Who's This? When Felix Faust summons demons, it's usually this trio.
The facts: Abnegazar, Rath and Ghast first appeared in Justice League of America #10 and 11 (March-April 1962) as servants of Felix Faust. They would go on to face the JLA three more times over the next 20 years, before starting to show up in other books (and not necessarily attached to Faust), though they were never big stars.
How you could have heard of them: The New52 did use them in Justice League Dark, but perhaps this audience would remember them best from animated appearances, whether in Super Friends: Galactic Guardians, Justice League Unlimited, or Justice League Action (one for every generation!). They also appeared in the recent JLDark animated movie.
Example story: Justice League of America #206 (September 1982) by Gerry Conway, Carmine Infantino and Romeo Tanghal
Don't ask me why this isn't a straight telling, but the issue starts at the Space Museum in the 25th Century. Normally, the place is used, House-of-Mystery-like, to tell anthology stories, specifically sf tales. In this case, because the Justice League Satellite HQ is technically in space, the dad can tell his son a JLA story. Or a bunch of them because he's got to recap all the Demon Three's appearances to date so he can explain what their three artifacts are doing in the Justice League exhibit. Fair enough. But THIS tale, really begins when the Justice League decided to move their trophies from Happy Harbor to the Satellite.
Green Arrow, you easily controlled dolt! So the Demons make him leave the artifacts there, unprotected. And one day, they'll be found, and they'll be free. Maybe not now, maybe not tomorrow, but one day! A decades passes (take that, sliding time scale!) and a young backpacker finds the entrance to the cave and is guide by pink lights right to the display case. He doesn't release them though.
The world: Cheap! The pawnbroker looks a heck of a lot like Barter, the guy from the Hawk and Dove comics that would come later, and he knows a thing or two about the occult, just not enough to know not to fool around with forces he doesn't understand!
We know he's not Barter, because he gets fried four panels later. Shouldn't have broken his chalk circle.
Meanwhile, the JLA were voting in a new chairperson in Zatanna. Almost immediately, Elongated Man sexually harrases her and Flash hits on her. What the heck was happening in Conway's Justice League? I mean, if there aren't two more married heroes... what, Hawkman was unavailable to pinch her butt?
I guess I don't know my Bronze Age as much as I should. Anyway, before it can get more awkward, this:
Big "Spectre hitting a demon over the head with the Earth" vibes here. Ralph throws a lever and they get zapped by the station's defense field, and after a bit of an off-screen briefing, the heroes congregate at Stonehenge. Almost immediately, they're under attack from the unseen demons and one by one they fall prey to blasts, quakes and gusts. Yes, even Batman.
They don't know Zatanna, however, and they're not expecting her to recite her longest spell on record:
But she fell into their trap. The elemental holocaust she brought forth actually destroyed their three artifacts, which means they could never be imprisoned again! But dudes, she's playing by magical rules.
How'd the dad know this story? Well apparently, he and his son are descendants of a Justice Leaguer! Just which one, they don't say, so lay your bets. Kid's called Gardner, which sounds like a Green Lantern thing, but he's not in this story. Zatanna maybe?
We really do see why the Demons Three don't and can't appear more. On the one hand, they can basically do anything. On the other, the plot always revolves around getting them back inside their artifacts. They're genies, basically. And that puts them at a disadvantage in terms of reusability. Frankly, I'm surprised they weren't just one-offs considering Felix Faust was the real threat in their first appearance.
Who's Next? Everybody hates magic tricks.
How you could have heard of them: The New52 did use them in Justice League Dark, but perhaps this audience would remember them best from animated appearances, whether in Super Friends: Galactic Guardians, Justice League Unlimited, or Justice League Action (one for every generation!). They also appeared in the recent JLDark animated movie.
Example story: Justice League of America #206 (September 1982) by Gerry Conway, Carmine Infantino and Romeo Tanghal
Meanwhile, the JLA were voting in a new chairperson in Zatanna. Almost immediately, Elongated Man sexually harrases her and Flash hits on her. What the heck was happening in Conway's Justice League? I mean, if there aren't two more married heroes... what, Hawkman was unavailable to pinch her butt?
We really do see why the Demons Three don't and can't appear more. On the one hand, they can basically do anything. On the other, the plot always revolves around getting them back inside their artifacts. They're genies, basically. And that puts them at a disadvantage in terms of reusability. Frankly, I'm surprised they weren't just one-offs considering Felix Faust was the real threat in their first appearance.
Who's Next? Everybody hates magic tricks.
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