#demon knights

[samisdaswag]

If I’d have a nickel for eveerytime dc makes character with black hair with white strike, that should’ve be dead by now with name of Jason

I’d have 2 nickels

Which is not much but it’s weird that it happened twice

[fan-enby-anonymous]

And, we have yet another "guess what I just read" one of these

[jasposeyblog]

My acquisition of Etrigan the Demon by Scott Kolins

[annotated-dc]

New History of the DCU #1 - Oh Hey, Ystin's Back!

I've a feeling that while the New History of the DCU won't be for everyone, it's essentially Mark Waid creating a unified timeline from the start of the DC Universe to the present by using particular issues as reference points, I think that it's kind of fun even if the exact dates are yadda yadda a tad like in the above pages.

Like, on the one hand it's nice to see the Demon Knights referenced for the first time in literally years, but at the same time they appear to have merged the versions of Shining Knight from Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers and Paul Cornell's Demon Knights into one person (previously it wasn't explicitly the case, Morrison's character being a woman who disguised herself as a man called Ystina, and Cornell's being a trans, intersex or nonbinary character called Ystin, with Waid here splitting the difference and giving them they/them pronouns), in addition to dropping how Ystin actually predates the most recent version of Camelot by centuries, due to the old thing of how both Atlantis and Camelot had incarnated multiple times over the centuries due to some whole meta-narrative thing.

Short version is that Camelot is both a real place AND a story (specifically the idea of a utopia ruled by just and fair people that nonetheless is still doomed to failure), and due to the circular nature of history a version of Camelot and an approximation of the story had happened multiple times. Thus leading Ystin to realise to their shock that while they failed to save Camelot in pre-Roman Britain, if they had stuck around until the 600s CE they could have tried to save it again instead of wandering the world with their similarly immortal flying horse.

I don't know, having their be the second version of Shining Knight after Sir Justin kinda removed a chunk of what makes their backstory so interesting?

Still, nice to see Ystin, their Amazon girlfriend Exoristos and their friends be acknowledged once more, especially as while Ystin IS apparently still around in the present day DCU, thus far their only appearances seem to be that accidentally antisemitic Ragman comic that removed the Jewish mysticism elements from Ragman's origins by saying that the powers came from demons instead...

...And a wordless panel from Heroes in Crisis, which accentuates their figure more than the other portrayals.

[superheroes-or-whatever]

The New History of the DC Universe (2025) #1 art by Todd Nauck

[tomoleary]

Philip Tan “Morgaine Le Fey” Demon Knights #12 (2012) Source

[clowncattie]

Also don't hate me but I didn't really like Demon Knights idk man I also find it crazy that Madam Xadanu (hope I spelled her name right) is technically forced to be in a relationship with Etrigan in order to be in a relationship with Jason like.....

I do really feel like Klarion needs to start making a lot more appearances in Jason Blood comics honestly both them mfers underrated as hell😭😭😭

[newearth2]

Breaking Down the Hall of Justice Mural in Superman, Part 2: Sister Symmetry / Madame Xanadu / Nimue Inwudu

Created by David Michelinie, Val Mayerik, and Mike Kaluta, Madame Xanadu is an immortal mystic whose history stretches from the courts of Camelot to the modern-day magical community of the DC Universe. Born Nimue Inwudu, sister to Morgaine Le Fay and Vivienne (the Lady of the Lake), she is a figure of power, mystery, and shifting loyalties. When she betrayed Merlin he stripped her of most of her magic, leaving her to rely on potions, cards, and other magical items. Her immortality has allowed her to witness—and often influence—centuries of magical and political upheaval, assuming roles ranging from advisor to monarchs, to occult investigator, but always a manipulator.

The mural depicts her as Sister Symmetry, a mantle recently granted by the Cloak of Cyra, a mystical artifact created by a female Lord of Order as a vessel for her own powers. Like Nabu’s Helmet of Fate, the cloak transforms its wearer into a conduit of immense magical energy. Whether the mural’s figure is Xanadu herself or another wearer, the Camelot connection is unmistakable.

Xanadu’s long history in DC Comics often places her at the crossroads of mystical crises. She has worked alongside figures like John Constantine, Zatanna, and the Phantom Stranger, and she understands the cosmic balance between the Lords of Order and Chaos. Her stories range from the medieval battlegrounds of the Demon Knights to the tangled modern-day web of Justice League Dark, often playing the role of strategist and manipulator. She has been blinded through magical misfortune, cursed, and at times morally compromised, yet she remains one of DC’s most enduring supernatural fixtures.

Group Affiliations: Demon Knights, Spirit Squad, Sentinels of Magic, Justice League Dark

Speculation: Her placement beside Exoristos in the mural strongly suggests a shared Demon Knights connection, hinting that Etrigan the Demon or a Camelot-era storyline may be in DC Studios’ plans. The Cloak of Cyra’s link to the Lords of Order could also be used as a thematic bridge to Doctor Fate, especially given James Gunn’s mistaken mention of Fate in the mural reveal. She could easily appear in a Justice League Dark adaptation, either in a medieval setting or a present-day magical crisis.

First Appearance: Doorway to Nightmare (1978) #1

Recommended Reading:

Doorway to Nightmare (1978) – First appearance, anthology host

The Spectre (1987) – Recurring role in supernatural storylines

The Spectre (1992) – Continued magical involvement

Day of Vengeance (2005) – Becomes blind during a mystical war

Madame Xanadu (2008) – Definitive solo origin and history

Demon Knights (2011) – Camelot-era team adventures

Justice League Dark (2011) #24–40 – Joins under J.M. DeMatteis

Justice League Dark (2019) #9 onward – Features the Cloak of Cyra and Sister Symmetry

Next up: Part 3: The Silent Knight