus!

Well, almost. There are just a few minor formalities, like going to one or two prayer meetings and so on, but this is a pretty straightforward affair, and should be wrapped up in a week or so. A textbook salvation.

Of course the two demons have been assigned to divert him from this course at all costs. Apparently (as in many stories of this type) the demons can’t directly influence events, they can only put ideas in their victim’s head, designed to subtly bump him off the course to righteousness.

They’re supposed to divert the lad from attending the Wednesday Prayer meeting and somehow (we presume) they arrange the broadcast of a "Billion Dollar Movie" that he’s always wanted to see. He’s tempted, but in the end goes to his meeting. The demons decide that the meetings are too dull for them to be concerned about, and stay there to watch the movie instead.

Of course all Hell breaks loose (so to speak) when not only is the lad saved, but he takes several others with him, and eventually becomes a missionary. The two demons get a right chewing-out from Satan himself, although, to be fair, he should have made sure that they knew why the lad was such a threat to him. Typical vertically-oriented management structure – a guaranteed screw-up every time! For every soul the lad saves they get sent to a lower level of Hell. In the second-last panel (some years later) they get handed shovels and are told: "start digging – real fast!"

ARTWORK: Quite good. A little rough in places, but better than a lot of Chick’s stuff. The demons are quite well done, amusingly presented without being too stupid. "Mr Undesirable" is rather boring, almost a cardboard cutout. He’s always smiling, walks around with his eyes closed and appears to have a broken nose – sounds like a typical Chick customer…

MEMORABLE POINTS: I liked the two demons trying to get the lad to fall asleep while he’s trying to read his bible, one sprinkling sand into his eyes while the other plays rock-a-bye-baby on the violin. The satanic elevator operator wearing the fireproof suit is pretty cool.

WEAK POINTS: Again, the very last panel looks suspiciously like an afterthought – I think the story would have been better without it.

Download A Demon’s Nightmare from Chick Publications