Faust (comics)
Faust | |||
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Character information | |||
First appearance | Faust vol 1, #1 (1987) | ||
Created by | David Quinn; Tim Vigil | ||
In-story information | |||
Alter ego | Johnny Faust Jonathan "John" Jaspers Johnny Jaspers | ||
Species | Human | ||
Abilities |
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Publication information | |||
Publisher | Northstar; Rebel Studios; Avatar Press; Caliber Comics | ||
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Formats | Original material for the series has been published as a set of limited series. | ||
Genre | |||
Publication date | November 1987 – November 2012 | ||
Number of issues | 15 | ||
Creative team | |||
Writer(s) | David Quinn | ||
Artist(s) | Tim Vigil | ||
Penciller(s) | Tim Vigil | ||
Inker(s) | Tim Vigil Tim Tyler | ||
Letterer(s) | Pagan | ||
Reprints | |||
Title(s) | Various printings by Rebel Studios |
Faust is the lead superhero character and title of a collective series of comic books by Tim Vigil (art) and playwright David Quinn (stories), released by American publishers Northstar Comics, Caliber Comics, Avatar Press, and principally by Vigil and Quinn's own Rebel Studios.[1]
Alongside contemporaries, Faust was credited with popularizing the "deconstructed superheroes" genre and the notion "comics aren't just for kids." [2] One of the bestselling independent comics of the era, Faust issue 1 sold over 100,000 copies with later issues averaging 50,000 sales per issue, most of which sold through several printings and editions.[3][4][5]
The series featured strong graphic violence and sexual situations. The main series is known as "Faust: Love Of The Damned" and started publishing in 1987, with new issues being published irregularly, roughly once a year, or sometimes every two years. David Quinn completed a script in 1996 (when writing the proposal to sell the film). The gap between issues grew wider with time. Issue 13 was published in 2005. It then took seven years for the authors to deliver the two last issues, 14 and 15, which concluded the story 25 years after the first episode.[6]
In 2000, Lionsgate Films released the Brian Yuzna produced feature film adaptation "Faust: Love of the Damned".[7]
Plot summary
In New York City, Beef and Hapi, two hitmen who work for a mysterious Mephistophelian crime boss known as "M", kill a drug dealer and his girlfriend. This violence is detailed in the newspaper articles of Ron Balfour, a journalist who meets Doctor Jade DeCamp in a cafe. Jade has been fired from Bellevue Hospital and is furious over the accidental death of her patient and secret lover, John Jaspers. After Jade leaves the cafe, she and Balfour are assaulted by a gang and a horn-masked figure, Faust, appears laughing and singing while he slaughters the street punks with a pair of retractable forearm talons. Jade realizes in horror that Faust is John Jaspers.[8]
Jaspers later wonders if he is spilled too much blood, or not enough. He, apparently hallucinating, sees demons everywhere. One night from his Brooklyn Heights mansion, M calls a radio station and requests to play the song "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" repeatedly, saying it should be dedicated "From M to the new kid in town", Faust. Later, it is shown that M played a role in Jaspers' Bellevue treatment. M's criminal colleagues want him to unleash his secret "Project Assassin", to eliminate Faust, unaware that Faust is M's prized killer. Jaspers then regains his lost memories of being an assassin for M, as well as the rebellion that led to his supposed "death".
Publications
- Faust : Love of the Damned
- Faust : 777 the Wrath - Darkness in Collision[9]
- Faust : Communion
- Faust : Book of M
- Faust : Singha's Talons
- Faust : Claire's Lust
Controversies
The comic book series Faust: Love Of The Damned was banned in Canada and England.[10]
It has been widely theorized that the mainstream comic book series, which debuted in 1992, was directly inspired by Faust.[11][12]
Film
The original graphic comic character was adapted into an film by director Brian Yuzna in 2000, as Faust: Love of the Damned.[13]
References
- ^ "A Celebratory Conclusion: Tim Vigil and Faust". The Factual Opinion. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
- ^ Johnston, Rich (June 3, 2012). "The Return Of Faust". bleedingcool.com. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
- ^ "NYCC '12 Interview with Tim Vigil and David Quinn | Rebel Studios". rebelstudios.proboards.com. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
- ^ "AICN COMICS EXCLUSIVE Q&@: Ambush Bug catches up with writer David Quinn on some exciting new FAUST news!!!". Ain't It Cool News. 1 May 2012.
- ^ Kayfabe, Cartoonist (June 15, 2019). "The Tim Vigil (Faust, Grips, EO) Shoot Interview". YouTube.
- ^ "AICN COMICS SPECIAL PREVIEW: Want to take a sneak peek at David Quinn and Tim Vigil's latest chapter of FAUST: LOVE OF THE DAMNED? Of course you do!". Ain't It Cool News. 13 September 2012.
- ^ Holland, Jonathan (2001-02-23). "Faust, Love of the Damned". Variety. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
- ^ Burgas, Greg (September 29, 2014). "Year of the Artist, Day 272: Tim Vigil, Part 1 – Faust: Love of the Damned #1". Comicbookresources.com.
- ^ "Faust 777: The Wrath #4". Comicvine.com. 1 October 1994. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
- ^ "Comics Should Be Good: If I'm going to hell, I'm taking Mike Sterling with me!". Retrieved 2020-09-30.
- ^ Rugg, Jim (November 15, 2018). "Faust Act 1: Love Of The Damned". YouTube.
- ^ Robbie, Jack (September 6, 2001). "FAUST.. ugh!!". Horror DVDs.
- ^ Walton, Michael (2019). The Horror Comic Never Dies: A Grisly History. McFarland & Co. p. 136. ISBN 9781476675367.
- Avatar Press characters
- Comics characters introduced in 1987
- Comic book limited series
- 1987 comics debuts
- Horror comics
- Superhero comics
- Fictional demons and devils
- Fictional mass murderers
- Fictional artists
- Fictional vigilantes
- Fictional assassins
- Psychopathy in fiction
- Avatar Press titles
- American comics
- American comics adapted into films