Line #14 ComicBook/DiabloChile


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/diablo_crn_by_el_grimlock.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:''The mask isn't for hiding, [[DevilsJobOffer it's to show you who sent me]].'']]
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4	Diablo ([[{{Satan}} Devil]] in Spanish) is a comic book character from ChileanMedia, created by [[TabletopGame/MitosYLeyendas Mauricio Herrera]] (aka El-Grimlock on Website/DeviantArt) and Javier Ferreras (aka FERRE), made in TheNineties that became a flagship for Chilean comic books that for first time started to sell good as (or even better than) US giants like Creator/DCComics, Creator/MarvelComics, {{manga}}, and European comic books. The comic book and its protagonist became very famous in Chile, a success only gained previously by other properties like ''ComicBook/{{Condorito}}'' and ''ComicBook/{{Mampato}}''. Although Herrera and FERRE were the creators, in a similar way than US comic books, this character was drawn and written by diverse contemporary Chilean artists, like DREG, Miguel Higuera, [[ComicBook/LockeAndKey Gabriel Rodriguez]] and Juan Vásquez, another known ''TabletopGame/MitosYLeyendas'' artist like Herrera. The series was released under "Visual Editores" (later "Visuales") publisher, being one of their most known titles ever.
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6	The story is about Alex, an UnluckyEverydude who rescued his UnluckyChildhoodFriend Carla at the hands of a pair of {{Dirty Cop}}s who wanted to rape her. But instead that, [[DeathByOriginStory he received a couple of bullets in his body causing him the death]]. Then he awake in [[{{Hell}} Entropía]], a CrapsackWorld full of monsters where the [[{{Satan}} Lord of Entropía]] was waiting for him. He makes [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse an offer he can't refuse]]: take the place of his father and [[BackFromTheDead come back to the human world]] to make suffer the human race, or burn eternally in Entropía. With no choice, Alex accepts and revives with new powers. But instead of a FaceHeelTurn, Alex converts into "Diablo", a supernatural vigilante that keeps Santiago city safe from thugs, [[DirtyCop corrupt cops]], mobsters and even supernatural menaces as [[OurAngelsAreDifferent angels]], other demons and a WitchDoctor, all watched and guided by the HotAsHell (literally) devil called Cénit.
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8	The publication irregularly released 12 issues between 1996 and 2001, having a SequelGap called ''Diablo: Crónicas'' (''Diablo: Chronicles'') in 2006, a black and white compilation of 3 numbers, each one with 3-4 stories drawn by diverse Mexican artists as well some Chilean ones who worked in the first Diablo series to celebrate [[MilestoneCelebration the 10th Anniversary of the first issue]] and to fill some of argumentative holes of the first series. Also, Cénit became an EnsembleDarkhorse and gained a couple of SpinOff, one of them called ''Cénit: Trilogy'', made during the first series, and the other is ''Cenit: La aventura tiene rostro de mujer'' (''Cénit: The adventure has the face of a woman''), a GraphicNovel released in Chile during the TurnOfTheMillennium. Recently Diablo [[RevivalByCommercialization reborns again with a compilation]] of 3 books that compile the 12 issues and a new graphic novel titled ''Diablo: La Resistencia'' in 2018.
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10	''Diablo'' is considered a CultClassic between Chilean comic book fans, at the point of having his own FanFilm and a lot of {{Fanart}}s on the internet, included the artwork made by the same Mauricio Herrera. Also has [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff a lot of fans in Mexico]], where Herrera went to live and released ''Crónicas'' under Berserker Comics, his own publishing house.
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12	If you want to know more about this Chilean vigilante, there's [[http://web.archive.org/web/20070708192853/http://www.diablocomic.com/ the official website]] (offline, hosted by Website/WaybackMachine) and [[http://basara-comics-inc.blogspot.com/search/label/Diablo the complete collection]] RereleasedForFree on the internet.
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14	Don't be confused for the name, ''Diablo'' is an OriginalGeneration creation, see InNameOnly below for more details.
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16	----
17	!![[CatchPhrase Let luck decide]] the tropes you'll see here:
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19	* NinetiesAntiHero: Diablo is the Chilean representative of the genre.
20	* AbortedArc: Apart of the cancellation of the comic books, in the first arc there was the story of the angelic lovers and their revenge against the Lord of Entropía. After the first arc, [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome there's no mention of them in the rest of the issues]].
