Gabriel the Devil Hunter

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caption=
comic_color=background:#ff8080
character_name=Gabriel the Devil Hunter
real_name=Gabriel Rosetti, although some of his earlier appearances imply that "Gabriel" is his last name.
species=
publisher=Marvel Comics
debut="Haunt of Horror #2" (Jul 1974)
creators=Doug Moench and Billy Graham
alliance_color=background:#c0c0ff
status=
alliances=
previous_alliances=
aliases=
relatives=Andrea Gabriel (wife, deceased), Desadia (common-law wife)
powers=Magic user, limited to exorcism|

Gabriel the Devil Hunter is a fictional character in the Marvel Universe who appeared as an exorcist in several of Marvel's occult titles.

Publication history

Gabriel first appeared in "Haunt of Horror #2" (July 1974), and was created by Doug Moench and Billy Graham.

The character subsequently appears in "Haunt of Horror" #3-5 (September 1974-January 1975), "Monsters Unleashed" #11 (April 1975), "Fantastic Four" #222-223 (September-October 1980), "Marvel Comics Presents" #106 (1992), "Hellstorm: Prince of Lies" #1-2 (April-May 1993), #5 (August 1993), #7-10 (October 1993-January 1994), #12-14 (March-May 1994), #18 (September 1994), and #20-21 (November-December 1994).

Gabriel received an entry in "The Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Horror" #1 (2005).

Fictional character biography

Gabriel was a teacher at Columbia University who returned home one day to discover his pregnant wife Andrea murdered, although, puzzlingly, all the doors and windows were locked from the inside, and she appeared to be holding the murder weapon in her own hand. To cope with his grief, Gabriel joined a seminary and eventually took holy orders as a priest."Monsters Unleashed" #11 (Jan 1975)] Gabriel was possessed by a demon named Catherine, who compelled him to rip out his right eye, set fire to his holy sacraments, and burn his own house down. Gabriel grabbed a red hot metal cross and held it to his naked chest, searing the shape of the cross into his flesh and driving the demon from his body. Gabriel later met with the mysterious woman Desadia, and the two embarked on the career of professional exorcists. ["Haunt of Horror" #2 (July 1974)] Desadia eventually became Gabriel's wife.

Gabriel often worked for ordinary people, but he also occasionally assisted superhumans as well, such as Red Wolf. ["Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe" #9] Gabriel maintained an office on the 13th floor of New York City's Empire State Building.cite book | last = Sanderson | first = Peter | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = The Marvel Comics Guide to New York City | publisher = Pocket Books | date = 2007 | location = New York City | pages = 52-61 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 1-14653-141-6]

Gabriel learned of Franklin Richards' possession by Nicholas Scratch and went to the Baxter Building to perform the exorcism. He forced Scratch to reveal himself, and accompanied Agatha Harkness, Franklin, and the Fantastic Four to New Salem, keeping Scratch subdued on the trip. The group was captured by Salem's Seven, whose power was augmented by Scratch. Gabriel and Agatha Harkness were able to forge the Fantastic Four's love for Franklin into a weapon, and drove Scratch out. ["Fantastic Four" #222-223 (Sept-Oct, 1980)]

Gabriel left before the Fantastic Four could thank him, and continued to be plagued by demons. He retired for a time, and earned a meager living by writing occult "news" stories for the tabloid "World Gossip Weekly" and performing mock exorcisms for people interested in the occult. It was revealed that Desadia had been killed by the powers of evil. With the assistance of the real Daimon Hellstrom, Gabriel was able to overcome his crippling depression, and foil the designs of a Daimon Hellstrom impostor performing human sacrifices in San Francisco. ["Hellstorm" #1]

Gabriel later came into conflict Daimon Hellstrom again, and he spiraled back into depression and alcoholism, and was on the verge of suicide. ["Hellstorm" #7-10] He was contacted by the Asura, the assassins of Heaven, and was convinced to work for them as a killer of demons. ["Hellstorm" #12-14] He later acquired a "Breathing Gun", a firearm capable of killing demons. ["Hellstorm" #20]

A final confrontation with Hellstrom left Gabriel irretrievably insane, only capable of babbling incoherently. Hellstrom left him in the care of the Gargoyle. ["Hellstorm" #21]

Abilities and weapons

Gabriel is a trained exorcist, and if he failed to completely exorcise a demon, he was still able to suppress it, to minimize the harm it would cause its host. He had a cross-shaped scar burned into his chest, which he frequently used against the demons he fought. For a period of time he was also assisted during exorcisms by the spirit of his dead wife Andrea. While employed by the Asura, Gabriel owned a "Breathing Gun", a firearm that was able to harm or even kill demons.

Gabriel himself, either in spite of his abilities or because of them, was constantly plagued by demons attempting to possess him.

External links

*http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/gabriel.htm
*http://marvel.com/universe/Gabriel%2C_Devil-Hunter

References