21	* AndIMustScream: Redempting by converting into Catholicism didn't work to save the soul of Alex's father. Now he's living corpse bonded to the Hell where is suffering for the eternity, place Alex went to visit as a devil himself in the ''Infernus'' arc.
22	* AntiVillain: Cénit
23	* BackFromTheDead: After accepting the deal his father left, Alexwent back to the living with no injuries at all.
24	* BadassBoast[=/=]CatchPhrase: "Let the luck decides." Also, the badass quotes of the pic and the end of this page are considered as this.
25	* BadassLongcoat: He usually wears a light brown one or navy blue one in his appearances.
26	** NoShirtLongJacket: As seen in his first appearances.
27	* BettyAndVeronica: Carla and Cénit.
28	* BiblicalMotifs:
29	** The Lord of Entropía is obviously [[IHaveManyNames the]] [[{{Satan}} Devil]] [[SpeakOfTheDevil himself]] and Entropía is the {{Hell}}.
30	** This direct quote from the Bible that is important part of the plot (especifically the bold part):
31	--->''You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, '''punishing the children for the sin of the parents''' to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me.''
32	--->--'''Exodus 20:5'''
33	** The appearance of [[OurAngelsAreDifferent angels as perfect beings]] just like in the Bible.
34	** The interpretation of Hell in ''Infernus'' arc, similar than Creator/DanteAlighieri's Inferno.
35	* BilingualBonus: ''La Resistencia'' is TheResistance in Spanish as well the name of the Santiago's suburb where this story happens.
36	* CanonImmigrant: In the second arc, there's a young boy who's a feared hitman that team-up with Diablo. That kid is nicknamed as "Sicario" (as the Mexican hitmans) and after that story [[EnsembleDarkhorse he gained his own comic books]].
37	* ClarkKenting: This is an interesting case. After come BackFromTheDead, Alex made the Diablo disguise of hide from other people, but he's already dead for their close ones, included his LoveInterest, Carla.
38	* CoolMask[=/=]EvilMask: His signature red mask that makes him look like a devil.
39	* TheCowl: He certainly doesn't wear one, but the trope is well applied here (especially being an {{expy}} of ComicBook/{{Batman}}). After decades, finally this trope goes straight with his FinalBattle look in ''La Resistencia'', with a long red cowl.
40	* CrapsackWorld: [[{{Hell}} Entropía]].
41	* CreatorProvincialism: Diablo's creators are from Santiago, Chile's capitol, where all most of the adventures are developed (except when Alex [[ToHellAndBack travelled to Hell]].)
42	* DarkerAndEdgier[=/=]HeWhoFightsMonsters: Alex is becoming slowly as this after all he witnesses and suffers as Diablo.
43	* DavidVersusGoliath: Mostly seen during the TournamentArc where he has to face giant monsters to survive, also applied to tough enemies he can't defeat at all.
44	* DeathByOriginStory: Diablo's story starts with Alex being killed.
45	* DealWithTheDevil: Alex's father voluntarily makes the deal, but Alex is obligated to this if he wants to revive and not to pay his father's sins (which in this case was his conversion to Catholicism [[RedemptionEqualsDeath before he died]].)
46	* DemonLordsAndArchdevils: The Lord of Entropía is the one who reigns in the underworld, made the deal with Alex's father and later with Alex himself. Also [[TheDragon Vardan]], who organizes LastStand sadistic tournaments ForTheEvulz.
47	* DevilComplex: Played with. After making a DealWithTheDevil to come BackFromTheDead as [[DevilsJobOffer the Lord of Entropia's]] herald, Alex got the disguise and the codename of "Diablo" (Devil in Spanish), but he says he serves the Devil himself instead of being one, as said in the first issue:
48	--> '''Alex/Diablo''': The mask isn't for hiding, it's to show you who sent me.
49	* DevilsJobOffer: The deal with Alex (and his father) is giving a new life, protection and powers (in the case of Alex) in exchange of make suffering to the world. Alex's father focused on this being one of Pinochet's torturers during his dictatorship in TheSeventies and TheEighties, but Alex prefered to [[AntiHero focus in the scum of society instead]], since thugs to corrupt cops, and even he has to fight supernatural menaces.
50	* DirtyCop[=/=]PoliceBrutality: Various cops are shown like this, especially the ones who almost raped Carla (and probably raped other girls like her, mostly hookers), which also have high ranks in the police force and who won't hesitate to kill to mantain their status quo.
51	* DistractedByTheSexy: Alex struggles constantly with this, trying to focus on Cénit's missions or advices instead of her generous curves and her [[{{Vaporwear}} lack of clothes]].
52	* DragonWithAnAgenda: Vardan, TheDragon of Lord of Entropía, who has his own plans apart of his boss, seeing in ''Diablo no.11'' (he organized the [[ThereCanBeOnlyOne deadly tournament]]) and ''La Resistencia'' (he sent the demon troops to kill innocent people).
53	* EiffelTowerEffect: Santiago has the Entel Tower, which appears specially in the first number, not just in the cover, as well in various issues of the series.
54	* EvilIsNotAToy: After getting back to the land of the living, Alex soon discover he can [[SummonMagic summon demons to aid him]]. But, these ones can devour and destroy every human present in the place, no matter if they're TheCartel or [[OhCrap just a bunch of friendly homeless people]].
55	* EvilRedhead: Cénit.
56	* {{Expy}}: Known by many as the Chilean ComicBook/{{Spawn}} with a few touches of ComicBook/{{Batman}} and ComicBook/TheCrow.
57	** FountainOfExpies: The big success of ''Diablo'' provoked a lot of new Chilean titles entered to comic book stores.
58	* FanFilm: The fame of Diablo is so bigger in Chile that there's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpHuYbGJoLM a short movie made by fans]].
59	* FemmeFatale: Cénit.
60	* GoodBadGirl: Cénit.
61	* GoodIsNotNice[=/=][[GoodIsNotSoft Soft]]: The methods of Alex and Cénit.
62	* {{Gorn}}: Good part of the comic book is very explicit about death and blood as seen in [[http://www.gr.cl/pages/diablo/12/16.jpg this double page of issue no.12]].
63	* {{Golem}}: A story involves a golem created by a rabbi to take revenge on a voodoo sorcerer, unfortunately the story was incomplete and without a true ending.
64	* GunsAkimbo: Diablo carries a couple of guns mostly in the first arcs of the series.
65	* HealingFactor: Alex recovers quicker than other humans, this is because the devilish protection he has now.
66	* HeroicSelfDeprecation: Alex thinks he doesn't deserve to be called a hero, as seen in ''La Resistencia''.
67	* HeroRivalBaddieTeamUp: In ''La resistencia'', Diablo was trapped in a suburb with a MobWar between two [[FootballHooligans hooligan gangs from rival soccer teams]][[note]][[RealLifeWritesThePlot a direct reference]] to the "war" between Colo-Colo and Universidad de Chile, two major football/soccer teams with their own hooligans[[/note]]. That, until demons sent by [[DragonWithAnAgenda Vardan]], TheDragon of Lord of Entropia, who go for human flesh, no matter in which the side they're on. To avoid a big massacre, Diablo has to team up with both gangs to stop the demons and as a third side, the religious people of the suburb who also stand against the demons as the gangs.
68	* HookerWithAHeartOfGold: Carla, the UnluckyChildhoodFriend who became a striptease dancer [[OnlyInItForTheMoney only for the money]].
69	* HotAsHell: Cénit, who also is a HornedHumanoid. Also Nadir, Cénit's sister and TheDragon of Vardan.
70	* HotBlooded: Alex is very impulsive in general. And sometimes, also is Cénit.
71	* IdenticalStranger: InUniverse. The devil Diablo has to fight with and Vardan's [[TheDragon Dragon]] resulted to be Cénit's sister Nadir.
72	* ImNotAHeroIm: In ''La Resistencia'', a kid from this suburb is a fan of Diablo and follows him since the beginning, calling him a hero/superhero. Diablo says [[HeroicSelfDeprecation he's anything but that]] and he should stop calling him as a hero or superhero.
73	* InNameOnly: Apart of the [[VideoGame/{{Diablo}} video game series]], this Diablo has nothing to do with Creator/{{Marvel}}'s ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diablo_(Marvel_Comics) Diablo]]'', a villain of the ComicBook/FantasticFour, nor Creator/DCComics' ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Diablo_(comics) El Diablo]]'', name for various anti-heroes during DC's history, the most recent one a member of ComicBook/SuicideSquad (and [[Film/SuicideSquad2016 its movie]]) during the ''ComicBook/New52''.
74	* IrislessEyeMaskOfMystery: Everytime Alex puts the red mask on to be ''Diablo''.
75	* JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind: One of the arcs of ''Diablo'' was about that, in which Diablo converts into a real devil and travels into Hell and tries to find his way out (and he found his father [[AndIMustScream trapped and bonded for the eternity]] where he gets a final conversation with him).
76	* LongHairedPrettyBoy: Vardan.
77	* LoveInterest: For Alex is Carla. Later, he becomes one for Cénit.
78	* LoveTriangle: Implied, between Alex/Diablo, Carla and Cénit.
79	* ManOfWealthAndTaste: The Lord of Entropía and Vardan.
80	* MeaningfulName:
81	** Diablo literally means [[{{Satan}} Devil]] in Spanish.
82	** Cénit is the Spanish name of Zenith (even have the same pronunciation), an imaginary point directly "above" a particular location, on the imaginary celestial sphere.
83	* TheMenInBlack: The look adopted by the Lord of Entropia and Vardan.
84	* MobWar: Diablo is involved in one during ''La Resistencia''.
85	* {{Mon}}: Cénit's little devil who's also her {{mascot}}.
86	* MoralLuck: Instead of killing his victims, Diablo prefers to let their own luck save them or kill them. Some examples are shown in the first arc, when he leaves an AbusiveParent hanging on the Entel Tower and bonds a DirtyCop to the hood of a car running without anyone driving it. In both cases there's SerendipitousSurvival.
87	* MsFanservice: Cénit. [[https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zN5FBY25YbU/TYvI4RX22rI/AAAAAAAAAEw/ck5ulqXcC4Y/s1600/diablo.jpg Just]] [[http://img14.deviantart.net/e0bf/i/2006/276/4/e/diablo_cenit_by_el_grimlock.jpg Cénit]]. [[http://img06.deviantart.net/9b92/i/2005/117/6/2/hechicera_by_el_grimlock.jpg Period]].
88	* NoHistoricalFiguresWereHarmed
89	** In Entropía, one of the first characters Alex saw was [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arturo_Prat Arturo Prat]], one of the most famous national heroes of the UsefulNotes/WarOfThePacific.
90	** Alex's father looks a lot like [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Escobar Pablo Escobar]], the famous Colombian drug kingpin of TheEighties.
91	** UsefulNotes/AugustoPinochet appeared mentioned in Alex's father backstory, being a member of [[SecretPolice DINA/CNI]] as one of his torturers for his dictatorship in TheSeventies and TheEighties. Also, in ''Crónicas'', Alex went to visit Pinochet himself (or at least is implied) to his house just to torment him.
92	* AnOfferYouCantRefuse: Alex's choice made by the Lord of Entropia: stay in hell or being revived as his herald. Of course, the latter option was taken.
93	* OnlyOneName: Diablo is only known as Alex[[note]]Slightly subverted in the second issue when the police searched for Alex and went to see his sister, she's called as "Mrs. Benavente". So, technically his full name is "Alex Benavente" but it's [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome never mentioned]] in the whole series[[/note]]. Also, other characters are known by this as [[HookerWithAHeartOfGold Carla]] and Cénit.
94	* OurAngelsAreDifferent: In the first arc, there're a couple of angels that came to Earth to enjoy the terrenal world, or at least the female one. Both are disguised as naked humans with light blue skin, purple trival marks and feathered white wings. They appear a decade later in the Cénit SpinOff of the 2000s.
95	* POVBoyPosterGirl: Diablo and Cénit, a kind of non-manga/anime example.
96	* RealLifeWritesThePlot:
97	** Alex's father, the one who made the DealWithTheDevil and who passed the deal to his son, was a [[SecretPolice DINA/CNI]] agent and torturer for UsefulNotes/AugustoPinochet's regime.
98	** ''La Resistencia'' is about a MobWar between hooligans from Colo-Colo and Universidad de Chile, two major football/soccer teams that have a literal war between their "[[FootballHooligans fans]]" since decades ago.
99	* RealPlaceBackground: With the exception of [[CrapsackWorld Entropía]], all the action occurs in the Chilean city of Santiago. Even the first evildoer Diablo executes left him hanging on the [[http://www.turistik.cl/undostres/wp-content/gallery/44-torre-entel/torre-entel-santiago-chile.jpg Entel Tower]], a CultClassic scene in Chilean comic books.
100	* RedIsViolent: Mostly distinguished by his [[CoolMask red devil mask]] and sometimes by a red gauntlets he wears. Also [[EvilRedhead Cénit]].
101	* RedemptionEqualsDeath: Few time before his death, Alex's father converted into Catholicism again to get forgiven of his sins. This is the reason why the [[{{Satan}} Lord of Entropía]] took Alex to continue the deal his father broke by his conversion. Subverted in ''Infernus'' arc. See AndIMustScream.
102	* {{Roofhopping}}: The way he often moves in the city.
103	* ShoutOut: Various during the series:
104	** The motivations and the DealWithTheDevil are just like in ''ComicBook/{{Spawn}}'', the reason why is oftenly compared with him.
105	** The scenes where Alex is standing over gargoyles statues are shown in other famous heroes like ComicBook/{{Batman}} and ComicBook/SpiderMan.
106	** The BadassLongcoat and the gunman skills in the first arcs may be inherited by [[Characters/WildCATSGrifter Grifter]].
107	** Cénit could be based on fictional {{succubi\|AndIncubi}} like [[VideoGame/{{Darkstalkers}} Morrigan Aensland]] as well the [[https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/21/8d/06/218d06201af01a6aae9a9b35ff576004.jpg redhead ones]] from ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'' series.
108	** A non-fiction reference: in ''La Resistencia'', Alex's mask is broken, so for the FinalBattle it was given one from [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiesta_de_La_Tirana Fiesta de La Tirana]]'s Devils, a Chinese-Catholic celebration made in the North of Chile.
109	** Also from ''La Resistencia'', Diablo's look for the FinalBattle without La Tirana's devil mask makes him look like [[Manga/{{AKIRA}} Tetsuo Shima]].
110	* SouthernGothicSatan: ''Diablo'' has the Lord of Entropia, a bespectacled ManOfWealthAndTaste who's dressed as a [[TheMenInBlack man in black]] and he was the one who made AnOfferYouCantRefuse to Alex and so becoming in the AntiHero Diablo. Also counts for Vardan, TheDragon of Lord of Entropia, who dresses as him but he's a LongHairedPrettyBoy instead.
111	* SpinOff: Cénit gained a couple of them, usually showing her OriginStory: ''Cénit: Trilogy'', a 2-issue miniseries released during the original run; and ''Cénit: La aventura tiene rostro de mujer'' (The adventure has the face of a woman), a 2009 GraphicNovel.
112	* SympathyForTheDevil: More than sympathy, Alex likes ''A LOT'' Cénit, especially for her [[ThanksForTheMammary hot]] [[StuffyOldSongsAboutTheButtocks body]], at the point of giving her a kiss in one issue.
113	* TallDarkAndHandsome: Alex, noticed by Cénit since the first time. Also the Lord of Entropía and [[TheDragon Vardan]] qualify.
114	* ToHellAndBack: The first arc and the ''Infernus'' arc.
115	* TournamentArc: One of the arcs of Diablo is being invoked by the Lord of Entropía to his own gladiator-like tournament in which the winner is the LastStand, just ForTheEvulz.
116	* {{Tsundere}}: Cénit, who always has a bad mood with Alex but deep inside her [[AngelDevilShipping she loves and cares him]].
117	* UnluckyEverydude: Alex, before getting dead and revived as Diablo.
118	* VigilanteMan: Diablo is the TropeCodifier of Chilean comic books.
119	* ([[WalkingShirtlessScene Walking]]) ShirtlessScene: There're various in the comic book showing Alex shirtless, most noticeable in the TournamentArc.
120	* WitchDoctor: Do Santos, a Brazilian witch doctor who appeared in the last arc of the original run and in one issue of ''Crónicas''.
121	----
122	->''My name is Alex, I was in what you could call {{Hell}}... And despite your very, [[BadassBoast I serve TO THE DEVIL HIMSELF!]]''

Context ComicBook / DiabloChile